The Enemy Below (my prices)

[Black Bart]

Inside Sam's Club this morning and checking out the DIY competition, I discovered that Intuit's TurboTax (the dirty, rotten, low-down, inexcrupulous rats) are up to/down to their usual underhanded/underpricing tricks. Itemizers' "A" package-$39.99/ "D" & "E" package-$69.99/ W-2 box (up-to-40 employees)-$19.99/ 1099 box (40 contractors)-$19.99.

I don't care about the income tax boxes (who wants clients looking to cram beaucoup stocks through 8949 for less than $70 anyway?); but 40 times an average $15-$20 per is lots of our "gravy" work out the window.

P.S. I hereby solemnly swear; the next person who comes through the door saying (usually) "I need some W-2/1099 forms...is there any charge for these?" I'm going to be "out", give them the 800-829-1040 number (without mentioning 3676) and say "I hope you appreciate classical music."

[gboykin]

I don't give out ANY blank forms. I simply tell them that I can prepare the forms for them and give them an estimate of the fee. I e-file all 1099's, and the W2's can be on blank paper now, so I have no forms to give anyway.

[joanmcq]

Same here; I don't have any 'forms' to give out.

I've gotten a lot of clients that screwed up TT, so I'm not too worried. Including those that had download screwups. If you don't know what it's supposed to look like on the form, how are you going to know its correct?

[FEDUKE404]

Observation

Whatever is a "blank tax form" ??

I don't recall seeing anything like that in the recent past....

(Side note: I do recall from days of dinosaurs at the Green Square Place rummaging through the trash can for discards of tax forms that the IRS had sent to clients. IIRC, the manager...and arrival of efile...eventually put an end to that practice!)

And then there were those translucents you could order (for free!) from the IRS for creating your own forms. More tales from the tax crypts.

FE

[S T]

Same here on blank forms - I do not provide - however, I do have a question,

What are some of you using to "efile" the 1099 Forms - Intuit/QB pricing is outrageous for my QB clients - so I need to find an alternative outside of QB - so I can prepare the 1099 forms and efile?

Thanks

Sandy

[taxea]

Same here on blank forms - I do not provide - however, I do have a question,

What are some of you using to "efile" the 1099 Forms - Intuit/QB pricing is outrageous for my QB clients - so I need to find an alternative outside of QB - so I can prepare the 1099 forms and efile?

Thanks

Sandy

Why not EFTPS?

[S T]

Why not EFTPS?

Am I missing something?? - I thought EFTPS was for electronic Federal Payments Only - not filing forms

Sandy

[gboykin]

Drake's CWU program handles electronic filing of W2's and 1099's at no additional charge. And since CWU is included with the tax software, there is absolutely no cost to me to efile them.

[Matt Sova]

Blank W-2 and 1099

People still buy these?

[Black Bart]

People still buy these?

Yes they do; stop by Office Max and you'll see them. However, IRS gave them away until this month -- I know because I ordered some 1099s/W2s online and received them in December, but that site's now been switched to "download" only.

Whatever is a "blank tax form" ??...tales from the tax crypts.

Spring chicken, eh? Never even heard of paper forms? You must indeed be in a "tax crypt".

...I've gotten a lot of clients that screwed up TT, so I'm not too worried...

Yeah, we get a few of the screwups, but that's not the point -- there's a river of the "easy money" stuff running on through that we used to get and now never see.


In re: giveaway 1099/W-2s: Okay, I'm calling it quits too (and joining all these hard-nosed Men of Iron), but hasn't anyone ever handed them out (in the past) in hopes of gaining a 1040 client or just for general goodwill and enhancement of business name in the neighborhood?

No? No one else?

[Jiggers]

Yes they do; stop by Office Max and you'll see them. However, IRS gave them away until this month -- I know because I ordered some 1099s/W2s online and received them in December, but that site's now been switched to "download" only.

Since when?

Here is their website to order W-2's & 1099's:

http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Online-Ordering-for-Information-Returns-and-Employer-Returns

Besides, if you can only download the 1099's, what about the requirement that copy A be the red copy?

I file all my 1099's using CFSTaxTools 1099e-file module. But I order copies from the IRS because I have some clients that like to do their own.

[BP.]

but hasn't anyone ever handed them out (in the past) in hopes of gaining a 1040 client or just for general goodwill and enhancement of business name in the neighborhood?

No? No one else?

Yes. I do provide a few blank 1099Misc forms each year. I order a small qty. free from IRS just for that purpose. The need has declined though.

[Burke]

IRS provides 1099's & W2's with the red copies. Many small contractors, etc pick them up from the local IRS offices. I usually pick up some 1099MISC's just to have some from year to year.

[Black Bart]

Okay, your url is working now.

Since when? Here is their website to order W-2's & 1099's:

http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Online...ployer-Returns

Besides, if you can only download the 1099's, what about the requirement that copy A be the red copy?...I order copies from the IRS because I have some clients that like to do their own.

That's the same website I ordered from last month, but tried ordering some extras a few days ago and got a message they were redesigning the webpage. It linked me to the irs.gov site where 1099 forms (info copies only) were offered for download/view only. Hit the forms & pubs button at irs.gov and you'll see it. I assumed it was a new tactic to cut paper costs and encourage efiling them.

Yes. I do provide a few blank 1099Misc forms each year. I order a small qty. free from IRS just for that purpose. The need has declined though.

Me too, but agree the traffic has fallen off.

[Jiggers]

Black Bart, I just clicked on the link and it allowed me to place an order for some W-2's.

Did you try clicking on the link I posted?