How's business?

[WhiteOleander]

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

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

You can deduct them because they have to wear underwear to go to work. What if they were in an accident!!!

[BP.]

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

Agree with you, BHofffman, ST, DTS, ChEAr$, and others -- weird year, lots of late callers, loads of files to get to! How can there be just a bit over 3 wks left?? Initial wave bigger than usual, March lull quieter than usual, and maybe these later folks simply postponed the cost of tax prep?

[Lion]

Late

Clients are calling later. Brokerage statements were 17 days later at best, with Merrill Lynch and others further extended into March, and this week I received corrected statements for two clients, one was ready to go. I have new clients, so would be up. But, clients are being very nasty about extensions. If I lose clients this year or don't return next year due to me putting them on extension, I could be down. I started saying extensions were probable last weekend. Had one e-mail today who has an appointment tomorrow with many states want assurance I can complete by 14 April. I'd told him "extension" when he booked the appointment, told him I can't promise as the returns ahead of his could be more complicated than last year and harder to predict timing.

[DaveO]

We have been slammed this year. As of 3/24/08 I had prepared 276 returns as of this morning I'm at 315 with nearly 200 on my to do list.

[BOB W]

We have been slammed this year. As of 3/24/08 I had prepared 276 returns as of this morning I'm at 315 with nearly 200 on my to do list.

Well at least I'm not the only one!!!!!! As I reported a couple of weeks ago, self prepared returns are UP 20%.

I will Not hit 400 returns this year, boohoo....But revenue is up. ???

[dkss]

down for me?

My count as of today is 534 returns - no corps or partnerships. My business seems to be about 20-30 returns down this year although I still expect about 150 more due to grace my doorway before the end of the season. I know I saw a lot of obituaries of clients thru the year (including two murdered clients!)
This is a new location for me this year - first "real" office in over 50 years! I took over the family business that had been run from the home for over 50 years. A few clients have walked in to drop off their papaerwork and stated "how much is this new building going to increase my charges?" LOL

[BOB W]

I just checked, I have about 60 returns in-house that are waiting for additional info before I can finalize them. That makes me feel better. But I still won't reach last year's total. That means I will be too busy later when I working on payroll reports, not good.

[ChEAr$]

Fyi

Reported elsewhere is HRB press release saying their in house returns are down somewhere
around 6%. "In house" does not include returns prepared by people using their software or
the free file program.

[JohnH]

Things have started jumping around here the past 2-3 days.
Lots of regulars waiting until the last minute, it appears.
Sure am glad I set March 10 as the cutoff date for extensions.

[DTS]

Things have started jumping around here the past 2-3 days.
Lots of regulars waiting until the last minute, it appears.
Sure am glad I set March 10 as the cutoff date for extensions.

Same here, John. Getting a bit scary with only a couple weeks left. I don't have to set cutoffs so early, but I will make a determination after tomorrow or Monday as to my cutoff. I can usually pump it pretty good at the end, but if I have tons looking back at me, I think my cutoff will be mid-week next week.

A lot of big returns are still out.

D

[Possi]

Growing!

It is quiet right now, like all the rest. Thank goodness!

I did a comparison last week, and I'm way up this year. Word of mouth is spreading like wildfire. I have new clients across the US and 2 new ones abroad. It has caused me to come to the board here, more often with more complex issues.

I have only "fired" one client so far this year. That is good for me!

As far as "Tax in a Box", it brings me clients every year. Even one little glitch, and they come to me. I get the clients who are afraid to screw it up, or they owe and think I can work a miracle.

I might not work miracles, but I can analyze the return and tell them WHY they owe. That's when I win them.

I really love what I do. I see each folder as someone's "story." And I love "stories!" And after 14 years, it is a good and wonderful thing that I am so easily entertained...

Blessing y'all,
~possi

[SueBaby]

It is quiet right now, like all the rest. Thank goodness!

I did a comparison last week, and I'm way up this year. Word of mouth is spreading like wildfire. I have new clients across the US and 2 new ones abroad. It has caused me to come to the board here, more often with more complex issues.

I have only "fired" one client so far this year. That is good for me!

As far as "Tax in a Box", it brings me clients every year. Even one little glitch, and they come to me. I get the clients who are afraid to screw it up, or they owe and think I can work a miracle.

I might not work miracles, but I can analyze the return and tell them WHY they owe. That's when I win them.

I really love what I do. I see each folder as someone's "story." And I love "stories!" And after 14 years, it is a good and wonderful thing that I am so easily entertained...

Blessing y'all,
~possi

It is a story of their lives; but to me I see it as they bring me a box of puzzle pieces and I put it together for them. Some are pretty pictures after I get through and some are not. Some are happy with it and some or not. You can not please everyone; even though you work with what they have.

[BOB W]

Anybody know why clients are having the same reaction to this tax season all across the nation?

Maybe " Free File" or other "Retail Store Programs" ??????

[ChEAr$]

Well, I've been thinking about it lately

Anybody know why clients are having the same reaction to this tax season all across the nation?

Maybe " Free File" or other "Retail Store Programs" ??????

In my case, I mostly prepare return on only visit of client, he signs for efiling, and
then pays me and leaves. I can understand why some of them in these economic times
are procrastinating.

But for those who "do" RAL's, or other so called "bank products" which let the preparer
fees be taken out of the refund, it probably wouldn't deter any of those clients from
checking in at usual time.

What say ya'll?

[BHoffman]

I've been working the past few years to prepare fewer number but higher dollar returns. So far, so good. I believe we'll be seeing more Turbox clients in the future. I think the Gov't is going to confuse people with the tax gimmicks, and people will be afraid they might miss out on some rebate or another. I think that will be good for us.

Lots and lots of procrastinators. I prepare around 70 business returns and around 170 personal. A lot of those are the shareholders and partners. I don't have any EZs or As. Sure wish I could set an extension deadline earlier than Apr 1st, but my clients won't have it and I don't want to spend all summer doing tax returns anyway.

For clients on extension, I tell them I need their paperwork by August 31st or else I cannot prepare their return. Some of them actually take me seriously. I have one fellow who consistently shows up around 10/12 with his stack o' papers. I work like the dickens to get it done because he's a nice guy and charge him a fortune because he's a lousy client

What do you do about clients who come in late and are going to owe to avoid the penalty? I have to basically prepare the return to find out whether they need to send in a payment with the extension request.

This has been a good, but tough, year for me. Started off with my poor old computer kicking the bucket and then that nasty cold....

The weather here in Phx is so fine it's a shame to have be in the house all day.