Lion EA

From the IRS post: The standard mileage rate for business is based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile; the standard rate for medical and moving purposes is based on the variable costs as determined by the same study. Runzheimer International, an independent contractor, conducted the study for the IRS.

Ask CCH for a consolidated 1120 as a pay per return -- without any extra license fees since you're already a CCH client. I know that Intuit provides that service to ProSeries Pro clients who have a need for a Lacerte return or two to deal with something that PS can't handle. Or export each individual return to Excel to combine the numbers for your consolidated return.

But, New Year's EVE is still this year! Now, I'm getting picky like my kids, picking at a detail and veering away from the point. I fully recognize that we have approximately one more celebration -- depending on our beliefs -- before we're hot and heavy into taxes or preparing for the season or..., and that after the rush of an upcoming holiday we have the even more rushed tax season before we can catch our breath. I'm moving things around the house to create a home office. It's a real domino effect moving the old guest room stuff to my daughter's old room and her stuff to my son's old room and some of his stuff into the family room which causes a rearrangement of furniture there and temporarily working out of the living room which causes a rearrangement of furniture there too and with pieces moved to the dining room which meant some things moved to the kitchen. And, there's another issue with bookcases and the family room, but you get the idea. In the midst of all the moving, we discovered that my daughter's box spring does not fit up the narrow, turning staircase, nor one of the bookcases fit to come down to my office. That's going to create some redesigning on the fly. And, all this before I can get the office open enough for a phone person to run lines. All my reference stuff is packed in boxes in the basement and in stacks in the attic and still at the company I'm leaving, so much unpacking in my future. Wish this were a one-story house! Think it'll all be worth is in a few more weeks. :D

I just used sitebuilder with ProSystem fx. I absolutely love the technical support. A gentleman named Chris worked with me. I'm an old lady who doesn't know much about computers. I love that the content changes the first of each month (but you can still pick and choose what you want or don't want or continue older articles or...). When a client asked about something -- I'll be meeting with him after Thanksgiving, but went to the their huge library and posted an article for him to read in the meantime. Posting my own articles is just copy and paste. I'm sure your salesman gave you some great example sites to visit. My brand new site is DollarsSense.com For now, you need to view it with Internet Explorer. Java works differently with Firefox. The techies are working on that issue. The salesman basically assembled the site for me. As I get a minute, I'm updating pages. It's brand new, so have no experience yet with clients uploading organizers or that type of use. But, as a sole proprietor, I'm extremely happy with the technical support.

I know. A misleading name. If I get a chance to say it to a client (instead of them just reading it) I try to say all in one breath something like "enrolled agent authorized to represent YOU before the IRS." Otherwise, like you say, they get scared that you're working for the IRS. And, that's why I include the MBA with EA after my name, so they feel comfortable with the MBA and, hopefully, ask about the EA so I can explain it to them before they panic. It seems that EA is just a benign unknown while Enrolled Agent sounds too much like IRS Agent.

I agree you need to pick and choose what fits the circumstances. (That's the way it is with taxes, all facts and circumstances!). I'm not a CPA, so the designation that fits my tax work is EA. But, not many of my clients or potential clients knew what that was -- and didn't ask. I've had my EA for a couple of years, so have been educating people. But, I found if I used the MBA which people recognize along with the EA, they WOULD ask. Also, I'm trying to NOT be one of the cheaper preparers, so I do want a few letters after my name!

Congratulations! Buy a frame; hang your certificate on the wall behind you where your clients will spot something new this year. Add EA to your business cards and signature. As soon as you spot the perplexed look on a client's face, explain to them what an EA is. I just added an article form NAEA to my website that explains EA; prefaced it with something like "So, she's an EA. Just what does that do for me?" I have an MBA in Finance, so my cards say MBA, EA -- which gives clients an opening to say they know what an MBA is, but what's an EA? But, mostly, CONGRATULATIONS.

MIne arrived in yesterday's mail. CT

I don't expect many this next season, so will just use the QB service. It's easy to get started, and reports download directly into QB. It's not the cheapest, but I don't expect much volume. After tax season, I'll know how many really want to pay with which cards and will have the data to evaluate services for the following year. Besides, with AmEx's offer to buy VISA, there might not be as many different rates in the future.

Haven't received mine yet, either.

I too have a small practice but not simple returns, lots of multiple states, for instance. ATX doesn't help the preparer through multiple states and is weak on diagnostics. I'm still evaluating but leaning toward the high-end products. I've spent a little time in UltraTax CS and ProSystem fx and need to get into the Lacerte demo. Call the ones that interest you for demo disks and keep us posted on what strengths and weaknesses you find.

Is Taxbilly really new for next year?! I might renew ATX to get that improvement.

Thank you, KC. I emailed it to my college daughter to give to her apartment-mate who has had "puppy" on the shopping list on the refrigerator for months! This puppy will make less mess on the carpet than the hamster they're keeping for a girlfriend in a dorm. Thanks so much for sharing. And, you and hubby continue in our prayers.

Isn't technology challenging? <_<

When tax season is hot and heavy, we won't be posting much to birthday messages but I'd still enjoy seeing whose birthday it is. From the headings, we can definitely skip those when we don't have time. I really enjoyed getting birthday wishes this month, and can imagine how much more a taxpreparer will enjoy greetings when he/she is way too busy to celebrate much! Keep them coming.

Mike: If you want to learn to prepare corporations, this would be your chance. It's a lot easier to start as one begins, especially one where you know the client and his business. Bart: Would you please send me those three sheets, also? (I used to have a toll-free fax, sorry) 203-454-5795 or email is fine for me [email protected]

Your husband and you are in my prayers, KC.

Thank you all. It was the big 6-0. I spent it on the bleachers at a UConn football game; daughter's in the marching band. Birthday dinner was a barbequed pork wrap with a Mike's hard lemonade and peanuts in the stands. No birthday cake and candles, but husband brought me a big chocolate chip cookie and the baton twirlers used flaming batons. No one sang Happy Birthday, but over 300 band members sang the CT alma mater in four-part harmony. And, UConn shut out Maine.

Well, that worked just fine. I love it when that happens. And, the link was just the first one I spotted on the IRS site, one about the telephone tax refund, I think; so you don't need to click on it re this thread's topic. Hope I didn't confuse anyone. Just wanted to test inserting a link in a post. Hope you all had a great long weekend.

Thanx, Billy. Testing out that process: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=164032,00.html

Pub 4131 (wish I knew how to post a link!) tells individuals how to pay Form 1040ES electronically. Must register.

ProSeries has been extending several offers, knowing there are lots of us ATXers out there evaluating other software. And, you can buy/reserve ProSeries but not get billed until the December shipping date, so can cancel anytime before then. I would ask ATX or any software vender you decide on to extend one or more of their usual discounts to you. The worst that can happen is you'll pay full price, but the best is that you'll get a discount or a freebie! Good luck.

Now, I might be jinxing myself by posting here before I've been on the QF board today, but I've had several days in a row where I could sign in as my old self Lion at QF. Thanks to Jack and everyone's good thoughts keeping me from giving up.

And many more...

HRB has about 110 courses online, also, mostly by CCH. Their Basic course is now Basic Building Blocks; B3 is in four or so parts (don't think it's available online, but not sure). The next step, Everyone's Return is also in about four parts, both in the classroom and online. However, HRB will stop using ATX for business returns and use their newly purchased TaxWorks. HRB has a classroom course on TaxWorks 2006 now and will have a 2007 course by year end.