Funny think happened in the tax office....

[geekgirldany]

Just funny thing today. Customer came in Monday to drop off 3 years of tax returns. Did not mention when they needed them. Anyways got a call today:

T: "Was you able to make out the information I brought you"
Me: I haven't had a chance to look over it.
T: Oh, will you have it done tomorrow?
Me: Ahhh, No... It will be atleast a week and half. Did you need it tomorrow?
T: I need it for a bankruptcy filing tomorrow. I'll just come and pick them up.
Me: Yeah that's a good idea.

[BOB W]

Bankrupsy> Procastinator........ Hmmmm.................

[geekgirldany]

It all adds up to a fun fun time

[taxmandan]

And he thinks that the taxes owed will be discharged in the BK, he's in for a rude awakening. No doubt he's doing the BK himself without benefit of legal counsel. He deserves everything coming to him.

[geekgirldany]

Yeah I don't know. He did not even mention it when he came by. I don't know who he thinks he can get now to do his taxes unless he goes to Block. I am not sure they can even get it done.

[geekgirldany]

Let me also add it has been nice people coming in the last minute with these 1099s. I believe some folk think because I am a smaller business I am not doing much or something. From the beginning of Jan til last week all I heard was "before you get busy, before you get busy". I would tell them "too late I am already busy"

[erchess]

When I was at a store front firm,

If the person came as a walk-in and waited his turn or came in a few minutes before his appointment time and waited half an hour past it, then he would be seated in front of a preparer. If he had answers to all necessary questions, some person or combination of persons would work with him as long as he remained alert and willing to stay in the office. I have seen situations where the office was open well past closing time and even to a few hours short of re-opening because it was wanted by the client. I can promise you that most preparers in such a situation start looking for missing essential information but if he has all the information, then he has all the information. One evening when I was the manager a guy came in with several year's worth of returns right before closing time. I had to do him and then I had to file some 800 checks for pickup the next day. I was there until three after the office theoretically closed at nine. This is why now that I have my own business, I do not cut checks. I do returns in the homes and offices of clients and I have a minimum fee for one return of $150. I will cut that to $50 or even less for simple returns when there are more than one at a stop..

[JohnH]

Conversation in Bankruptcy Court Tomorrow

Judge: Where are your tax returns?
BK: Sorry your honor, I don't have them done.
Judge: Why not?
BK: I did my best.
Judge: Explain "your best".
BK: Gave them to someone to prepare and gave them plenty of time, but they just told me yesterday out of the blue they couldn't finish them. It was too late to get somebody else. Can I have some more time?
Judge: OK, I'll give you one week.
BK: Thanks. Do you want the name of the tax preparer since it's all their fault?
Judge: No, it won't do you any good to keep blaming everybody else for your problems.

[geekgirldany]

Boy erchess that is rough! I didn't know how they operate. I wish these folks would have came by sooner. They have been coming to me for several years. I am not sure what happened that they put off doing their taxes for so long. Looks like there is alot of people in financial trouble.

Good one John

[Fuzzy Faced Leader]

I'm suspicious of someone that just walks in, and I find out he's filing bankruptcy tomorrow. Who did his taxes last year, and did he pay their bill? Get paid to do the work in cash, don't accept checks, because, if it bounces, you stand in line with all the other creditors, who won't get paid.

[Snaggletooth]

Court Appointment

Get appointed by the court to complete his tax mess, or don't do it at all.

This will enable you to a priority status as far as getting paid. Otherwise you get pennies on the dollars like all his other suckers.

[geekgirldany]

He has been coming to me for awhile. I have been doing his taxes since around 2001. That is why I could not understand why he didn't file for the past 3 years. I had actually put his tax folder away with the other non returning customers. He came and picked up his stuff. So he will probably be going somewhere else.

Snag I had not thought of that. I need to keep this in mind with these bankruptcy customers. I am pretty good with new customers. But existing ones I tend not to do it.

[Black Bart]

Dany,

He has been coming to me for awhile...since around 2001...I could not understand why he didn't file for the past 3 years. I had actually put his tax folder away with the other non returning customers. He came and picked up his stuff. So he will probably be going somewhere else...

I've got guys like that too -- it makes you curious when they, as you say, have been coming to you a long time and then all of a sudden disappear. When somebody drops off several years worth of a big pile of junk and we say we'll do it, we sort of assume they've got enough sense to know it's going to be a while. I'm still always surprised (even though it happens to me a lot) when the silly/pushy dopes call a couple of days later wanting to know if it's ready.

I think you did the right thing by giving it back to him. I've stopped doing prior years' stuff in tax season (not enough time to give it proper concentration). I just say it's tax season, we're swamped, and it'll be May 1st (4-15 + two weeks of relaxation) before I can get to it. Exceptions are sometimes made if (1) it's an offer that (moneywise) can't be refused (2) we're able to work it in (3) we'll lose it for sure by waiting.

[taxxcpa]

I had one of those

Not sure if they took bankruptcy, but they had about three years taxes. When they came to pick them up, they asked how much they owed me, smiled and wrote me a check.

The check bounced. I tried several times taking it to their bank, but the account never had funds available.

[joanmcq]

I had several new clients come in just after the 1st of the year wanting multiple years done. I get a retainer up front, and just say I need to be paid at least partially up front for past year's taxes. Then when the check clears, I start the returns. Then when they picked up the past years, they had the 2007 stuff for me!