Ooops!

[ddoshan]

Couple the other day. One of my first questions is always are you married, single, divorced or separated. Clients indicated they were married and I prepared the return accordingly. Later found out they were a same sex couple and although married certainly not entitled to file a joint return, which of course I / they did. Am now amending.
Have to keep on your toes all the time.

[JohnH]

Hope IRS doesn't begin requiring the same degree of "due diligence" in this area that they require with EIC.

[JoshinNC]

I assume you e-filed the original return

Couple the other day. One of my first questions is always are you married, single, divorced or separated. Clients indicated they were married and I prepared the return accordingly. Later found out they were a same sex couple and although married certainly not entitled to file a joint return, which of course I / they did. Am now amending.
Have to keep on your toes all the time.

Excuse me for asking this, but you couldn't tell when you met with this couple that they were both of the same gender? Or, are you going to tell us that you allowed one member of this couple to bring you all the forms, drop them off, come in to sign the returns and bring you a pre-signed 8879 by the "spouse", whom you had never met? And you didn't request copies of picture ID's from this "spouse" whom you had never met?

I'm just concerned as to how you actually e-filed the return without first either meeting both "spouses" or reviewing a picture ID for the one that you hadn't met.

[Bill Tubbs]

Photo ids

Am I just too trusting? Last year I did 370 returns, and I didn't ask for a photo ID on any of them. Most of my returns at least one person is present while I work on it, but some are drop-offs (a couple clients fax me their forms, I fax them their return, and they mail me the check with the signature form). I have never asked for a photo ID, even when I see one spouse and that person takes F8879 home to have the spouse sign. Are we required to get photo IDs? If so, where does it say that?

Bill

[Y2KEA]

If I have a new MFJ client, I require a live wet sig from the joint filers. Since I insist on seeing their prior MFJ return, I assume the current return is legit from a joint standpoint.

[geekgirldany]

I haven't asked for photo ids in the past but started this year. I was speaking to IRS Rep at the Tax Practitioner office and he was talking about the IRS cracking down on ID Theft in regards to tax returns. He told me to stop using my middle name when calling (that is what I go by) instead used my full name because everything is under my first, last name. Anyways, while talking to him about the ID Theft I thought it would be a good idea to start getting copies of driver license or whatever they had with a photo on it. Which those could be faked also.

When meet a client for the first time I always have their spouse come with to sign. Now after that they can come together or take it back for the spouse to sign. That being said all new clients I tell them the other spouse "has to" come by to sign the form. Get them in the routine and it won't causes problems later.

On the same sex couple, yeah, did you meet them?

[oceanlovin'ea]

That was my first thought

Couldn't you tell they were both of the same sex? I have seen some people that it was hard to tell. But if they are sitting across from you for an interview it should become obvious in some way. Just my opinion.

Linda, EA

[ddoshan]

They did come in together and no I could not tell. Couple seemed and looked a little different but then a lot of folks look a little different now days. Never thought to ask if they were a gay couple that got married.

[Koss]

Gender Bender

This is a great story!

I DO understand how you may not have noticed.

I don't have many clients who are openly gay. But I am familiar with the GLBT world. I'm guessing this was a female couple. One partner may be very feminine, and look like a typical straight woman. The other partner may choose a hairstyle and mode of dress that is very masculine in appearance. Combine that with a deep voice, or if the feminine partner did most of the talking, and it could be very easy to make this mistake. This is certainly not a model that is followed by all same-sex couples. But it is not unusual.

I am curious, though...

Is one of the names ambiguous? Like Shelly, or Dana, or something else that could be male or female?

If one partner's name is Melissa, and the other one is Stephanie, that would kinda tip me off.

BMK

[ddoshan]

Main client providing most of the information did have a first name that could be taken either way, like many other names such as Chris or Jamie, etc. Don't want to give actual names. She / they also had a child which I guess seemed like everything was as it should be. We don't see much in this regard either. Rather small town in central Minnesota.