Next year

[ChEAr$]

Just had an idea. In my next year's New Year's Day traditional client letter will be this statement or words to that effect:

"My fee for your work will be double the usual IF you happen to be the very last return I do on April 15th."

Hmmm, maybe even a sliding scale for the last day?

Needs work.

[oceanlovin'ea]

You could say"

If you are the first return I do this season, there will be no charge. On the other hand, if you are the last return I do in the season, the fee will be double.

They will all be racing to be first and racing not to be last.

I think you are on to something here.

Linda, EA

[dyne]

The problem with being the FIRST clients to appear is that many of these may be missing
forms such as 1099-R, 1099B, etc. which will come floating in later requiring us to
prepare amended tax returns.

[oceanlovin'ea]

then you charge them for the amended return. You can look at what they had last year and kind of know if something is missing.

I had a lady this year. Swore she had everything. A week after we filed she got a 1099 from broker. I had asked about that exact broker statement. So she paid for an amended return.

Linda, EA

[Roberts]

When I started doing taxes I read a wonderful post on one of the tax boards about how a guy did his charges. If the client delivered prior to April 1st they received a 20% discount (the normal fee) and if they deliver on April 1st or later they don't receive the discount (essentially a 25% surplus fee). Works out very well. I only have 2 clients that waited this year until after April 1st and they were waiting on K-1s. I'm just about done - just waiting for people to pick up returns and pay me!