Where's My Refund / Gettin Old and Tired

[taxea]

The problem is refundable credits. People getting free money also think they are entitled to get it in a hurry and bug the crap out of us if they don't. Every one who has contacted me, now five, is getting money they did not pay in.

They also can't read a client letter.

Yes, I am really grouchy.

Then use my explanation....I have no control over anything on the return once it has been filed. I have provided you with the website and phone number to call. I'm sorry but you will have to deal directly with the IRS because without a Power of Attorney they will not reveal any details to me.

[Possi]

Callers

I really don't mind the callers, but what I don't like is the same thing everyone else doesn't like... Telling the client useful information, writing it down, and having them call for that same useful information I gave them, and I wrote it down.

I really do love this gig. I'm thankful that I chose to do only personal taxes. If I was doing accounting, I'd be coming out of my skin.

Emailing long distance clients is fun, too. Yesterday:
me: I need to know how much you received in rental income.
her: About $100 more.
me: No, I need to know exactly how much you received in rental income.
her: $1100.

Really? Now, THAT helps....

Gotta love it. I laughed out loud.

[RitaB]

Exactly

I really don't mind the callers, but what I don't like is the same thing everyone else doesn't like...

I love that people feel comfortable calling us, but, wow, some of them have no clue how busy we are. Either that, or they are terribly inconsiderate.

Left message for one couple Monday: "Your return is ready."

Wife calls Tuesday: "How much is our refund?" Then: "OMG, you're the best!" (Well, thanks, but you have five kids, our government subsidizes that.)

Husband called just now, Friday: "How much do we owe you?"

You know, I am thinking seriously about leaving that info on the answering machine for some people. It feels so unprofessional, but it would have saved two phone calls and five minutes looking through the stack. Then five minutes trying to figure out where I was on the return I got interrupted on...

[Jesse]

I love that people feel comfortable calling us, but, wow, some of them have no clue how busy we are. Either that, or they are terribly inconsiderate.

........................... but it would have saved two phone calls and five minutes looking through the stack. Then five minutes trying to figure out where I was on the return I got interrupted on...

Agree on both counts, I really don't think they know how busy we are and how disruptive it really is when a phone call interrupts. It cracks me up when they call to ask ....are they done yet and if not can you give me an estimate as to when you think they'll be done.....

If I didn't have 5 phone calls in the last hour asking the same question I might have had your return completed! I'll call when I have questions and if not I'll call when completed!

[RitaB]

My personal favorite

Agree on both counts, I really don't think they know how busy we are and how disruptive it really is when a phone call interrupts. It cracks me up when they call to ask ....are they done yet and if not can you give me an estimate as to when you think they'll be done.....

If I didn't have 5 phone calls in the last hour asking the same question I might have had your return completed! I'll call when I have questions and if not I'll call when completed!

Yeah, like you are going to finish and not tell them, cause you are doing this for fun and don't care about getting paid.

Or my personal favorite, "Uh, Rita, how's it looking?"

Like I am doing this in stages. Or growing a crop or something.

I want to say, "It's looking like it just moved to the bottom of the stack."

[Possi]

Rita

Yeah, like you are going to finish and not tell them, cause you are doing this for fun and don't care about getting paid.

Or my personal favorite, "Uh, Rita, how's it looking?"

Like I am doing this in stages. Or growing a crop or something.

I want to say, "It's looking like it just moved to the bottom of the stack."

I swear, you absolutely crack me up!

[RitaB]

Glad to help

I swear, you absolutely crack me up!

I do what I can.

Lord knows, a little jocularity has saved my bacon more than once.

[DaveinTexas]

I like your quote

[QUOTE=RitaB;132902]I do what I can.

the reference about "I hate EIC". We had a client call us up (after filing on January 16th I think) about 2 weeks after filing her return complaining her refund had not been received. "I told my mortgage company I was expecting a refund, they're gonna foreclose on my house if I don't have that refund!!!"

The client went on to say that she had bounced several checks, she was late on her car payment and she had no money between then and her next paycheck.

I have been telling all my clients, "DON'T SPEND IT TIL' YOU SEE IT!!!"

This is gonna be a fun season! Stay sane everyone!

[DaveO]

Agree with all the comments so far.

Also love the ones who bring in information they know to be incomplete and then ask if I can figure what it is so far. Then when they call in the missing information ask "How does it look now" as if I can remember their entire return and mentally calculate the change.

My favorite so far this year was the guy who brings in his payroll for the 3rd and 4th quarter Wednesday of this week and wants his W-2s asap. The next day his employee is calling and raising cain with us and threatening to call his attorney and report us to the IRS because he doesn't have his W-2. I chewed him out and then called the client and chewed him out.

[taxea]

I won't give them a bottom line if the return is not complete. It causes panic. I tell them that every entry causes the bottom line to change so the current bottom isn't worth repeating.

[AZ-Tax]

IRS said Feb 26 deposit, actual deposited was Feb 17th.

2 days late based on chart but 9 days earlier then "where is my refund" reported. Finally a pleasant surprise from the IRS. So the turn around time from acceptance to deposit was exactly 10 days.

[MilTaxEA]

I was surprised at how fast I received my refund this year. I filed my own return this past Sunday and received my refund yesterday. I guess their new system works...at least for me.

[Jesse]

I was surprised at how fast I received my refund this year. I filed my own return this past Sunday and received my refund yesterday. I guess their new system works...at least for me.

I only dream that some day I'll be expecting a refund! (If I knew how to work the smiley's I'd wink at you).