How's business?

[BOB W]

Pray tell, what happened to 2008? After all, this is 2009 already.

Sorry about that> I was referring to the tax return year not the year processed.

My highest year was 2005 with 540 personals and last year I did 480. I will probably do 450 or so this year. Each of these deceases coincide with fee increases during those years. That is why my fees collected is higher that 2005.

I'll be 67 this year and have no desire to work from 9AM 'till 1AM+ any more. So the best way was to raise my fees, progressively over those years. It seemed to cleared out many of the pesty clients and kept the good ones, so far.

This year I am holding my fees, for the most part, and I'll see what happens next year. I am currently a little under half way of completed clients...... time will tell the actual numbers.

All this talk of "Turbo Tax" may have pushed some clients in that direction. ......time will tell.

[LawrenceGR]

Pretty busy

I think this has been a busier March than last year, but I really won't know un til I wrap up the season. I don't record billing until I have filed a successful E-file but my $ figure looks about normal.

[BP.]

I took off today to get a haircut. My barber still hasn't brought me his tax info.

Took off last Fri morning for my haircut. Fabulous. Did my hairdresser's taxes few days prior, and total surprise for her!, she gets the $7,500 FTHB credit. Everybody's happy.

[Black Bart]

Slowbiz

I'm a little worried. It seems way quieter this year. I know I had a lot of wasted time last year what with software problems in February...maybe this year I'm more efficient. I know some of the simple returns aren't coming...and it seems the deadbeats who haven't yet payed me for last year don't have the nerve to call again...I have a good backlog but it just unnerves me that the phones are so quiet...(and when they are ringing off the wall I can't stand it either -I guess there is no making me happy!)
Carolyn

I WAS worried. Now I'm over it for a while.

Every year, both before and after our W-2 rush swamps me (last week Jan/first week Feb), I start lookin' out the door sayin' "They (I almost can't bear to breath the words for fear of jinxing myself) don't seem to be coming in! Where is everybody?"

Did they? (1) Quit me (2) Go Turbo (3) Get mad (4) Find somebody cheaper.

Did I? (1) Say something stupid ("If you're short Mr. Short; I can get you an installment plan...") (2) Price 'em out of the office ("Yes, I know Dad did it for that in '81; nevertheless, I have to go up once in a while...") (3) Unintentionally insult someone ("Sorry Mr. Wysmkjlwvszkr -- no, no; certainly you're proud of your heritage and I assure you I meant no offense with my comment that you probably wish your name was Smith...")

I'll start worrying again around April 1st.

[SueBaby]

I WAS worried. Now I'm over if for a while.

Every year, both before and after our W-2 rush swamps me (last week Jan/first week Feb), I start lookin' out the door sayin' "They (I almost can't bear to breath the words for fear of jinxing myself) don't seem to be coming in! Where is everybody?"

Did they? (1) Quit me (2) Go Turbo (3) Get mad (4) Find somebody cheaper.

Did I? (1) Say something stupid ("If you're short Mr. Short; I can get you an installment plan...") (2) Price 'em out of the office ("Yes, I know Dad did it for that in '81; nevertheless, I have to go up once in a while...") (3) Unintentionally insult someone ("Sorry Mr. Wysmkjlwvszkr -- no, no; certainly you're proud of your heritage and I assure you I meant no offense with my comment that you probably wish your name was Smith...")

I'll start worrying again around April 1st.

The days I have with my clients I wish you people would take some off of my hands; some I do not want to EVER see again!! Thanks for a laugh today I really need it; seeing 9 people today and 4 tomorrow!

[JohnH]

I WAS worried. Now I'm over if for a while.

Every year, both before and after our W-2 rush swamps me (last week Jan/first week Feb), I start lookin' out the door sayin' "They (I almost can't bear to breath the words for fear of jinxing myself) don't seem to be coming in! Where is everybody?"

Did they? (1) Quit me (2) Go Turbo (3) Get mad (4) Find somebody cheaper.

Did I? (1) Say something stupid ("If you're short Mr. Short; I can get you an installment plan...") (2) Price 'em out of the office ("Yes, I know Dad did it for that in '81; nevertheless, I have to go up once in a while...") (3) Unintentionally insult someone ("Sorry Mr. Wysmkjlwvszkr -- no, no; certainly you're proud of your heritage and I assure you I meant no offense with my comment that you probably wish your name was Smith...")

I'll start worrying again around April 1st.

Bart: Nothing wrong with telling Mr. Wysmkjlwvszkr he probably wishes his name was Smith, but don't make my mistake of asking if he's ever considered buying a vowel or two.

[superman]

business up or down?

Just wanted to bring this back to the top.

How is everyones business? Mine is down by about 50%. This is surprising!! I knew we would be down this year but never thought this much so close to the deadline.

[ChEAr$]

bidness

has changed this year, hasn't it?

I'm down about 7% in number of 1040 clients, but those "bad boys" tend to have simple
returns (hence they try free file which is up 20% according to IRS this year as in previous
years), thus my average is slightly up.

But I don't mind, since I'm in a "retiring frame of mind" anyway.

[S T]

I was worried

I was becoming worried last week, when I took a count and looked at clients that had not repsonded, but Sunday, my fax machine and my email went out of control, and the phone has been ringing all day today (Monday), and then the mail was delivered!

So I am going to postpone my judgment until later this week or next week.

The pre-season crowd, the early crowd, the middle crowd, the later crowd and now the later, later crowd, then there is the forever procrastinating crowd on 4/14/09.


Sandy

[DTS]

So many late callers!

And, I mean a lot. This has me worried that I'll get very jammed up in a week or so.

I'm not going to worry about it. This is a weird year, so any business coming in, late or whatever, is fine with me

D

[BHoffman]

I'm getting slaughtered. Everybody coming in late. I'm getting behind

[Donanita]

Right now I am so sick of client that know how to do their taxes that I don't care where they go. Not really, but been fighting with client all day. She wants to write off a $5700 lawn mower that her husband bought to mow around his flat bed trailer and truck that he uses in business.(truck driver). Told her I might consider maybe 5% and have had to listen to why they bought the mower for business. Wanted to tell her to get real. They bought the mower for personal and business had nothing to do with it except they wanted a tax write off.
Sorry for venting. Been a long day arguing.

[JG EA]

Other strange things clients wanted to write off:
Dog food - no relationship to TP's business.
Underwear
Washer and Dryer to wash work clothes.
Easy chair - needed to relax in after work.

[geekgirldany]

I guess I was lucky that my business slowed down for two weeks in March..... so I could be sick! The day I got sick I had spent the day calling customers to get information to finish out their returns. All their info was entered just needed to double check on things. Then that Monday night I got really sick. I was out nearly two weeks. Went to the office 4 times but soon found out I could not do much. I also had to call and cancel appointments. I think I actually scared a few people because I had about lost my voice and I sounded really bad.

Most customers understood while two still wanted to come for their appointment and got mad because they could not. I had several customers send me get well cards and called to check on me. Nice to know you are missed

I am not sure but I believe my business will be up this year. I've had several new individuals and business customers. Many leaving their CPAs because they charged too much. I was looking at bills from $2000 to $4000. No wonder they jumped at me I had about 3 new people call today and set appointments. Yes ALOT of late people coming in. That also has me a little worried.

Donanita, I get where you are coming from. Had a customer wanting to deduct 4 wheelers because he takes clients out on them to go deer hunting.

[BHoffman]

Other strange things clients wanted to write off:
Dog food - no relationship to TP's business.
Underwear
Washer and Dryer to wash work clothes.
Easy chair - needed to relax in after work.

HAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!

I like the "Underwear" with absolutely no reason. LOL!