To fee or not to fee (for duplicate copy of lost returns),

[ATSMAN]

Are you planning on getting your own SSL certificate? Using a shared one? Or using a third party service to host the documents?

Even though many hosting services make it easy to set up and use your own SSL certificate, it's not something I'd advise doing. If you don't have web security expertise, then running your own secure web site is like an amateur doing their own taxes.

(Note that I'm not saying not to have your own web site; just that using it for secure transmission of documents requires an order of magnitude more expertise than merely running an informational site.)

That is the big hangup (SSL certificate cost). A client of mine develops websites and he is looking into various options like a shared certificate and third party hosting servers with SSL.

All these years I have resisted setting up a website but now I think I will have to do something because my competitors are already there and I want to grow the business for my kids!

[taxea]

copies of previously provided tax return is $25 (which of course has been waived on case by case basis) - Usually when $25 is mentioned they "find" their copy.
Actually had a client stop payment on her $25 check for copies because (are you ready for THIS) her lawyer said that was "excessive"!

I find that my clients also find their return copies so it is seldom that I actually have to provide another copy. I don't pad my fees for the "off-chance" that they will need additional copies.

[ATSMAN]

Lawyers charge 50 cents a page

I was once told by a client that her lawyer charged 50 cents per page to make copies of some legal documents that she needed.

[Lion]

Doctor

My doctor's office charged me $0.85 per page for my file to take with me when my allergist left them to go out on her own.

[Snaggletooth]

Rules can be Broken

I don't usually charge for this service. Opinions/views/advice appreciated.
Thanx, BB

Sounds like your simple question has turned into a thousand winding roads. Back to your original post.

I would have a policy that charges for ALL WORK. In particular, I have a policy charging for copies previously
furnished that the taxpayer hasn't bothered to keep up with. Some few of them would always lose their copies
every year until I started charging for copies then miraculously they started keeping up with their stuff.

But this a POLICY. Rules are made to be broken, and if I have an excellent client that I feel comfortable in
relaxing such a policy then I would do so.

[FEDUKE404]

Frequent lost copies

Sounds like your simple question has turned into a thousand winding roads. Back to your original post.

I would have a policy that charges for ALL WORK. In particular, I have a policy charging for copies previously furnished that the taxpayer hasn't bothered to keep up with. Some few of them would always lose their copies every year until I started charging for copies then miraculously they started keeping up with their stuff.

But this a POLICY. Rules are made to be broken, and if I have an excellent client that I feel comfortable in relaxing such a policy then I would do so.

Interesting. I can count on two hands the number of instances where, over probably too many years now, the clients have actually "lost their copies." One prior client who was, shall we say, a bit disorganized did have a habit of doing such, so I did start charging her a reasonable fee (perhaps $20 or so??) for a copy. Nothing changed....

I did work for a number of years with a "big name" tax firm or two, and my guess is they frequently had to endure "my dog ate my tax return" accounts. I do not know how that was handled, as in those years my tax employment was only from late January through April 15th each year.

Most of the few requests I now receive for duplicates are related to the need for extra copies for a bank loan, scholarship application, and etc.

But, as always, everyone here should do whatever they are most comfortable with!

FE