That danged rebate, anyway.

[Black Bart]

Cain't remember to check for it. Why couldn't they just give 'em all the money one year and shut up about it? What a pain.

Paper-filed client came in yesterday with a letter: "There was an error on your tax return and you are due $X (the rebate amount he didn't get enough of last year)...etc., etc., etc.

The italics are mine, but the word/letter often makes a lasting impression on clients no matter why received. Anyhow, it decides (for me) which crowd wins the board's recent argument whether to omit/not omit rebates to prevent delays and let IRS mail the balance later. Apparently the upright "do-it-right" crowd was in the right.

I swear; startin' today I hit that stimsite first thing and punch in ever' single solitary soul.

[BP.]

I swear; startin' today I hit that stimsite first thing and punch in ever' single solitary soul.

It's best . . . it's easy . . . and those letters can leave an unpleasant aftertaste even if the recipient is due mo' money.

[S T]

Software

My software issues an audit message and won't let me efile, until I complete the Stimulus Rebate. I forget it all the time, and have to go back and enter the amount or a -1.

Sandy

[RitaB]

You can probably put this back in the client's lap

Cain't remember to check for it. Why couldn't they just give 'em all the money one year and shut up about it? What a pain.

Paper-filed client came in yesterday with a letter: "There was an error on your tax return and you are due $X (the rebate amount he didn't get enough of last year)...etc., etc., etc.

The italics are mine, but the word/letter often makes a lasting impression on clients no matter why received. Anyhow, it decides (for me) which crowd wins the board's recent argument whether to omit/not omit rebates to prevent delays and let IRS mail the balance later. Apparently the upright "do-it-right" crowd was in the right.

I swear; startin' today I hit that stimsite first thing and punch in ever' single solitary soul.

BB - If the client is the least bit ornery about it, (and maybe if he's not), I'd pull out somebody's "here's what you got, keep this with your tax documents" letter. (That is, if you can find one!)

Gently (or not, depending on the client) remind him that it was HIS responsibilty to tell YOU. Maybe even act shocked: "Oh, you didn't get the full amount? Didn't you get a letter like this TO BRING TO ME? I'm shocked. Shocked."

Finally, the IRS web page is titled, "How Much Was My Stimulus Payment?" NOT "How Much Was MY CLIENT'S Stimulus Payment?"

[AZ-Tax]

If there was one of the most stupidest thing this Govt did..

it was the process and the mishandling of the process of those stimulus checks. I said and I will say it again. You want to give a stimulus check, add it to their refund or subtract it from what they owe. I dont even want to know the cost to issue those checks. One of my clients owed the same exact amt his stimulus check was. The IRS should said "ok its a wash" and not go thru the exps of sending out a check.

On my tax organizer I ask the amt of their stimulus check they received. Several clients refuse to enter it saying "its not taxable" and I tell them my sofwares needs the amt. They look at me as if I am some sorta of "snitch" for the IRS.

Look at the picture on pg 19-21 of TTB. That should read "Sanitarium" and those 2 guys should be tax preparers and the caption shoud read "Thank God Tax Season is Over".

[Larmil]

More government waste

it was the process and the mishandling of the process of those stimulus checks. I said and I will say it again. You want to give a stimulus check, add it to their refund or subtract it from what they owe. I dont even want to know the cost to issue those checks. One of my clients owed the same exact amt his stimulus check was. The IRS should said "ok its a wash" and not go thru the exps of sending out a check.

On my tax organizer I ask the amt of their stimulus check they received. Several clients refuse to enter it saying "its not taxable" and I tell them my sofwares needs the amt. They look at me as if I am some sorta of "snitch" for the IRS.

Look at the picture on pg 19-21 of TTB. That should read "Sanitarium" and those 2 guys should be tax preparers and the caption shoud read "Thank God Tax Season is Over".

Social Security Admin plans to issue 55 million SEPARATE payments of $250 each instead of including them in a regular monthly payment..

[JohnH]

There's no political benefit in doing it the efficient way. It's important to issue the separate check in an effort to buy votes next election. I was and to some extent still am a Bush supporter, but it's aggravating to hear people talk about the Bush stimulus payments from 2008. After all, both parties had to work together to get it done.

Same things for the stimulus money for road construction. Nobody notices if you fill some potholes, erect safety barricades, or repair a bridge. But if you build a new section of highway then there's going to be a ribbon cutting accompanied by cameras, politicians making speeches, and some politcial hack getting their name assigned to that stretch of asphalt.