Language Problem

[erchess]

What do you do if a client calls or comes by and either in broken English or through an interpreter indicates a desire for you to handle their tax business but the interview must be conducted in a specified other language? I am under the impression that a Presidential Executive Order put in place by Clinton and untouched by Bush requires us to upon reasonable notice provide the necessary interpretation service at our own expense without passing it on to the client in terms of an increased fee. I don't have a location to which customers come (they call and I go to them with laptop and printer) and somehow whenever one of these people has called there has been trouble on the line and I was not able to complete the call.

I have also btw had a potential client whose English was perfectly good tell me that as a matter of national pride he wanted to conduct the interview in Spanish and pay me in Pesos. Him I told to take a hike since he by his own admission did not need translation services to work with me. I thought abut using my limited Spanish to insult his mother but decided against it.

[JohnH]

Four word answer to the potential client

Lo siento, no comprendo.

(I like the way Spanish rhymes, it almost has a musical quality about it.)

There's no way I'd take on a client in another language any more than I'd seek the services of a Spanish-only lawyer or doctor myself. Sounds like you have a couple of nut-case clients on your hands, or else someone trying to make a political point.)

[DaveO]

Medical Issues

I think the law you are refering to is limited to health care workers. I have a number of deaf clients who can be a challenge to work with. We have brought in an interperter to assist. At least we can communicate in writing. I have some Spanish speaking clients too but can pretty much communicate. I also use babelfish to translate documents.

I would see a demand that I hire an interperter at my expense as hubris on their part.

[ChEAr$]

We may choose

our own clients and no one; NObody can compel me to take on one with whom I am not comfortable, be it language related or income omission, or just bragging about how he doesn't declare income.

I've never had the problem of course, and there have been instances in which I told a client
that I "just didn't have time to do his return that year."

[Larmil]

In my office the only spoken language is English. Otherwise, they can bring their own interpreters.

[ED SMITH]

I speak fluent Spanish, which I learned many years ago in Spain and became an interpreter/translator. But I am reluctant to help Spanish speaking clients for a number of reasons. First, if they can't speak English, they usually can't speak decent Spanish, because they are uneducated and come from rural areas where the language could be some Indian dialect.

Second, they bring along a lot of baggage. They bring in W-2 with ond SSN and then show you a card with an ITIN. They often want to add a wife or dependent that needs to get an ITIN.

Third, many shop around for the biggest refund and will walk if they don't like the numbers you present. Unless you ask them to pay up front there is no way you can collect if they walk.

I gained this experience when I worked for H&R several years ago and finally told the manager not to schedule me any more Spanish speakers unless I had a chance to screen them. After a while I knew how to filter out the ones that would be a problem.

As for an interpreter, I think the idea is ridiculous. Does anyone believe that they could explain AMT, the rules on dependency, HOH, or anything more than the most basic tax concepts to an interpreter and have it translated accurately?

Translators for medical and legal situations are trained and certified for this. No such thing exists for the tax profession.

BTW, the IRS has an English-Spanish-English Glossary or terms. I think its is Pub 950.

[Donald Rihn, EA]

English only

I took Spanish in high school. Was one of the top in the class with a mix of about 80% hispanic. However, it was Spanish as spoken and written in Spain. Not the Tex-Mex dialect of South Texas.

I could read it, write it. Couldn't speak it with my classmates.

They could speak it, struggled to read and write it.

I wish I would have kept up with it.

I do have Hispanics as clients, most speak English. The one or two that don't will bring their daughter as an interpreter.

I have no problem with that.

[bertrans]

I speak fluent Spanish, which I learned many years ago in Spain and became an interpreter/translator. But I am reluctant to help Spanish speaking clients for a number of reasons. First, if they can't speak English, they usually can't speak decent Spanish, because they are uneducated and come from rural areas where the language could be some Indian dialect.

Second, they bring along a lot of baggage. They bring in W-2 with ond SSN and then show you a card with an ITIN. They often want to add a wife or dependent that needs to get an ITIN.

Third, many shop around for the biggest refund and will walk if they don't like the numbers you present. Unless you ask them to pay up front there is no way you can collect if they walk.

I gained this experience when I worked for H&R several years ago and finally told the manager not to schedule me any more Spanish speakers unless I had a chance to screen them. After a while I knew how to filter out the ones that would be a problem.

As for an interpreter, I think the idea is ridiculous. Does anyone believe that they could explain AMT, the rules on dependency, HOH, or anything more than the most basic tax concepts to an interpreter and have it translated accurately?

Translators for medical and legal situations are trained and certified for this. No such thing exists for the tax profession.

BTW, the IRS has an English-Spanish-English Glossary or terms. I think its is Pub 950.

The IRS has also recently issued bilingual tax publications in several other languages, e.g., Ukrainian, Vietnamese, Korean, Turkish.

Once upon a time, I had to explain, in Italian (I'm fluent in it), the theory and practice of AMT, to an Italian TP. I rapidly realised that a literal translation of AMT into Italian means nothing. I ended up with what, in English, would retranslate as: 'a parallel additional system of taxation'...and that was just the beginning. I think ';intangible drilling rights' did me in.

[JohnH]

P.a.s.t.

"parallel additional system of taxation"

I like that translation, since it forms the acronym PAST in English. Which means, our government is PAST being fair and has resorted to cooking up any old excuse to get your money - just send it in.

[erchess]

a side joke

Some years ago a "California Short Form" circulated in my office. You started with Total Income from the Federal Return, subtracted out Federal Tax, and the rest was your California Tax.

[Kong]

Much ado about nothing

60% of my clients are spanish speaking. All new clients are told that a refund estimate will be $30.00. All new clients wanting to discuss other tax issues are told it will cost $30.00. This is how I eliminate the shoppers. I try to assist all clients. I have a client from Jordan, whom I spent maybe 40 minutes more than a fluent english/spanish client. Asian clients are a challenge but I also assist them. I have had a couple of incidents where communication was getting us no place and I just told client I was sorry and showed him the door. From reading the comments from other practioners, some just like to complicate thier lives. The client who wanted to pay in pesos, I would have refered to a check cashing firm to get me some dollars. I am told on occasion that I charge more then the guy down the street. My response, I did'nt pull you off the street into my office. I have to also point out that my yearly turn over rate is 20%. Could be because of my no non sense attitude. I can live with it.

[erchess]

[QUOTE=Kong; From reading the comments from other practioners, some just like to complicate thier lives. The client who wanted to pay in pesos, I would have refered to a check cashing firm to get me some dollars. [/QUOTE]

My would be client who wanted to pay in Pesos made it clear that as a matter of national pride he wanted his tax professional to take Pesos and speak Spanish. He spoke clear unaccented English so I assumed that he either had US Dollars or knew how he could get them.

I felt about him the same way I felt about the potential client who wanted me to take Liberty Dollars.

[JohnH]

Careful

I think you couild refuse to take the Pesos without any problem, but if someone offers to pay you in Liberty Dollars you must accept them or else the debt is forgiven.

[sea-tax]

our own clients and no one; NObody can compel me to take on one with whom I am not comfortable, be it language related or income omission, or just bragging about how he doesn't declare income.

I've never had the problem of course, and there have been instances in which I told a client
that I "just didn't have time to do his return that year."

I have to agree with you completely no one can make you work for someone you wish not to work for or with. Only thing I must do in life is meet my maker, but with a good doctor I can forgo that for a while as well.

[joanmcq]

What are Liberty Dollars?