Short Survey if I may

[Bonnie]

No downpayment and yes I will hold a check. Most people don't post date them. They know I am good to my word when I tell them I won't cash until their refund comes in. I can always find out when they get their refund but most of those who I do hold the check for always call me as soon as they receive the refund. One customer who always does injured spose and has to wait awhile takes 6 weeks to 2 months to get refund but always calls me when they do. I've never been stuck with an unpaid fee.

Don't do S-Corp or Partnership returns so can't answer that question

House calls, not often but I have for elderly customers who can't get to me. I have made a really good friend of one lady who I pick up her paperwork and then drop back off when I'm finished. I've even ended up going just to visit. No charge for being a friend. She was very sick this year and I actually had to deal with her grandson who was caring for her at the time.

[DTS]

Those of you who go to your tax clients' homes, what are the Pros and Cons of doing so?.......
I believe one of our members does this regularly. Maybe that person will comment?........

I may decide to use this method if it's easier than having them meet me in my office.

I would truly appreciate any thoughts. Thank you!

I see all but 3 or 4 clients at their home or business and those 3 or 4 come to my home. I did like my commercial office space, but working from home now is nice. When I closed my office and started going on the road, I had problems with scheduling drive times and coordinating appts., but it's all worked out now and I've adjusted to it just fine. I miss my office occassionally, but this is better.

Let me know if you need anything answered in more detail and I'll give it a shot.

[JohnH]

I don't require a down payment on personal returns. I mail the return to the client with an invoice.

Yes, I'll accept a post dated check. Why not? It's easier than sending statements and if the client's going to bounce the check then they weren't going to pay anyhow. May as well find out early in the relationship and either terminate it or demand payment in advance in the future.

No down payment for entities who are regular clients and current on payment. New clients or problem payees must pay in full up front based on a pro forma invoice. Balance (if any) is due upon completion. In the current economy, it's highly advisable not to allow anyone to get too heavily indebted to you.

I don't generally do house calls, except for select elderly clients or high-income type who are willing to pay the freight. Billing is built into the fee, based on travel time portal-to-portal. House calls are strictly for pick up & delivery and/or planning purposes. I don't prepare the returns on the house call. However, when I first started out I offered pick up and delivery at no extra charge. I got lots of business that way - many of those clients are still with me 30 years later.

[cathe]

survey

No, I never ask for a down payment.

Yes, I do accept post dated checks from past clients. Usually amounts to about 2 per year.

Yes, I do make a couple of house calls to elderly clients. I do not charge extra.

Note. I am located in the Midwest in a rural setting. So far (knock on wood) we seem to be fairly trustworthy.

Cathe

[joanmcq]

Do you require a down payment for a personal tax return and if so how much of a down payment?

Not unless I'm filing back returns. Then I want a retainer, as I do for audits.

Do you accept a "post dated check"?

I've held checks. I have a few 'early bird' clients that have simple returns and pay me when they get the refund. They've always been prompt payers, and so I've continued the practice but only for these few clients.

Do you require a down payment for S-Corp, C-Corp and/or Partnership return and if so how much of a down payment?

I rarely do these returns, and will required deposits on a case-by-case basis.

Do you make house calls and if so how much do you charge per trip if at all?

My home office is on the second floor and I have steps up to the front door. I've made house calls for elderly/handicapped clients and have met some at Starbucks as well (allergy sufferers since I have cats & dogs). I don't charge extra to meet off site, and so far all of the house calls are very close to my home.

[JohnH]

Starbucks!
I hadn't thought of that!

I may have to rethink my policy on house calls, especially if the client is willing to spring for a Triple Venti Caramel Machiatto and a banana nut loaf when we get there...

[erchess]

I'm not the only one here

but I do nearly all house calls. The one client I have seen at my home lived at the time somewhere near me and wanted to file an extension on a very rainy night of 4/14 so he could both be extended timely and work for a client all day on 4/15 without the interruption of seeing me. My home office is too small to contain a client and me (no joke there's only only the one chair) so I brought my laptop to the kitchen table to see the guy.

The main advantage for me of doing returns in the homes and offices of clients is that I don't need to have an office to which customers are invited. A home office wouldn't work for most of the clients I have because they are on the extreme other side of the county from the relatively remote area where I live. There actually are enough people around me that I could base my business on them as far as numbers go. All fall into one of two social groups that do not speak to each other. Those who still live on the land their direct ancestors took from the Cherokee have inherited their ancestors' belief that there is nothing wrong with cheating the tax man if you can. The "come heres" one of whom I am even though my grandfather bought my place in 1933 tend to be ultra liberal politically to the point they consider me a fascist because I won't help them report zero taxable income in order to protest the war effort and starve it of funds. (That's right most of these people were never strong supporters of the President and have abandoned him since the election and are planning to work once again for Kuccinich or Nader.) So a home office where clients come is not helpful to me and although this is changing slowly there was not at first the income coming in to support an office in town.

Disadvantages of the way I do it are travel costs and time both of which have to be factored in to my prices. Also a very few clients do not share internet with me while I am there so I have had to come back simply because I needed to do ten minutes' worth of research that I couldn't do where I was.

Advantages have turned out to be numerous.

Clients like it. It's convenient to wait for me at home instead of going to a tax office.

There are often kids in the house but let's face it in most cases they would be in my office if I had one to which their parents came. Their house is larger and has more to entertain the kids than any office would. So what I do is have a word with all the kids who are old enough to talk to. If they are young enough to need an explanation of what money is I mention how their parents use it to buy specific things they want or need every day. I explain that I am helping their parents have more money and they can help me by being as quiet as they can be while I am there. So then they go to another room or rooms and play quietly. This only takes a couple minutes and it normally works wonders.

I save money even with the travel costs and the lost revenue due to that fact that I could do probably half again as many returns if I didn't travel.

Most of the time when there is a document that is missing from what they put together for me and would if applicable have been brought to my office, that document is where we are in the home or business. So by the time I have done everything else on the return they have found that document and given it to me.

[MAJ]

Used to - Not any more.. .to messy..

Clients homes - No longer - no time. I burn enough candles as it is.

Post-dated - Sure - bird in hand beats two in the bush! Give you something to collect from if there's a problem. Never really had one that didn't get resolved.

Down Payments - No . But payment on delivery unless they are a good - long standing client. I have been known to hold the check for good clients until the transfer is made as a courtesy - I am considering a $5 for for holding 2 weeks though. Can't decide.

In the eyes of the bank there are no more post dated checks. Most checks never see the naked eye any more - all automated.

Clients are gold. Sometimes they require a special treatment - something the big boys would never do. My clients are ALL refferals and I keep adding each year. That's good.
This year I was hit hard though - Spent a few too many days in the hospital in early March - April - Not a good time to find out I have DIVERTICULITUS....

Most of my loyal clients held touch and waited. Those starving for $$ could not... Understandable...

Have a good weekend people!