Well, you find out things accidentally sometimes.

[RitaB]

Did you have health insurance?

No.  Wait. Let me ask my wife.

Yes.  We were covered.  We just also had a lot of bills.

Did you include your cost for premiums with your medical expenses?

No.

Well, would you give me that information?

(Wife takes over):  You should be able to find it on our bank statements.

I don’t have your bank statements.  How about you tell me the number?

Well, do you need the amount I paid or the Advanced PTC?

Uh, I need the 1095-A that you got and didn’t bring me.

[FDNY]

This has been an all too frequent problem and work flow slowdown for me.  When I ask I get answers, as questions, like, What 1095?  What is a 1095?  How do I get a 1095?  Who gives me a 1095?  Now where did I put that?   3/31 as the new deadline doesn't help matters.

I don't even mind if the 1095 I have in hand has a coffee ring or spaghetti sauce on it, as long as I have it.  It makes life so much easier and I can go on to the 1099B, and don't even mind that the trades are not A or D.

[rfassett]

I am assuming everyone has APTC unless that tell me (with evidence) differently.  I have been shocked that some of my "wealthier" clients qualified for the APTC.  I would have assumed "no way" - and then they give me the 1099-A. Talk about a screwed up program.  Oh, that's right.  We have talked about that ---- a lot. 

[RitaB]

I frequently think we care more than they do.  I called a lady and left a message about missing bank interest income last week.  Crickets.  I called again just now, the greeting last week was not her voice, maybe I dialed the wrong number.    You traditionally have $400- $600 interest income.  Did you have interest income in 2015?

Oh, no,  I cashed that.

When?

August or September of 2015.

[JohnH]

Me: You gave me all the expenses for your 3 rental properties, but you didn't give me the rental income for each of them.

Client:  OK, I'll get that to you later.  By the way, how much tax do we owe?

Me: Uh-h-h-h

[Jack from Ohio]

22 hours ago, JohnH said:

Me: You gave me all the expenses for your 3 rental properties, but you didn't give me the rental income for each of them.

Client:  OK, I'll get that to you later.  By the way, how much tax do we owe?

Me: Uh-h-h-h

I a situation like yours, my instant answer is $17,000.  Then when they catch their breath I say... "Without all the information I need, that is what it will be.  Get complete information to me and it may be lower."  Then I tell them...  "When all your missing information is here, you will be put at the back of the list." 

Sounds cruel, but I grew too weary of babysitting for lazy clients.  Oh, in addition, I institute a 20% "Preparation Interruption Surcharge" to their bill.  Their apathy and laziness cost me productive time.

[JohnH]

I guess I could go to that trouble.  But it's easier to just laugh at the question, file an extension, put the file away, and finish it whenever they get back to me.  The money is good to get whenever we get it done, and I like pushing things out past the 15th.  It allows me to handle more returns.  Extensions prevent me from losing productive time. 

[BHoffman]

For the first time ever, I am going to be relaxed about filing extensions this year.  

[JohnH]

5 hours ago, BHoffman said:

For the first time ever, I am going to be relaxed about filing extensions this year.  

Smart move. It relieves stress, decreases your risk, and increases your profitability. 

Most clients don't care about your well-being or your physical/mental state. Some will pat you on the head and compliment your stamina if you work yourself to exhaustion, but they are just playing you. All they really care about is getting what they want from you in spite of their procrastination and lack of organization. And unless  the tax preparer takes control of the sitiation, it's easy to go into April stressed out, sleep deprived, and cranky. 

[BHoffman]

Yes.  The goal this year is to have the least stressful and most profitable tax season ever.  So far, so good.

[Possi]

OMG that is so true! My clients have learned that April clients get extensions. I love extending. I can still make money, keep friends, and reduce my fatigue and errors! I don't even charge for extensions unless I have to pro-forma a return because they owe.

[JohnH]

I wouldn't wait until April if I were you.  My cutoff is usually around March 15-20.  After that, everyone gets an extension.  Some extended returns  will wind up being completed by Apr 15, but others won't.

 

For me, things are a little different this year.  I've already filed 21 extensions.

[rfassett]

My cut off is March 21st.  No wavering and no exceptions.  Get your stuff in before March 21st or be extended.  There is no other option.  We put that right in our organizer letter this year in bold red letters.  I have been amazed at the chronic late March to early April folks that are already in and already completed.

I will begin Corporate extensions tomorrow. The corporate cut off was March 1st.  Like JohnH, we could have already filed extensions on some personals that have called requesting an extension.  We are keeping a list and will do those on April 13th and 14th.

[Catherine]

What amuses (and annoys!) me is that our letter clearly states ALL documents in-house by 3/20 or extension -- and yet every year we get a slew of people desperate to get ONE document in by 3/20 as if that will magically give me all the time needed to finish.  READ IT.  It's clear!  ALL does not mean "some" or "one" it means all.  Sheesh!

[Lion EA]

I told the estate-that-just-will-not-close that emailed today that they'll be on extension.  Think I'll tell everyone from now on -- extensions.  Certainly, by 15 March that's my catch phrase.  (There have been years that I said it 1 March!)  It seems that almost ALL my clients dropped off in February, so I have a huge backlog and am officially behind and feeling the stress from looking at the bookshelf full of returns to prep.  Saying the E word out loud reduces my stress.

[rfassett]

I started the day with 107 returns in-house to complete.  Completed two so far and had two come in the mail.  I do not have any idea how many have come in the front door today - but it is safe to say "more than one".  So I am probably good for work for a couple of weeks.

 

[BHoffman]

Well, crap.  My 18 year old cat took a turn for the worse today and we had to put him to sleep.  So much for the low stress

He was a great cat and an inspiration - brave and strong til the end.  He was a good friend and I will miss him.

 

[Catherine]

Oh, @BHoffman my sympathies!  It's SO hard to lose a pet at any time; even worse now.  

[mcb39]

I can't tell you how much stress relief I get from my cat.  She thinks she owns the office and probably does.  BHoffman you have my most heartfelt sympathy.

 

[Margaret CPA in OH]

So sorry about your cat!  It's always difficult to lose a pet; I've lost too many.  You can tell from my avatar that my cats are very important in my personal and work life. The gold one is gone now, though.

18 years is a long time - you were lucky for that and so was your kitty.

[BHoffman]

I suffered a horrible bout of depression and body pain since 2011 that was recently resolved with an anti-depressant.  Through those bleak years, this little cat provided me with a lot of comfort.  For a time, I thought maybe we would just go together.  He meant so much to me.  No regrets.  His health was failing, and there was nothing in his immediate future except pain.  Chronic renal failure and a bad heart problem.  I didn't want to put him through the end stage.  He was feeling pretty bad for the last two days, and didn't pee at all last night or this morning.  That was it.  Thanks so much for listening.  

 

 

 

[Margaret CPA in OH]

What a beautiful picture!  That is love, pure and simple.  I know all too well about the renal failure issue.  Hydrated the gold kitty for nearly 2 years until he made it very loud and clear he wanted no more.  Now my black and white Tribble is just entering that realm.  But I am not giving up yet and she isn't either.

Grieve as you need.

[jklcpa]

Touching picture. I'm so very sorry for your loss. No matter how long our pets are with us, it never seems long enough, and it is never easy to say that final goodbye.  I hope the fond memories will once again be at the forefront and not the burden of the last days.

Last year I lost two pets CHF and kidney issues, made that final decision for mom's dog about two weeks ago, and now another of my dogs is in the current battle of CHF too. She had 2 trips to the e-vet last week but thankfully, I think we are getting her medicines adjusted so that she will enjoy life for a while longer. It's not been an easy few weeks.

[BHoffman]

That renal failure is heinous.  It is a long, slow decline.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lion EA]

I'm very sorry.  I too have had cats.  They are part of our family, they rule the family.  Allow your self to grieve.  And, you can always vent here.