Clients Coming In Late?

[zeros]

Maybe its the same every year. I have clients calling and wanting to come "next week". Why not this week? Business will be down slightly again this year but close. Think Turbo Tax is taking its toll on us. Looks like revenue will be close to last year, down some maybe. Coming in with documents missing.

[Justataxguy]

And it seems (at least to me) that the same ones who wait and don't have all their documents are well educated people that really should be on top of things!

[JohnH]

Why worry about them coming in "late"?
Just hand them an extension and you have guaranteed revenue coming in after Apr 15.

[geekgirldany]

Yep, I've had several call today wanting to bring in their info next week thinking I can get it done before the 15th. They seem to not take into consideration returns I am currently finishing up and that I have to meet with those clients. I am telling everyone now that it is an automatic extension, if I get it done before the 15th then good... if not then it will be two weeks before it is finished.

Strange how when I contact them and say it is going on extension their tax papers magically appear.

[TXEA]

Never let the client run your practice. I don't even discuss filing at this point. I tell them to come in and we will work up an extension.

[BOB W]

Yes, this is the worst year ever.................... wonder if it Accountants revenge,,,,, on purpose............... got to charge a higher fee....

[Black Bart]

Clients Coming In Late?

Maybe its the same every year. I have clients calling and wanting to come "next week". Why not this week? Business will be down slightly again this year but close. Think Turbo Tax is taking its toll on us. Looks like revenue will be close to last year, down some maybe. Coming in with documents missing.

Seems like I've had more come in late this year than ever before. About ten that I'd pretty well given up on struggled in the last two weeks. I don't know if people are broker than last year or what. Several making good money and paying $200-$400 fees are in that bunch and I wonder if it's because they can't easily round up that much. Of course none of them would admit that, but it could be a factor (maybe the economy's worse than I thought). Too, I think some people are shopping around for cheaper fees and although I generally never find out for sure, I believe TurboTax (and FreeFile) is hurting us more than we realize (yeah, I know we catch and fix a few, but the bulk of it goes through).

For instance, a short form guy didn't show up last year, but did this time. He got married in '12 and wifey FreeFiled it. I don't know why he came in this year unless he didn't like her results; previously he had one W-2, no dependents/credits, and a $65 fee. This time they had four W-2s and a couple other things, so I quoted a $95 fee (to try to keep him). Also advised he'd owe tax (got refunds as a single). He didn't like any of that, but left their papers. I put it up and waited; within 30 minutes the missus phoned, said cancel everything; hubby would come pick up their stuff. He apologetically did so.

And so it goes - for twelve years I made $65 for 20 minutes work off that guy. Now our IRS "partners" (as they have informed us they are) are slowly and steadily siphoning away our "easy money" people. Yeah, I know we still have our heavy-duty, high-fee cases to fall back on, but there are/were a lot of "gravy" cases we won't be seeing again. Free is a pretty hard price to compete with even if they do have to pay for state. Top that off with the fact that every uninformed, misinformed, ill-informed, barber-advised yahoo in the USA has a computer & net connection whether they can buy lunch or not.

End of rant - 41 is going back to his oar.

[AZ-Tax]

Black Bart, $95 for MFJ, are located in a rural area of your state?

For instance, a short form guy didn't show up last year, but did this time. He got married in '12 and wifey FreeFiled it. I don't know why he came in this year unless he didn't like her results; previously he had one W-2, no dependents/credits, and a $65 fee. This time they had four W-2s and a couple other things, so I quoted a $95 fee (to try to keep him). Also advised he'd owe tax (got refunds as a single). He didn't like any of that, but left their papers. I put it up and waited; within 30 minutes the missus phoned, said cancel everything; hubby would come pick up their stuff. He apologetically did so.

And so it goes - for twelve years I made $65 for 20 minutes work off that guy. Now our IRS "partners" (as they have informed us they are) are slowly and steadily siphoning away our "easy money" people. Yeah, I know we still have our heavy-duty, high-fee cases to fall back on, but there are/were a lot of "gravy" cases we won't be seeing again. Free is a pretty hard price to compete with even if they do have to pay for state. Top that off with the fact that every uninformed, misinformed, ill-informed, barber-advised yahoo in the USA has a computer & net connection whether they can buy lunch or not.

End of rant - 41 is going back to his oar.

$95 for MFJ, are located in a rural area of your state?

[AZ-Tax]

Probably arrogance

And it seems (at least to me) that the same ones who wait and don't have all their documents are well educated people that really should be on top of things!

I would agree and probably the best explanation of that is "do you know who I am, you need to place me on top of your list the moment I come in".

[RitaB]

Bingo

Seems like I've had more come in late this year than ever before. About ten that I'd pretty well given up on struggled in the last two weeks. I don't know if people are broker than last year or what. Several making good money and paying $200-$400 fees are in that bunch and I wonder if it's because they can't easily round up that much. Of course none of them would admit that, but it could be a factor (maybe the economy's worse than I thought). Too, I think some people are shopping around for cheaper fees and although I generally never find out for sure, I believe TurboTax (and FreeFile) is hurting us more than we realize (yeah, I know we catch and fix a few, but the bulk of it goes through).

For instance, a short form guy didn't show up last year, but did this time. He got married in '12 and wifey FreeFiled it. I don't know why he came in this year unless he didn't like her results; previously he had one W-2, no dependents/credits, and a $65 fee. This time they had four W-2s and a couple other things, so I quoted a $95 fee (to try to keep him). Also advised he'd owe tax (got refunds as a single). He didn't like any of that, but left their papers. I put it up and waited; within 30 minutes the missus phoned, said cancel everything; hubby would come pick up their stuff. He apologetically did so.

And so it goes - for twelve years I made $65 for 20 minutes work off that guy. Now our IRS "partners" (as they have informed us they are) are slowly and steadily siphoning away our "easy money" people. Yeah, I know we still have our heavy-duty, high-fee cases to fall back on, but there are/were a lot of "gravy" cases we won't be seeing again. Free is a pretty hard price to compete with even if they do have to pay for state. Top that off with the fact that every uninformed, misinformed, ill-informed, barber-advised yahoo in the USA has a computer & net connection whether they can buy lunch or not.

End of rant - 41 is going back to his oar.

Agree with all of this, and I charge like this, too. Rural, TN. We are losing a lot of people because of "free". People who couldn't find their butts with both hands and a flashlight now think they got this. If they don't get audited, they assume they do got this. OK, I don't know about the oar thing, but everything else is totally spot on.

[JohnH]

I also agree. Bart nailed it, especially with the statement that "we catch and fix a few, but the bulk of it gets through." There is much written on these forums about people who make money correcting Turbo Tax errors, but that's a tiny number when compared to the total number of returns filed with TT.

[RitaB]

I think you're on to something here

I would agree and probably the best explanation of that is "do you know who I am, you need to place me on top of your list the moment I come in".

My retired chemist, so smart that he has seven time shares and now a law suit against one or more of the sellers of these fine investments, had that "what do you mean I'm getting an extension" look. Absolutely educated above his intelligence and what the time share peddlers don't get, the attorneys will, but I need to hop right on this $300 return. Has the spreadsheets that slow me down, just give me the forms and get outta here is what I want to say. Has no idea why he's broke. Oh, come look at my new car, he says, on the way out the door.

[BP.]

We are losing a lot of people because of "free". . If they don't get audited, they assume they do got this.

Seeing too much of this this year.

Most egregious: Engineer with side business (Schedule C & OIH) brings me 2013 docs plus three prior years where he "USA Free Filed" or something. So user friendly! he exclaims.

2010 looked good; 2011 double dipped on $20K of mortgage interest and taxes, and that felt so good he triple dipped for 2012, threw in a double dip on 100% of utilities, and got max EIC. When he heard he'd owe back about $10K in taxes those 2 years, he couldn't get here fast enough to scoop up his 2013 stuff. The genius tells me he can't be wrong, he only answered the questions in the free file, and is confident he is right, because after all, he DID get his refunds.

educated above his intelligence

Great way to put it.

[Roberts]

I prospective new client called 3x to discuss her return before finally making an appointment for last Thursday.
Called in Tuesday to tell me she didn't want to make it Thursday as weather might be bad - sunny skies at her scheduled time.
Says she'll be here Friday at 3:30 when I remind her I'm leaving town for work on Friday at 4PM and won't be back until really late Saturday night.
Calls Thursday and cancels as something else came up and leaves a message to say she'll be Saturday. I ignore it.
Calls 2x on Saturday to ask when SHE scheduled her appointment. Again, I'm not in office, I don't get the message.
Calls at 4:30 on Saturday to yell at me that I'm not at the office when her appointment was scheduled. Leaves long message.
Calls Sunday morning and wants to come in immediately. I tell her to go away as she's nuts. She can't understand why.