E A

[jimmcg]

Charge what you feel you are worth based on your knowledge and experience and if you are any good at what you do people will come back. If you are not they won't. Good tax clients are more interested in someone who will produce good results than someone who is a "bargain."

[Black Bart]

Okay, you're not

it's aggravating that they charge ten times the fee when they don't know what they're doing

a "flaming liberal;" you're an inexcrupulous libertarian.

You and Old Jack (if he's still "playing with mama, maybe he's not as "old" as he lets on) are right about the price though. That book-borrowin' shyster charged my guy $700 to create a fouled-up LLC and the guy asked me what I'd do it for--$75 to $125 I told him. You can file one in this state using an online two-page fill-in-the-blanks form in less than five minutes

[OldJack]

I fully agree with you Jim, except maybe you should charge what the service is worth plus maybe a little bit more just to get rid of clients that don't appreciate you. I have not had a client complain about my fee for at least 15 years. The last one that did (I can't remember who) is no longer a client. Of course I am not talking about walk-in or just 1040 taxes as I only do 1040's for my business clients (well of course there are those free-bee relatives (ugh).

And BB, I am older than dirt, drawing that SS tax you are paying (thanks you all very much), and happy to say playing with momma gets better every day! You young-ens have a great deal to look forward too and just don't know it.

[Lion]

Congrats!

Congratulations! Sitting in the IRS office, the IRS agent looked at my business card that said EA and told my client how difficult the EA Exam is and how good I have to be to have passed it.

[Black Bart]

Thanks Lion,

I think that Revenue Agents you meet at audits are a different sort than some of the usual IRS employees. During a break an IRS clerk told some of us "Once you pass this test, you should be able to complete a 1040-EZ," which is quite revealing as to the depth and scope of their tax knowledge.

[Black Bart]

Say Jack,

maybe you should charge what the service is worth plus maybe a little bit more just to get rid of clients that don't appreciate you

I wonder just what is the right price? What do you think about doing a poll on our fees? Maybe $-0- to $50, $50 to $75, etc. etc. and maybe one poll for 1040s, another for 1065s, and so on. I know it would vary because of region (it's going to be cheaper here in the South), but inflation has driven things up so much in the past couple of years that it seems like nothing is really cheap anymore no matter where you go.

How about setting one up for us (use your own judgment about what to ask)? Thanks.

[OldJack]

Hey BB, anyone can set up a poll by just checking the box to do so at the bottom of a "new thread" input screen and entering the questions or options to vote on. Be sure to not require the voters to be shown with their vote..you want to keep the vote secret.

I would do it but my polls seem to be jinxed and don't get much positive reaction. Hell-- , I don't usually get more than one person willing to respond to any question I post here let alone a poll.

[Black Bart]

Well shoot,

Hey BB, anyone can set up a poll by just checking the box to do so at the bottom of a "new thread" input screen and entering the questions or options to vote on. Be sure to not require the voters to be shown with their vote..you want to keep the vote secret.

I would do it but my polls seem to be jinxed and don't get much positive reaction. Hell-- , I don't usually get more than one person willing to respond to any question I post here let alone a poll.

just because I once said you're from Missouri (and have to be shown stuff), you don't have to (chuckle, chuckle) take it personally. Besides I liked your polls and I was thinking other people said they did too.

Well, anyway though; I'll help. What's your one question (guaranteed positive replies only)?

I'm gonna post a poll, but don't look for anything spectacular. After all, I'm just a C-P.

[OldJack]

I'm gonna post a poll, but don't look for anything spectacular. After all, I'm just a C-P.

BB...C-P ..hummmm.. lets see now, a poll by a (C)ar - (P)arker. With a name like that its bound to be good even without my (A)ttendant help. <grin>

[Black Bart]

C- P designation

BB...C-P ..hummmm.. lets see now, a poll by a (C)ar - (P)arker. With a name like that its bound to be good even without my (A)ttendant help. <grin>

Please refer to my explanation of that term in my reply to the "Abominable Beaujolais" on page three of this thread.

[Bees Knees]

I just received a call from an underwriter for a mortgage company. One of my clients is refinancing his house, and he asked me to fax a statement to this mortgage company stating how long I had been preparing his taxes, and confirming that he had been self employed for so many years.

The underwriter calls me and wants my CPA license number. I told him I was not a CPA, but I am an Enrolled Agent. Do you want that license number? He said yes. I gave it to him. He then asks: “Who are you enrolled with?” I said the Internal Revenue Service.

“Oh…OK, thank you…have a nice day.”

No need to explain what being enrolled with the IRS means. Let their imagination fill in the gaps…End of story.