TIED-DOWN

[BLACK BART]

March 1st.  Time to check the closet and extract my collection of spiffy, if somewhat threadbare, ties.  The heavy-duty, industrial-strength cases that start drifting in 'bout now expect a little klass for their kale.  So, I am in compliance with professional social norms (I've really got to get these dang things dry-cleaned someday - several years of gravy-stain show through here and there). I've been doin' this so long that most clients have stopped asking "Is there a funeral today?" Casual, but with shoes (my usual dress code), is fine too, but this is the one time of year I feel legitimately entitled to pomp it up a bit. Cheers.

 

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To make a fine gentleman, several trades are required, but chiefly a barber.   ----   Goldsmith

[TAXMAN]

Hey, anybody set their cutoff date yet as when 4868 comes into play. I have an awful lot of TP just now getting some things.

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

I set mine up early on and put it into my letter as March 8. I am sick of killing myself for people that just are not in a hurry about my time. The later they are, the more they call and bug me. 

[FDNY]

Let me know if you want to borrow my tie, although it is the old 1040 that we dearly miss.

[Catherine]

Our letters say March 15 for ALL docs in house.

[BLACK BART]

Okay, you derailers; if you don't want to discuss my wardrobe, I'll go with you.  My cutoff date is April 15th.  All documents must be in house by no later than 5 P.M. that afternoon (not that I'm desperate for trade or anything).

[JohnH]

I've already filed some extensions.  Planning to get my own handled first of the week.  Everything after March 8 will automatically go on extension unless it's an obvious slam dunk on the first pass. No exceptions.

[BLACK BART]

5 hours ago, JohnH said:

...Everything after March 8...automatically...extension...No exceptions.

You're a hard man, Captain Bligh.

[Abby Normal]

22 hours ago, FDNY said:

Let me know if you want to borrow my tie, although it is the old 1040 that we dearly miss.

The new 1040 would be a bow tie.

[Abby Normal]

6 minutes ago, BLACK BART said:

You're a hard man, Captain Bligh.

Especially for clients who don't even have brokerage 1099s until March 15th or K1s until April 1st.

[Lion EA]

I've been doing something pretty close to 1 March each year. Now some simpler ones come in after that and get prepared, but I don't announce that. I think I'm stopping with what I have right now. As it is, I have a 2017 that I promised, partnerships and S-corporations with 15 March deadlines, and a taller than normal stack that arrived as early as 1 February. That's right, I'm a month behind already. My usual flurry is 22 February when a dozen arrive in a day, 20 in a week, leaving me weeks behind suddenly. This year the flurry arrived 12 February, and I've been buried every since. I'm making sure that everyone knows from now on that they ARE going on extension. I don't care if they upload or drop through my mailslot and run, I'm tracking them down to tell them they are on extension. (Well, I do have a couple of March appointments that I rescheduled from February that I guess I have to prepare on time.) The problem clients are the ones that remember dropping off in February and don't remember bringing me more stuff in March; they complain that it takes me three months to prepare their returns.)

I answered the door this week in my pajamas to a client dropping off. Well, leggings, tee, and fleece top, with fuzzy slippers. That's how I work when no clients are due. With clients, I still go for comfort: leggings, long-sleeved tee, long vest or sweater, but with actual shoes and socks. I might wear jeans. I might even wear dress slacks. But, I've really lived in leggings since my hip replacement. No tie and blazer, but the long vest or sweater does tie the outfit together a bit.

[jklcpa]

1 hour ago, Abby Normal said:

The new 1040 would be a bow tie.

It's more like a combo of the (old) tie and a new-not-improved big giant clown bow tie with the expansion to include up to six schedules.  lol

 

[JohnH]

2 hours ago, BLACK BART said:

You're a hard man, Captain Bligh.

A-r-r-g-h!

[Catherine]

On 3/2/2019 at 4:34 PM, Lion EA said:

I'm making sure that everyone knows from now on that they ARE going on extension.

Our letter, in addition to a 3/15 cutoff for ALL docs (not some, not most - all - so that takes care of everyone, lol) states that any return not completed and FILED by April 1st WILL be put on extension.   Saves people wanting to come in at 9PM on the 15th to sign.  (Those are the ones who would then say "but where's the income from my Amway sales?" that they never, ever mentioned.)

[BLACK BART]

12 hours ago, Catherine said:

..."but where's the income from my Amway sales?" that they never, ever mentioned.)

Think I've got that guy now - he poured his box of expenses on top of the desk.   I said "Great. Where's the income?" The astonished reply: "You want that too?" 

[Lion EA]

I know, EVERYONE forgets their income: biz, rental, brokerage statement, etc., even W-2 when there was a job change.

[JohnH]

I didn't realize until re-reading this thread that I'm out of style.  For me, it's cargo pants with sneakers, and a casual shirt (usually one of the HABIT outdoor shirts from Sam's).  I don't think a tie goes well with cargo pants & big-flap shirt pockets but what the heck - I may just try it and tell them Black Bart insisted it's time I dress up. That 1040 Tie from FDNY might just round it out nicely.

 

[Lion EA]

I do have a green dollar bill bandana...

[BulldogTom]

49 minutes ago, JohnH said:

I didn't realize until re-reading this thread that I'm out of style.  For me, it's cargo pants with sneakers, and a casual shirt (usually one of the HABIT outdoor shirts from Sam's).  I don't think a tie goes well with cargo pants & big-flap shirt pockets but what the heck - I may just try it and tell them Black Bart insisted it's time I dress up. That 1040 Tie from FDNY might just round it out nicely.

 

Put a warm corona beer in your hand and people might mistake you for Chaz.

Tom
Modesto, CA

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

15 hours ago, Catherine said:

Our letter, in addition to a 3/15 cutoff for ALL docs (not some, not most - all - so that takes care of everyone, lol) states that any return not completed and FILED by April 1st WILL be put on extension.   Saves people wanting to come in at 9PM on the 15th to sign.  (Those are the ones who would then say "but where's the income from my Amway sales?" that they never, ever mentioned.)

Maybe I should change my letter to that cutoff. Since there is only one of me, it would save me some sleepless nights. I have people that just don't find the time to get me everything. Does that mean that you don't file any returns after the 15th or is that a just in case warning?

[JohnH]

Ditch the sleepless nights.  Your clients don't appreciate martyrdom.  They will praise you to the moon for getting them taken care of at the last minute, then repeat the same behavior next year.  That's how they show you how little respect they have for you or your time.  An intelligent, thoughtful person doesn't want a tired, sleep-deprived, frazzled tax preparer trying to rush through their return at the last minute.  Common sense would tell them that's risky for them financially and seriously inconsiderate & disrespectful toward you.

Lay down an extension policy that puts their feet to the fire.  Then you can pick & choose whom you exempt from the policy based upon how simple the return is, how compliant they are in getting info to you, how much profit there is in the return, whether you like their attitude/hairstyle/whatever.  The key is to get a firm extension policy in front of them and then do what works best for you.  If you're in your office on Apr 15, you should be leisurely reviewing your extension list or surfing the internet.  And you ought to be going home by dinner time that day. 

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

John, I do have an extension deadline set up in my letter. Currently it is set at 3/8. People are feverishly dropping their information off this week to avoid an extension. I really do put most of the late ones on extension, unless I get a little time to pull an easy forward. I set that date, because I try to work on the more complex ones then so I don't have as many interuptions with appointments. The sleepless nights are probably a combination of working on my own and having two elderly parents and a disabled husband that slow me down somewhat. I have changed my attitude a lot this year and am definitely keeping my stress level lower. After having very little personal life for 4-5 months a year since I was 19, I've slowed down and actually went out of town for a weekend after my son got engaged. 

[JohnH]

Sounds like you definitely have a full plate, aside from the demands of the tax business this time of year. It's often the case that the caregiver deals with more stress than the patient, or your case the patients.  Stress is an enemy to all of us. 

[BLACK BART]

6 hours ago, JohnH said:

...Lay down an extension (sic) EXPULSION policy that puts their feet to the fire... 

I'm with you, John (in favor or a strict expulsion policy). Whether I do 'em or not before 4-15 depends on just how bad they stink up the office.  Last guy I ejected (with a firm "SORRY, BUT YOU'LL HAVE TO LEAVE!" ) required half a can of Lysol spray, a full 30 minute running of the ceiling fan, full-blasting A/C, plus some desperate arm-waving of an open newspaper to extinguish and disperse the last air-hanging whiff.  

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There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.   ______  Matthew, VIII. 12 

 

[JohnH]

Yep, been there Bart.  Back when I opened my first tax office I had a partially disabled client who hauled cows to make some extra money.  The man was as honest as could be and I still recall and admire his integrity.  Always brought his tax papers in one or two of those heavy duty  cardboard cigar boxes (remember those?).  

One year he stopped by right after a delivery and apparently he had a "souvenir" somewhere on his person. After he left, I realized the smell wouldn't go away although I employed most of the remedies you mentioned.  Was on the verge of doing an exorcism since that was about the only option left.  I finally realized the smell emanated from one of the cigar boxes because a couple of receipts had been handled prior to some serious hand washing. If he'd been audited that year, there would have been a few receipts missing.