Things I Hate About Tax Season / Please Add Yours

[geekgirldany]

Don't forget the engineer that details everything on some Amega computer AND wants to review the tax return prior to finishing it so he can run different scenarios on various other deductions that he did not give me yet because we might not need them.

I had that same guy two or three years ago and he is gone. Went to friend's accountant because I could not get his finished by the 15th. Oh yeah he brought it by on April 1st.

A majority of my clients are very good. I have a few that I hate to see darken my door. Biggest thing I hate is questioning of prices and people waiting until the last minute.

For example clients that are getting back a big refund but don't want to pay me $250 because of the extra forms like installment agreements, non cash contributions, stock sales, etc. I had it with one last year and told the wife if she thinks she can get a better price and service somewhere else to go. Said it while taking their return back. Husband felt different.

[manyhappyreturns]

Dealing with clients whose former preparers deducted undeductible deductions for years, then when you tell them those things aren't really deductible, they get mad and think you don't know what you're doing. Those same clients, though, will think very highly of you if you find something they can deduct that the former preparer didn't deduct, and they will think the former preparer didn't know what he was doing.

[BP.]

I just have to say you are all making me laugh so hard. The little observations are hilarious and spot-on!

Photo of garbage bags? Urgent extension? Stuff out on the porch? And JG EA- so funny!

Keep posting.

[taxdude71]

Clients that make $250k+ and end up owing a couple hundred dollers "how am I going to come with that?"

Everyone thinking I have so much time to do stuff now that we should be slowing down.

Bank tellers that think they are tax experts.

Brokers that think they are tax experts.

Farmers that think they are tax experts.

"Do I really need to keep track of that stuff?"

"what do you mean you can't see me at 5 on a Sunday afternoon?"

[RitaB]

I hate the following, too

112) "I don't know if it will be worth it to do the 'long' form."

OK, how long do they think this mysterious form is anyway? Does it have an alias besides "long form"? And is it on special order from Big Brother, or what? Yeah, we know you don't know, Captain Obvious, cause you are dumb enough to bring in your 43 pages generated by Turbo Tax for Form 1040A where you spent seven hours on it. Just give me your dang $345 in "tithes", $567 in medical, and get outta here.

[dkss]

New guy off the street - walks in at 2:30 pm with a letter from the IRS for not filing his 2006 return. Gets through the interview questions, then says "you will get these done today right?".
Me: ummmm noooo. Probably have them done by tomorrow.
Noob: well I am leaving early in the morning and will be gone a month. I already asked the IRS for an extension, and now I need to get it done.
Me: ya, well they already gave you a FIVE YEAR extension and now you are in a hurry? Try H&R Block. Good luck

[dkss]

Current client, always lists tips given to servers and hairdressers as charitable contributions, I always back the tips out and let her know they are not deductible. This year she informed me that interest under $10 didn't have to reported. I tried to explain to her the difference between the bank having to report via 1099 and her responsibility.
Her: well, two tellers from two different banks told me I don't have to report it.
Me: well, they don't do taxes do they? Both of them should be fired for giving out tax advice when they don't know what they are talking about!

[AZ-Tax]

You never filed a tax return before did you?

Back in 2004 I worked part time at "Tax One" (bot out by HRB next year) operating a table at a local grocery store. Kid walks in and pulls out a wrinkled 2003 W-2 and says "what am I suppose to do with this"? I replied, you never filed a tax return before you did you"? Kid replied "no". Kid comes back to pick up his 2003 tax return and sees he has a refund. Kids eyes got big then pulls a paper from his pocket all wrinkled up again. Kid says "Wow, what can you do with this"? What he gave me was a 2002 W-2.

[SueBaby]

New guy off the street - walks in at 2:30 pm with a letter from the IRS for not filing his 2006 return. Gets through the interview questions, then says "you will get these done today right?".
Me: ummmm noooo. Probably have them done by tomorrow.
Noob: well I am leaving early in the morning and will be gone a month. I already asked the IRS for an extension, and now I need to get it done.
Me: ya, well they already gave you a FIVE YEAR extension and now you are in a hurry? Try H&R Block. Good luck

New guy off street too===toke 2 hours on his return (cheaper than most people would charge) then 2 days later calls and wants me to AMEND it because I left of $47 off of his personal property taxes!!!!! Get real pleeeeese!

[RitaB]

Do it

New guy off street too===toke 2 hours on his return (cheaper than most people would charge) then 2 days later calls and wants me to AMEND it because I left of $47 off of his personal property taxes!!!!! Get real pleeeeese!

You owe to yourself to amend it, same price as original. It would be educational for client as well. A win-win.

[Bees Knees]

I hate it when people say: “So you must be busy this time of year.”

[RitaB]

Today, I hate

271) Clients who call on 3/28 and spend five minutes asking about the likehood that I can get their return done.

Me: The odds of that would improve if you would shut up and bring it to me.

[Possi]

Late filers

"I knew I'd owe, so I waited until the last minute."

No basis.

"You didn't cash my check, did you?"

Calls.... "When will I get my refund? If you told me, I forgot, and if you didn't, please do." message...

"What? I can't come by on Sunday?"

No hair appointments for 4 months.

Rita B's garbage.... From TN to VA... Lawd, chile, take care of that would ya? The stench!

[SueBaby]

You owe to yourself to amend it, same price as original. It would be educational for client as well. A win-win.

It first started with a call to see how much I charged (I just have a little he said), Him and his wife made over $200K along with her Avon and along with a HUGH farm; also 4 kids and with one working -that I had to do too.

The $47 taxes was on his hugh farm to amend he found later on; to amend that is way tooo much for me along with the 400 other clients I have to do .

He 'nic-piced' every thing I done and ask why I did it that way on all of it PLUS he wanted me to hold his check until he gets his refund==which was over $5,000.

I WILL NOT have these people next year and if he wants $47 to amend on that he will have to look elsewhere. My blood pressure will not handle another round of him.
When you try to help someone and they do that ===you don't need that kind of headache.

[Burke]

Another clown remembered that last year I advised him to document
his non-cash donations by taking pictures of the donations before he
gave them away. So he showed me 6 photographs of stuffed plastic
garbage bags. .

I hope Rita is giving a prize for the best one, and IMO, this is it! Fell on the floor, laughing.