New Form 1040

[Christian]

In looking over the new form and attached schedules I can see how it may be more simple for some but more confusing for many.  Subtracting figures in a line item arrangement wasn't all that bad was it ? Who knows maybe it will increase our traffic. 

 

[SaraEA]

I was in a seminar where we went over all the new schedules.  What the redesign has done is cram the totals onto two "postcard" size pages where the font on page 2 is so small it's difficult to read (should be illegal) and there is not enough room to write legibly--IRS will have a hard time deciphering those mail in returns and I don't know how small the font in our tax programs will go to cram all the digits into the 1/2 inch spaces allotted.  Notice that all the pages on the new schedules have line numbers that correspond to the old 1040.  Maybe even the IRS doesn't believe the new format will work and is keeping those line numbers so they don't have to re-re-write all the instructions?  There are two schedules devoted to "tax," one of which has two whole lines and another to total them.  A whole sheet of paper for three lines???  Oh, and if you want your tax preparer to be able to converse with the IRS, that's a whole schedule too (coupled with foreign address for some reason)--it used to be just a check box.

As for increasing traffic, in our office we've already decided we don't want this traffic.  People are going to DIY and be unhappy with their refund, not realizing that their withholding was lowered so they had much less taken out to get refunded, and even though tax rates went down they may have lost enough in exemptions and itemized deductions no longer allowed that it doesn't make up the shortfall.  We will do what we always do--accept no cold calls from potential clients going through the phone listings and maybe take some referred by trusted existing clients.  We are not inclined to meet new clients who really just want us to double check their Turbo Tax results!

[Lion EA]

Page 1 does have the check box for Preparer as 3rd Party Designee in the bottom right corner of the Paid Preparer Use Only section at the bottom of page 1, right above the Self-employed check box. Schedule 6 has Third Party Designee info for a non-preparer, such as an adult child for an aging parent.

All the schedules are designed to print 8.5 X 11. Of course, the two "postcards" will have to print 8.5 X 11 also!

[Abby Normal]

3 hours ago, Lion EA said:

All the schedules are designed to print 8.5 X 11. Of course, the two "postcards" will have to print 8.5 X 11 also!

ATX isn't putting multiple schedules on one page?! I was hoping they'd give an option to print both 1040 pages on one page. This is really going to suck, isn't it?

[Catherine]

47 minutes ago, Abby Normal said:

This is really going to suck, isn't it?

In some ways, it always *does* - this is just going to suck in new and different ways.  

[TAXMAN]

I test printed a return yesterday. Half pages, third pages 6 schedules. What a waste of paper. My cohort said same amount of toner just more paper. Add in QBI worksheets and forms more pages. I agree no new ones this year. Just my 2 cents

[Christian]

I was going to point that out Abby but Catherine beat me to it.  And Taxman are you saying the 1040 is not going to fill a full sheet. Good grief. It sounds kinda naked.

[Abby Normal]

I'm going to see if I can get some advertisers to pay for ads in all of that blank space.

[TAXMAN]

In my test print 1040 page 1 half page,1040 page 2 half page, schedule 1, 3/4 page, schedule 4 almost 1/2 page, schedule 6, 1/4 page. I was hoping ATX would combine a bunch of this into 1 page. This is assuming that you are not duplexing.  It would seem to me the keep pricing up where it needs to be the more pages a client sees the happier he is.

[Christian]

I printed a test page. This will be my 37th year in 2019. In my wildest dreams I would never have thought the Service would sqush (this is the Southern form of squash you Yankees !) the Form 1040 on a half full page. Maybe as Abby suggests we can add some snappy add on the bottom. 

[Roberts]

My basic state return went from 2 pages to 5 and was mindbogglingly stupid the way they spread everything out. I simply don't understand how this is superior or eco friendly.

[schirallicpa]

1 hour ago, Roberts said:

My basic state return went from 2 pages to 5 and was mindbogglingly stupid the way they spread everything out. I simply don't understand how this is superior or eco friendly.

Certainly no eco friendly!

Which leads me to question how many of us still print returns for all of our clients and how many ask if they want a digital copy instead.  I think I am pushing the digital!!

 

[Abby Normal]

I push for digital copy only every year but on a small percentage take it. So I print maybe 25 pages out of 100 page return and include a CD with the return and records for every year they've been a client.

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

Only a few of my clients want digital copies. I wish that all of them did, but I may try to push it more because of the incredible waste of paper for the coming years. 

[Jack from Ohio]

Clients lose any paper you give them.  I charge $20 for replacement copies of tax returns.  That seems to be the tipping point to motivate people to look...

[Catherine]

$30 paid up-front before we'll re-print and mail.  Gee, when they go back to look they never call back....

As for multi pages - MA went to four pages last year.  Was only two not too long ago.  Only the *middle* third has any info.  Total tax at the bottom of page 3 info; withheld tax at top of page 4 info.  Impossible to compare without flipping pages.  Grrr!

[Lion EA]

The year after NY's last revision, CT also revised -- from two pages to five. Totally unneeded.

I think I'll push electronic copies to everyone this year. (I still have two 2017 folders that clients haven't picked up that I'll mail before the end of the year.) I have a few clients who use my portal, so maybe they at least will take electronic copies.

[Roberts]

I don't think I've ever delivered a duplicate return in physical format. They need it for their mortgage application so they want it digital.

I like delivering a physical copy when they pay me. It provides them with a physical product in return for their payment which I think is a psychological appeal for many. Even friends who do their taxes on Turbo Tax admit they like to print off a copy.

[Abby Normal]

2 hours ago, Roberts said:

Even friends who do their taxes on Turbo Tax admit they like to print off a copy

I sure don't want paper. I print/scan everything (taxes, bills, orders, receipts, etc.) to PDF and make sure my drive is backed up, both at home and at work. We just threw out all of out filing cabinets at work and reclaimed the file room as a work room.