"I see stupid people"

[BP.]

"WHAT'S THAT? WHAT'S WITHHOLDING?"

Holy Mother of Gawd..... REALLY???

Guy comes in with a 1099-R (premature) after taxes are done.
"I know I didn't need to claim this 'cause I already paid the taxes on it (10% withheld), but just tell me how much to send in to the local for it." (Not taxable for local.)
"Yeah this goes on your return- you'll owe $750."
"But I already paid the taxes on it."
"You had 10% withheld, but you didn't really pay the taxes yet."
"Yeah, I did, look."

[JohnH]

I had one the other day:

Caller: Uh, how much to have a tax return done?
Me: It depends on how complex your return is.
Caller: Really, I didn't know that.
Me: I could not stay in business charging the same fee for all returns. You might have 10 rental properties and several businesses, so there would be lots more work involved than just a simple W2 only return.
Caller: Oh, I guess so...thanks.

I suppose they were off to call the next listing in the phone book and ask the same question.

You need to change the response to the initial question.
Maybe this would work...

Caller: Uh, how much to have a tax return done?
You: I don't really charge for the return, I charge for answering questions. The first answer is free, then I charge for every question after that.
Caller: How much do you charge for answering questions?
You: $200 each. What's your second question?
Caller: "Click"

[ChEAr$]

Not stupid people, but

you DO wonder from time to time.

My 1040 client also has an S corporation under my aegis, and also is member of an LLC which return is dont by CPA of the other member.

So he needs 1040 done for daughter to apply for scholarship before end of this month. He gives me last figure I need for the 1120S and I get it done. But I still need the line 1 of the LLC K1 to do his return by 2/28. he checks with the other accountant (CPA) who answers his email with:

"I don’t see me (sic!) getting it done by than. Have him put the same number as last year on his 2009 tax return so he can give them something to look at. He can file it with the final number when we complete the return."

So I told my client that if I put any estimated number on a 1040, it will be on one without my name and number on it, but if the scholarship./student aid people will accept that, fine.

[Uncle Sam]

Stupid People

How would you like to have the 1st client of the season call you end of January where normally she comes in last week of March. Reason - needs FAFSA forms for her daughter by 2/4.
Husband earns minimum wage - with virtually -0- withholding, Fed'l or State - she was out on disability for good part of year - so their income was greatly reduced - she's the breadwinner.
After interview she calls to inform me that they bought a used car during year and paid sales tax. Fine- it didn't qualify for Cash for Clunkers and couldn't get above AGI deduction - but I figured it into the calculations if it was possible. and gave me an interest income amount from bank account.
Work on return, get it done by deadline.
When she walks in to pick up, tells me that the interest amount she gave me was for 1 month - all I needed to do was "change just one number". (It wasn't a material amount to be worth changing the return). Once I told her I'd have to recharge - she renegged.
But here's the cute part.
When I informed her of the refund amount it was greatly reduced from last year - she figured with 1/2 the income, her tax liability should be 1/2. No matter what I told her she wasn't satisfied - daughter turned 17, no longer eligible for Child Credit, husband's low withholding, extra standard deduction for real estate tax in leiu of itemizing.
I had other appointments and wasn't going to waste more time on her and delay the other people.
I KNOW she had in mind of going to someone else to check it out. Haven't been paid for it yet, and probably won't. After tax season - will have to take her to Justice Court to get paid.

[ChEAr$]

And Possi is in a military (navy) town, so I just know there are many, many "holes in the wall" tax prep places where you can get a really large refund. YouknowwhatImean.

[KBTS]

I had one the other day:

Caller: Uh, how much to have a tax return done?
Me: It depends on how complex your return is.
Caller: Really, I didn't know that.
Me: I could not stay in business charging the same fee for all returns. You might have 10 rental properties and several businesses, so there would be lots more work involved than just a simple W2 only return.
Caller: Oh, I guess so...thanks.

I suppose they were off to call the next listing in the phone book and ask the same question.

[Possi]

How do you deal with the phone calls like I got this morning...

"I've been talking to a lot of military wives whose husbands make the same amount of money and have a child like me and they are getting back a lot more money than I am."

After entertaining her for 5 minutes, going through the return, I could tell she didn't have any idea what I was talking about. So, I assured her the tax return was correct, and to simplify my explaination, I said......."

"Maybe their husbands had some federal withholding on their W2. Your husband had very little."

"WHAT'S THAT? WHAT'S WITHHOLDING?"

Holy Mother of Gawd..... REALLY???

justventing.....