5pm Apr 15th, you got to be kidding me

[AZ-Tax]

I get a call @ 5pm from a middle aged guy. I told him I had to call him back. Called him back 1 hour later and he is rambling on and on and all I am thinking is lets get his ext e-filed. I asked for his particulars and towards the end he says "I told you I already filed an paper ext, I want to make a appt about a week from now". WHAT! Ok, I set up an appt. Geeezz.

[JohnH]

I had a couple of extension clients who asked me when their returns will be finished. I told them I take a week off, then I focus on payroll tax reports until Apr 30. So no chance of my even looking at a personal return until after May 1.

[Burke]

Yeah, I had one call last night to see "where we stood." Three returns, dropped off the afternoon of 4/13, with the comment "I thought I had until Friday to take care of this, but just realized....." Right. At least 2 weeks before I can look at it.

[oceanlovin'ea]

One more late caller

I actually did something I have never done before in all the years I have been doing taxes. We left for a short 5 day vacation at 2 AM Wednesday morning, APril 15th. That means my office was closed!! We went to Blue Ridge Georgia with my kids and some friends. We were in Walmart around 12:30 and my cell phone rings. I didn't recognize the number so I answered it. It was a client that is usually in by the first part of March wanting to know if he could come by when he got off work at 5 and get his taxes done. WHAT?????? I couldn't believe my ears!! I told him I was out of town for the rest of the week. He could call on Monday to make an appointment for this week. He got aggravated because I couldn't see him till tomorrow. He has a lot of nerve!!!!!!
But I am not breaking my neck for him. Unless something really terrible happened in his family, he will be at the back of the line.


Linda, EA

[BOB W]

I have been doing this client for 10 + years and every year is was the same pattern. He would call in March and make an appointment for 3/31 ( my last date for coming in). Then he has never showed up for his appointment. On April 5thish he would call to say he was sorry and I would take him in the next day.

This year he calls me on April 10th. I told him I could not make an appointment but if he drops it off I will try to get to it before the 15th. The drop off never happened but I get a call on April 15 around 5 o'clock. He is getting his tax return done and needs the social Security numbers for his kids.

[JohnH]

There is no end to the advantage some clients will take, if they are allowed. They will inconvenience you and expect you to work all hours of the day and night without any regard for your mental or physical health. Sometimes they will sheepishly apologize and make other insincere efforts to acknowledge that what they're doing is unreasonable, but most of it is just a façade. They simply want what THEY want, they want it now, and they want it on their terms.

So I give these types an equally insincere apology for not being at their beck & call (if I offer one at all), let them know when we can meet, and go on about my business. Some accept it, some don't - makes no difference to me. I like your idea of leaving on the 15th. I did the same thing, although I didn't leave for the coast until around noon on the 15th because I wanted to re-check my extension list. But my door was closed and phones were going to voice mail. I did return a couple of calls on the way to the beach, but that was just to tell them I'd get back to them after May 1.

[TAXNJ]

Have nails but no money

Had potential client called and asked if could get her return done. But she said if she owes taxes it would have to wait. Also can't pay me for two months because she has money issues.

I told her she could have a 2:00 pm appointment to see what's involved. She asked if it could be the next day. I asked why and her reply was, she has a nail appointment at 2:00, then meet her friends for diinner and clothes shopping for their vacation they are taking to Hawaii in three days.

My reply was no problem call me in three months for an appointment

[Uncle Sam]

How Would You Like This One?

Around the first week of April I get a call from the daughter (college age) of a client who passed away last
September. The daughter is NOT a client of mine.
What she called about was for me to blindly tell her the tax effect of depositing proceeds of some of her
money inherited from her mother's deferred annuities as she has a financial planner working out her
investments.
Never called to tell me about her mother's death, or to work on her mother's final return.

So I flatly told her to go ask the financial planner - I can't advise her.