Clients are driving me nuts

[Roberts]

Just sayin.

Same client has emailed, texted and called demanding I finish his return and he HAS to have it today. The wife still hasn't given me ANYTHING from her business? He'll get on that this afternoon but can he still get it by 5pm? 99.9% chance I get a "Oh I didn't have any income this year" even though she told me otherwise 3 weeks ago when she said she'd get it all together.

Another client has decided that 1099R - it was a non-taxable re characterization even though the 1099 doesn't say that. He wants a new tax return and will get the 1099 corrected. Oh yeah, it's my fault I didn't anticipate it was non-taxable.

Last lady - when we went through her return she declared she did NOT receive interest from any of the banks she received interest from last year. 2 days after picking up the return - she found the forms. Woops.

[TXEA]

Fire the client demanding his return today. He is not worth it.

[Burke]

PITA Client

I have one I am firing too. The nitpicking every line on the tax return every year has done me in. So far, TP has called 4 times after picking up the return and signing the 8879's, and the last question was:

"Line 42 on 1040 (exemptions) says if line 38 is $152,525 or less, multiply $3,950 by the number on 6d. My line 38 is more than that, but you still deducted $3,950. Can you explain?"

"Well, yes, that is the phase-out point for someone who is filing MFS, but you are Single. So it did not affect you."

TP goes through every line on return and tracks each line back to a supporting form then calls me when it can't be figured out what I have done. Like the Schedule D and 8949's, etc. One of the calls was to bring to my attention that, while the total contributions figure was correct on Schedule A, actually $20 of it was non-cash goods and should be on the next line! and needed to be changed. (This information was on the worksheet that was not left with me.) And of course, this TP would be one of the ones who gets a corrected 1099 after the return is completed and printed. The 1099 difference was $2, which did not affect the tax liability but it had to be changed! because it was not correct. Every time I get a call from this client, I have to stop and pull the return to see what he is talking about. My take is, if a client is that thorough in obsessing over everything, and wants to learn everything about their tax return, my suggestion is to go into the tax preparation business for oneself. I was notified over a week ago that the "review was now completed" and I could e-file it. I still haven't done it. (Owes IRS & state). Am waiting for the other shoe to drop.

[BHoffman]

I have a very nice client who I love but I hate working with her. The company she and her husband own is going down the drain, and their marriage is getting frosty. I really don't want to be involved during the upcoming (I suspect) bankruptcy and divorce. This is going to be a tricky extrication

[Lion]

You need to e-file within about three days of the client signature, so call HER for a change to come in to sign a new 8879.

Return her calls when you're done for the day or before starting work in the morning. Tell her to list ALL her questions in one email after she has reviewed the ENTIRE return. Fire her.

[Bob McCoy]

I have one I am firing too. The nitpicking every line on the tax return every year has done me in. So far, TP has called 4 times after picking up the return and signing the 8879's, and the last question was:

"Line 42 on 1040 (exemptions) says if line 38 is $152,525 or less, multiply $3,950 by the number on 6d. My line 38 is more than that, but you still deducted $3,950. Can you explain?"

"Well, yes, that is the phase-out point for someone who is filing MFS, but you are Single. So it did not affect you."

TP goes through every line on return and tracks each line back to a supporting form then calls me when it can't be figured out what I have done. Like the Schedule D and 8949's, etc. One of the calls was to bring to my attention that, while the total contributions figure was correct on Schedule A, actually $20 of it was non-cash goods and should be on the next line! and needed to be changed. (This information was on the worksheet that was not left with me.) And of course, this TP would be one of the ones who gets a corrected 1099 after the return is completed and printed. The 1099 difference was $2, which did not affect the tax liability but it had to be changed! because it was not correct. Every time I get a call from this client, I have to stop and pull the return to see what he is talking about. My take is, if a client is that thorough in obsessing over everything, and wants to learn everything about their tax return, my suggestion is to go into the tax preparation business for oneself. I was notified over a week ago that the "review was now completed" and I could e-file it. I still haven't done it. (Owes IRS & state). Am waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Good idea to fire him, but I predict he will act surprised when you cut him loose, and be like he did nothing to warrant his termination.

[Y2KEA]

I "fire" PITA clients by radically increasing their fees each year. If they don't move on due to higher fees, I can rationalize putting up with them due to greatly increased revenue. When they bail because of higher fees, it is their choice. Not because you gave them the heave ho. Win/win situation.

We all have PITA clients. Nitpickers, sloppy record keeping, habitual procrastinators, missing data requiring additional visits. Any of the above situations are remedied by the PITA surcharge.

Many of my clients have tolerated this tiered fee structure for whatever reason. If they are willing to pay, I am will willing to play.

25 days to go. Are we having fun yet?

[BP.]

I "fire" PITA clients by radically increasing their fees each year.

And when people call because they are changing preparers and they say the former preparer has had a radical fee increase, that is a tip off to me that they might be someone's PITA ex-client. A sharp fee increase, a restructuring of a tax practice, vague health issues of the past preparer- these could be hints that I should think really carefully about accepting that client. I've said no to prospects rather than catch the hot potato.

[Roberts]

if a client is that thorough in obsessing over everything, and wants to learn everything about their tax return, my suggestion is to go into the tax preparation business for oneself. I was notified over a week ago that the "review was now completed" and I could e-file it. I still haven't done it. (Owes IRS & state). Am waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Had one of these last year. He went through the entire return and was upset that the software didn't print enough worksheets so he could see how it performed the math.

Was shocked when he showed up this year and there wasn't 1-question when we were done.

Another client owed a small amount on his return and he admitted he spent hours upon hours going through his return from last year to make sure the company was withholding the minimum in fed tax so he owed as close to $1k (not wanting to give an interest free loan). WTH? At .05% you are worried about interest?