Don'tcha Just Love It?

[Corduroy Frog]

Time for my tax season gripe.

It starts with the issuers of information returns (W-2s, 1099s, 1098s etc) send this message to taxpayers:

"We have wonderful news!!!!   You can now access your information ONLINE!!!"

I think the only "wonderful news" is for the issuers.  They no longer have to send things in the mail, pay postage, or even print anything.

So when we ask for these things from our clients.  "OK, I've got the information right here on my phone!  Let me show it to you.  {scroll, scroll, scroll, . . . scroll} for a W-2, then again {scroll, scroll, ad infinitum} for a 1099. 

"Can you print these out for me?"  "Oh no sir, I don't have a printer that works anymore"

For what it's worth, I insist on hard copies for any document that has tax withheld. so we are protected if ever questioned.

Thanks for reading this rant...

 

 

 

[Randall]

I think that's probably the issue with most technology.  It benefits the big company more than individuals.  It's more work on individuals.  It just passes the workload on everyone else.

 

[Gail in Virginia]

9 hours ago, Corduroy Frog said:

Time for my tax season gripe.

It starts with the issuers of information returns (W-2s, 1099s, 1098s etc) send this message to taxpayers:

"We have wonderful news!!!!   You can now access your information ONLINE!!!"

I think the only "wonderful news" is for the issuers.  They no longer have to send things in the mail, pay postage, or even print anything.

So when we ask for these things from our clients.  "OK, I've got the information right here on my phone!  Let me show it to you.  {scroll, scroll, scroll, . . . scroll} for a W-2, then again {scroll, scroll, ad infinitum} for a 1099. 

"Can you print these out for me?"  "Oh no sir, I don't have a printer that works anymore"

For what it's worth, I insist on hard copies for any document that has tax withheld. so we are protected if ever questioned.

Thanks for reading this rant...

 

 

 

Sometimes I have been able to get them to forward it to my email so I can print it off rather than wait for them to figure out a way to print it.  I hate having to go back to one I have started.  

[mcb39]

Isn't this the absolute truth?  So many with the info on their phone and no printer.  Then they want to send a screenshot, which we can't read.  So tired of saying "Where is your this, this and this?"  What a waste of time and energy.  This year I am telling my assistant to add a surcharge.  Either they will learn a lesson or pay the price.

[schirallicpa]

What's worse is when it goes to an older person that literally has never opened a PDF, let alone print one......from their phone.

[mcb39]

22 minutes ago, schirallicpa said:

What's worse is when it goes to an older person that literally has never opened a PDF, let alone print one......from their phone.

It's even worse when you tell them to print it to a PDF and attach it to an email.  They are dazed and say "Huh?"

[Lee B]

3 hours ago, Randall said:

I think that's probably the issue with most technology.  It benefits the big company more than individuals.  It's more work on individuals.  It just passes the workload on everyone else.

 

Exactly, when has anyone been offered a reduced fee for electing to go "paperless"?

[Margaret CPA in OH]

I will chime in with those who send photos from an iPhone which I cannot open. Folks are getting somewhat better though with scanning from their phones and uploading to my Verifyle portal.  So far I have not have anyone show me something on their phone but I also have very, very few in person clients.

[Abby Normal]

I prefer getting documents as files instead of on paper. It saves me from having to scan them. Of course it needs to be a good, clear, readable file.

And anything viewable on a phone can be downloaded and either emailed or texted. No need for a screenshot.

[mcb39]

2 hours ago, Abby Normal said:

 

And anything viewable on a phone can be downloaded and either emailed or texted. No need for a screenshot.

True, but how many of them understand that or have a clue as to how to do it?

[Lee B]

2 hours ago, Abby Normal said:

 

And anything viewable on a phone can be downloaded and either emailed or texted. 

Why would you want to have it texted? Just more work for us.

As far as I am concerned email me a pdf or give me a paper copy.

[Abby Normal]

27 minutes ago, Lee B said:

Why would you want to have it texted?

I give them my Google Voice number so texts come right to my computer. I can type texts to them from my computer.

Bonus: No clients have my actual cell number.

[ILLMAS]

I don’t know what is worse, receiving a picture of someone tax documents taken a mile away that it’s impossible to read.  I usually respond by asking if they can read the info and without me asking they send better pictures.

[Lee B]

14 minutes ago, Abby Normal said:

I give them my Google Voice number so texts come right to my computer. I can type texts to them from my computer.

Bonus: No clients have my actual cell number.

I will have to try that. I have been using Google Voice for my office phone for over 3 months now and it works fairly well.

[Corduroy Frog]

Also bad:  Clients think they can take a picture with their cell phone.  Always blurry, crooked, dark, and impossible to read.

Forbid they should attach a .pdf file.

[Max W]

 

1 hour ago, Abby Normal said:

I give them my Google Voice number so texts come right to my computer. I can type texts to them from my computer.

Bonus: No clients have my actual cell number.

46 minutes ago, Lee B said:

I will have to try that. I have been using Google Voice for my office phone for over 3 months now and it works fairly well.

At first this seemed like a good option, but after researching it, I found it has a downside - lack of privacy and security.

"Privacy Concerns. With Google Voice, all calling information — messages, voicemails, call logs, etc. — is stored on Google Servers. This is a major privacy and security concern that for many businesses makes Google Voice a non-starter. "

Now to be fair, this comes from carolinadigitalphone.com who is competing against google.   However, you might want to check them out as they point to 10 different faults of google voice.

 

[Abby Normal]

You can delete all voice messages and text messages after downloading or listening. Besides, your cellphone stores all messages and voicemails, too.

[Lee B]

There is no privacy with cell phone calls and sms texts.

[Lee B]

3 hours ago, Max W said:

 

At first this seemed like a good option, but after researching it, I found it has a downside - lack of privacy and security.

 

You have the same privacy and security that you have with Gmail and the Chrome browser or with Outlook and the Bing browser.

[Randall]

Slightly off topic.  My Outlook email has suddenly stopped putting my emails in the designated subfolders I set up.  I had a Client subfolder set up.  Now emails are sent to my general inbox or my junk folder or my personal subfolder.  Sheesh.  I'm having to make a rule again for every email I receive to put future emails from this person in a certain subfolder.  Why in the world did that happen?  On its own?

 

[Lee B]

I believe the latest Windows update made a number of changes to Outlook.

[Randall]

1 hour ago, Lee B said:

I believe the latest Windows update made a number of changes to Outlook.

Thanks.  Sheesh.

[Catherine]

On 2/26/2025 at 10:44 AM, Lee B said:

I believe the latest Windows update made a number of changes to Outlook.

They have "improved the user interface" to the point of uselessness, in other words. 

[Catherine]

As to the original point, I categorically refuse to accept any file that is not a PDF. You want to send it from your phone? Get CamScanner or something similar, upload to the portal. Just keep dumping it back on the client until they get a clue - or drop off paper. 

[mcbreck]

On 2/25/2025 at 3:50 PM, Abby Normal said:

You can delete all voice messages and text messages after downloading or listening. Besides, your cellphone stores all messages and voicemails, too.

Even if you delete them, I think Google keeps all that for a period of time.

If we aren't trusting Google, we can't trust ANY VOIP services and a LOT of us are in trouble. Are we pretending the IRS is using copper wire phones still? JMO but I'd trust Google's security more than I trust the blue post office box outside my office.

 

As for the OP I am willing at accept documents in pretty much any fashion they want to deliver. I've yet to be able to open something to view that they've sent me. I just don't want items trickling into the office. Give them to me all at once or something is going to be lost.