Bone weary.

[Black Bart]

For some reason this has been one of the most exhausting tax seasons I've ever had. You?

Still hackin' at it, but dead-tired and not sure if ah'm gonna survive these....last.......f.e.w....d..a...yy.....s.s..s. ........

[Burke]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....................

[JohnH]

Same here. For me, it probably has something to do with that corporation audit that began back in Nov 2008 and spilled over into this year and still isn't resolved. I'm going to have a few stories to tell once this thing is over.

[Edsel]

Letters and Notices

A few days ago I posted a thread about the sudden emergence of several letters and notices from taxing authorities, dated around March 12 or 13th, with a 30 day suspense for responding. I have now received 11 of these things in the last 14 days from my clients.

Most of them are these darned things from Social Security which says that the W-3s don't match the W-2s. Every single one of my payroll clients (7 of them) has one of these. There are some variations in the message, saying IRS records don't agree with SSA (and of course, exactly what are WE supposed to do about that).

I have not found a single error on my part, or on my clients' part. All of the descrepancies exist in the systems of either the SSA or the IRS. But I've got to stop and write a stupid letter so they don't come after my clients. Yes, I charge for it, but it's a pitiful way to make money.

Anyone else having trouble with the SSA and their notices? And Bart, it is part of what's dragging out this tax season when I'm desperately trying to wrap it up.

[BHoffman]

Call me THE BREEZE

I'm hittin' my STRIDE, in the ZONE, pedal to the METAL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8uk7vlk0sE&feature=related

[luke]

memory

One of my "older" tax pro friends asked me one time, "What profession has the absolute WORST memory of all professions?"
The answer was "Tax Accountants, because if we remembered from one year to the next how bad it was previously, we wouldnt do it over and over again!" %$^#*&

[ChEAr$]

To such a letter with such a date

A few days ago I posted a thread about the sudden emergence of several letters and notices from taxing authorities, dated around March 12 or 13th, with a 30 day suspense for responding. I have now received 11 of these things in the last 14 days from my clients.

Most of them are these darned things from Social Security which says that the W-3s don't match the W-2s. Every single one of my payroll clients (7 of them) has one of these. There are some variations in the message, saying IRS records don't agree with SSA (and of course, exactly what are WE supposed to do about that).

I have not found a single error on my part, or on my clients' part. All of the descrepancies exist in the systems of either the SSA or the IRS. But I've got to stop and write a stupid letter so they don't come after my clients. Yes, I charge for it, but it's a pitiful way to make money.

Anyone else having trouble with the SSA and their notices? And Bart, it is part of what's dragging out this tax season when I'm desperately trying to wrap it up.

my response would simply be "I am too busy right now, but will write you back after
April 16th. Request additional 30 days to respond."
that puts the ball back in their court.

[Burke]

One of my "older" tax pro friends asked me one time, "What profession has the absolute WORST memory of all professions?"
The answer was "Tax Accountants, because if we remembered from one year to the next how bad it was previously, we wouldnt do it over and over again!" %$^#*&

And women would not have more babies.

[DaveO]

My biggest PITA now is clients whose return has been done for a month calling up and asking questions.
My nephew has this problem so I said I'd call you for the answer....
What will this new stimulus package do for me....
Should I change my witholding...
What number goes on line 28 of my FASFA form....
Are my cash church donations deductible.....

Right behind them are the current ones who are still dribbling information in one document at a time. Car tax one day, 1098 the next.

Good to know I'm not the only one.

[JohnH]

The dribblers can be a pain, but much less of one if you put them on extension. Come March 20 (or for me, it was March 10 this year), everything still in house plus everything that comes in after that date automatically goes on extension. Then you don't really need to care about when or how the rest of the info gets in to you.

[BHoffman]

I still have a very hard time putting people on extension because if they owe and there is a penalty, they can come back at me and say they had their info to me in plenty of time. Some of these guys owe a lot, a whole lot, six figures a whole lot, and they don't get me their info until around 04/10 and then it's crazy time even though they are going on extension.

It's stressful and frustrating.

I did manage to get a big pile of work done so I'm going to sit in front of the TV and eat Chinese take out tonight


It's the little things....

[ChEAr$]

A letter of engagement

I still have a very hard time putting people on extension because if they owe and there is a penalty, they can come back at me and say they had their info to me in plenty of time. Some of these guys owe a lot, a whole lot, six figures a whole lot, and they don't get me their info until around 04/10 and then it's crazy time even though they are going on extension.

It's stressful and frustrating.

I did manage to get a big pile of work done so I'm going to sit in front of the TV and eat Chinese take out tonight


It's the little things....

written for and signed by "extendees" might be a good idea.

[S T]

Late Appts

They are driving me crazy,

Just today,

2 by fax

1 Fed Ex

1 Snail Mailed

and 3 Emailed

and a phone appointment that has 2 years of info, with documents on the way

There is just no way I am going to finish all of these returns by 4/15, I still have a backlog from 10 days ago and all of the mail in between, plus the stack, that I have had for over 30 days waiting for information to finalize.

Sad thing is that no matter what, I still have to enter the information in the computer so I can even determine the Extension form.

Is it a full moon, a new moon or what!



Sandy

[geekgirldany]

I've had several wait until the last minute. Trying to do returns and scheduling pickups is getting hard. I really don't have time to work during the day for those picking up. That is if they keep their appointment to pick up the return. I've been working at nights on returns.

On a side note I a good one come in yesterday. He just stopped by the office and asked "what do you do?" I told him I prepare tax returns. I just have 4 signs outside that say this. He then goes into this thing about not filing since 2000, ex-wife, need returns for lawyer. He had three corporations plus personal returns to file for each year. He asked me four times what all he needed to get the returns prepared. I explained. I told him I would like the check register and bank statements if he had them for the corporations. I got "why would you need them... there is no need for you to see them". So as he left he asked how much. I told him approx. $600 for corporate $200. individual each. He asked me if that was for each year. I said yep. He said he did not have the money he was out of work and that was too much. I told him thanks for stopping by and good luck. If he wants me to do the returns half down and then payments monthly.... as he got in his new truck

[DTS]

I'm hittin' my STRIDE, in the ZONE, pedal to the METAL


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8uk7...eature=related

That was a nice link. Found about 5-6 more to help me work!

Thank you.