Bigger = Better

[Black Bart]

To the geographically-challengened "no-crank" Yank

going to St Cloud (20 minutes from my house) for Gear Up’s 1040 Seminar. .

Hmm. Is that 20 minutes by sled or snowshoe?

[Bees Knees]

Does it seem feasible that a speaker can present a seminar and not actually be involved in THAT business, hands on? Maybe 1% could pull it off but I would think they would have to be a dynamite personality and have very great material!!!

That was always the plus for the prior speakers of Gear Up! They were "hands on" practioners and they could tell the stories of the events that they encountered which made it real for those of us sitting in the audience!

Not everyone will agree, but that was the secret ingredient in the QF as well. When you have 7 million words in the code and regs to cover, you ought to have hands on day to day experience to know what to cover in a 300 page book and what to ignore.

In my 20+ years in this business, I’ve never had an existing partnership take on a new partner by having the new partner contribute appreciated property to the partnership in exchange for a partnership interest. Lot’s of tax theory behind that scenario. Lot’s of all kinds of complicated rules, with your Section 754 election and the like. It wasted a good 2+ hours at the Gear Up Seminar.

The problem is, nobody cared because everyone knew they would never have to deal with it. Maybe include a simple example and take 2 minutes to mention it is there if there is a once in a life time situation where you might have to deal with it. But not 2+ hours and pages and pages of detailed information. Especially when there was a new tax law people wanted to hear about that they hardly covered.

That is the subtle difference between an academic approach and a hands on experienced approach to presenting information in a book or at a seminar. Most products produced today are produced by people who gave up their practice years ago to work “normal hours” rather than the crazy hours we all do during February, March, and April. That is why the tax information industry is over loaded with products people purchase, open once, and put on their shelf never to be looked at again. There is where your Bigger does not always equal Better equation comes into play here.

[John of PA]

Lacerte & Gear Up

Sandy and Black Bart, I enjoy your good input. I'am up against deadlines this week so I have to make this quick. My experience with Lacerte has been positive and the fee increases have been in line, so I'am a little puzzled. Early this morning I had a return I was trying to Efile and it was being rejected. Lacerte tech support is opening 6:00am this week due to the Oct 15th deadline. I called and got through quick and they took me through and I got thre return off Efile while still on thel phone with Lacerte. The product gets better every year. Everyone is cutting their tech support budgets. Lacerte's websight has a copy of the AICPA survey on tax prep software which is interesting. (LSCSOFT.com). Last year was my last Gear-Up seminar also. too much hype, they packed us in like sardines; while the material was good, my 8 hours could have been more efficiently spent in my office. I now look for evening or half a day seminars, so I don't loose a whole day in the office. Have a good week and a peaceful Yom Kippur to those in holiday.

[Bees Knees]

I attended the Gear Up Business Entities Seminar a month ago. The one speaker who had been with Gear Up for years was good, but the other new guy they had just hired was terrible. Neither covered the new tax laws very well. Everyone was waiting for the new stuff. I noticed in the lobby during breaks a buzz going on about how people felt the seminar wasn’t going too good.

Got a coupon in the mail today from MAPA asking us to give Gear Up a second chance. After all the complaints, MAPA was assured by Gear Up that "experienced speakers will present future seminars. They will work hard to ensure that the seminars meet our high standards."

[Roberts]

Competition

I own part of a small, independent investment firm plus I do tax preparation through a seperate organization. I absolutely love getting in front of a potential client who deals with the big multi-national companies.

I provide service - I come out to the client and meet with them in person. They have a question? They call and talk to me personally. I give them my cell phone number if they need me in an emergency. I've been in the industry 15 years - I'm not leaving to become an insurance salesman in the town over in 6 months.

I provide independent advice. Whether it's selling someone a RAL, proprietary mutual fund, bonds out of inventory - if the so called professional has a financial motive to push product - it's rarely going to be the best.

My profits stay 100% in the community.

I try and support the small business over the large business for many of the same reasons. The corporate profit of my local restaurant doesn't get distributed 1,000 miles away in NYC but instead it goes to my neighbor who supports my church and PTA. I know if there is a problem, he'll fix it. Yes Chili's might be a little cheaper but does it make a difference to them if they lose one more client because of bad service?

[accttax]

GearUp's response

Got a coupon in the mail today from MAPA asking us to give Gear Up a second chance. After all the complaints, MAPA was assured by Gear Up that "experienced speakers will present future seminars. They will work hard to ensure that the seminars meet our high standards."

"Future seminars" - this year or next year? I, too, became disenchanted with GearUp's seminars, but I noticed a difference already last year. I went to the Business Entities seminar specifically because certain items were promoted as material to be covered; and then, NONE of these specific issues were discussed! Given this, and some of the posts I've read, I'm truly hesitant to invest time and $$ (including the travel required) to attend another seminar - at least, this year.

Any comments on still going this year, waiting until next year . . . or other thoughts?

[Bees Knees]

I still need CPE, so I was thinking of flying to Chicago to catch a Bob Jennings seminar.

http://www.taxspeaker.com/

He was Gear Up's top speaker prior to the PPC acquisition, in my opinion.

[taxfun]

cpe seminars

I have been atending NCPE seminars for about 12/16 years. I have never been disappointed. I attended 1 Gear-up and resoved to never attend another.

[Theicometax Lady]

Smaller is tougher

This website is a prime example. Money hasn't been the only reason I have stayed in business. The last three months is profit diffucult. Cleaning up after Oct 15, setting next years buget, hiring new 2006 data entry !whew! ( alot of times with very little money), visiting my business clients year end advising on their bottom line on taxes, on and on. I have stayed the competiton and going strong. I believe everyone of you who participates here is is also tough whom can send the biggies (HRB, Hewitt,) packing. Had one block man come to work for me 4 years ago> Said I was to detailed and that i worked his as!!! off. We are still friend. No hard feelings.

Smaller is tougher and will prevail and profit in more ways than just money.

Theincometax Lady