The mother of all stupidity

[Black Bart]

Pretty good, BP

Client- "What's my tax bracket?" Me- "28%"

Client is dismayed, thinking all income is taxed at 28%.

I give her my little tax bracket spiel, with TTB as visual aid, you know: "The first la-de-da of income is taxed at . . . blah-blah-blah." She's nodding like she gets it, then says:

"So what you're telling me is my husband should get his bonus in the beginning of the year instead of the end, so he pays less tax on it."

Here's mine (from a few years back). Taxpayer stops by the office to chat, I say "Your taxes are ready" -- reply: "I'll be right back, gotta run by school and pick up the kids." I say "What kids?" (We had firmly estabished there were no kids/dependents two years prior). Says: "Oh, I don't claim them on my tax returns -- I already claimed them on my W-4 form."

[oceanlovin'ea]

Black Bart, It is hard to believe anyone is that ignorant. But it happens.

I am still laughing.

Linda, EA

[Jiggers]

Yep, just like the new attorney in my community a few years ago, handling her first divorce. Wrote in the husband's section that he got to claim the dependents on his W-4. His ex-wife laughed her head off, on the way to bank with child support!

[bgiez]

[QUOTE=RitaB;118881
Amazing how prevalent this attitude is.

I always tell them, "Hardly anybody gives me a 1099. Do you think I don't have to report what I made?"

Unfortunately, I can see the wheels turning in their heads, and I realize most of them are thinking, "I wouldn't."[/QUOTE]

Rita, you make me laugh everyday! Thanks!

[Bonnie]

["So what you're telling me is my husband should get his bonus in the beginning of the year instead of the end, so he pays less tax on it."[/QUOTE]

Oh, I'm rolling on the floor over this one. Too funny

[Bees Knees]

"So what you're telling me is my husband should get his bonus in the beginning of the year instead of the end, so he pays less tax on it."

You could play along and ask her: "How is he going to get his boss to pay the bonus at the beginning of the year?

[RitaB]

Oops

I've never understood how some preparers, many CPA's included, have client just "drop their stuff off", and fail to sit down with client face to face for a factual interview.

I realize that "drop off'' is not an accurate depiction of what happens in my office. You may get the idea that folks have their forms rolled up with a rubber band around them and drive thru my circular drive flinging them in here like the newspaper. Oops. I didn't mean to give that idea.

I always have them sit down and we talk about it. Sometimes, I am the one with the glazed look. You know:

"This is my W-2...this is my husband's W-2... this is where I took money out of my four-oh-wonk, but they already took out the tax, so you don't need that..."

I also go over the return when they pick it up. Honestly, many days I don't accomplish a thing until after 4 pm cause I have talked to people all day.