Sales Tax Tables

[Jiggers]

On Pages 16-10 to 16-11 in the 2010 book.

It would be nice to have the # of exemptions printed across the top of page 16-11, like you have on 16-10.

Last year it was on both pages.

[FEDUKE404]

Tables??

On Pages 16-10 to 16-11 in the 2010 book.

It would be nice to have the # of exemptions printed across the top of page 16-11, like you have on 16-10.

Last year it was on both pages.

"TGFC" = "Thank goodness for computers"

I don't think I've looked up anything on a "table" since days long gone by when I worked at that "green box" place and also had to run paper check tapes on an adding machine..... (Did I really pay nearly $100 for my own four-function calculator with memory?!?)

Most decent tax software now automatically handles that task for you, to include an area for raising the dollar amounts to be used by non-taxable (but available) income, sales tax on vehicle purchases, and the like.

FE

[Jiggers]

"TGFC" = "Thank goodness for computers"

I don't think I've looked up anything on a "table" since days long gone by when I worked at that "green box" place and also had to run paper check tapes on an adding machine..... (Did I really pay nearly $100 for my own four-function calculator with memory?!?)

Most decent tax software now automatically handles that task for you, to include an area for raising the dollar amounts to be used by non-taxable (but available) income, sales tax on vehicle purchases, and the like.

FE

I want to know what to expect on my client's return. I don't do them while the client is there. Returns are too complicated. But I want an estimate of taxable income. To help me know if I did the return correctly and to know that the computer is doing the return correctly.

Doesn't take me but a couple of minutes to do this.

Besides, you get rusty if you let the computer do all the thinking. Years ago, the CPA firm that I worked with, when we were changing from manual returns to computer returns, hired a fresh CPA graduate. He started doing returns on the computer, yet he didn't learn the tax knowledge because he was using the computer. He always had a hard time when we were thinking or discussing an issue because he wasn't on the computer.

[oceanlovin'ea]

Learned doing hand written returns

I started doing taxes in 1984 with HRB and we were writing returns by hand. We had to check returns when we put one in the basket we had to take one out and check it.

I am so grateful that I learned that way. Seeing the information put on the forms and transferring them to the correct next form makes you understand the fundamentals. Now it can almost be data entry if you don't look over the returns carefully after the computer does the return.

I am not saying people who starting later don't know what they are doing. Definitely not the case...lots of brilliant tax preparers who have only used computers.

But for me personally I am glad I had the experience of writing returns by hand.

Linda, EA

[monal]

I agree with Jitters etc

yes I am thankful for learning to do tax returns by hand and learning basics....understand what u mean by your CPA only knowing how to enter data....not always good either way.Just do not belittle us oldies that learned the hard way.

[monal]

Jiggers not jitters

sorry.....

[Jiggers]

Jiggers not jitters

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
sorry.....

After churning out tax returns, doing honey do's, working in the yard of my office getting ready for spring, I do have the jitters, sometimes!

But that is curred by the Jiggers!

[FEDUKE404]

Some needed explanation...

I started doing taxes in 1984 with HRB and we were writing returns by hand. We had to check returns when we put one in the basket we had to take one out and check it.

I am so grateful that I learned that way. Seeing the information put on the forms and transferring them to the correct next form makes you understand the fundamentals. Now it can almost be data entry if you don't look over the returns carefully after the computer does the return.

I am not saying people who starting later don't know what they are doing. Definitely not the case...lots of brilliant tax preparers who have only used computers.

But for me personally I am glad I had the experience of writing returns by hand.

Linda, EA

I agree 100%, especially with the concept of understanding what is going on with all of those internal calculations that you now never see.

Prior to your own time at HRB I was also involved in checking returns there. One of the greatest outcomes from such was seeing how a truly experienced person prepared a complicated return. The learning process was there if you took advantage of it. Another positive was asking to "sit in" on a client interview with a senior person. There is NO doubt in my mind that the average preparer then (especially the "newbies") possessed skills far higher than those prevalent, overall, today in most store-front operations.

My point about the "tables" was that, assuming you have a reasonable understanding of what is going on, there is little to be gained by delving too deeply into what amounts to busy work. About the only table I will look at these days is the depreciation schedules, especially for a new asset. That is fertile ground for a preparer input stumble.

But I don't check the tax calculation, nor the sales tax tables, nor the Soc Sec exclusion worksheet, and only infrequently take a look at the cap gains/div worksheet. Same for tax tables - many moons ago I even wrote a simple software program that would calculate the tax "table" amount from the X, Y, and Z tax schedules. Input one number for filing status, another number for taxable income, and there it was! (Yeah, that was back at HRB but they had a significant aversion to "computers" then. I even wrote a program that would complete a Sch G - for the newcomers = income averaging - top to bottom with only four sets of the same numbers entered. Every number on the Sch G was presented for the checkers. NOT for preparing returns, but for verifying tax calculations of others. Double yeah: HRB did not think much of that idea either!!).

But everyone has the right to prepare their own returns according to their own confidence level. No offense was intended against anyone here. If such was inferred, my apologies are duly offered.

Monday awaits....................

FE