What peeves me most....

[equinecpa]

So let's vent.

What peeves you most during tax season?

My number one peeve:

"How come I'm not getting a refund?" Client gets in a huff and takes all their papers and think they are going to take the return without paying me.
What's yours?

[Jesse]

The rebates!

Client yesterday, 3 kids, no tax liability so is receiving all of w/holding plus $2,900 EIC from federal and $1,200 EIC from State ranted on and on because she wants $1,200 rebate - as that is what her coworker is getting - it's not fair she's only getting $600! Lives w/ her boyfriend, gets good child support and son receives pell grants to pay for his college. Whine, whine, whine "the government takes and takes but they don't want to give equally" - Give me a F'n break.

Several other Social Security recipients and low income clients I have been trying to help out - same issue $300 isn't enough!?! No more randam acts of kindness, if I'm going to do any more "stimulus" returns I'm charging as I might as well give them something else to cry about!

It would be better to have no rebate then this BS. There I'm done ranting, the sun is shining and I feel much better! Thanks for asking equinecpa!

[JoshinNC]

Client who won't pay

In the last 2 weeks I have had 5 or more clients for whom I prepared LLC or Corp returns and personal returns. Client comes to my office, we go through all the returns, BS for 5-10 minutes and then they get up to leave. I say, "Hey, you need to pay the bill." "Oh, I didn't bring my checkbook. Nope, don't have my debit/credit card with me. Just send me a bill." How many of you ask for the copies of the return back under this situation? On some I have, others who I've had as long time clients I took at their word. One hasn't paid yet and it's been over 2 weeks (husband/wife 1065, getting divorced, arguing over their "1/2" of the return).

Ughhhhh!

[taxmandan]

How many of you ask for the copies of the return back under this situation? On some I have, others who I've had as long time clients I took at their word. One hasn't paid yet and it's been over 2 weeks (husband/wife 1065, getting divorced, arguing over their "1/2" of the return).

Ughhhhh!

I maintain possession of the returns until payment is forthcoming. Keep in on my side of the desk or if I'm at the recep desk it sits on the lower desk top, not up on the counter. I don't offer it over to them until payment is in my hands. We have our paperwork (engagement letter, routing slip, organizer) paper clipped to the folder and don't remove them until ready to give the return to the client.

But, this year we have accepted more post-dated checks for payment than in all of the past 14 years together, people are hurtin' this year. We hold the check until their refund is deposited, and we know when that will be!

Oh yeah, my pet peeve: Ankle-biters that are allowed to run amok in my office, mom lacks any control whatsoever.

[Possi]

Haughty wives...

Yes, kids that are out of control... I told one father to follow through when he kept threatening to discipline his son!
But mostly, I dislike haughty wives who talk down to their husbands. Most of these are police officer wives. Maybe I'm over-sensitive because my son is a police officer, but I see too many wives who show disrespect to men who get very little respect on the job and deal with the slugs of society every day.
We should walk a mile in their shoes...

[BHoffman]

The Self Employed

People who start their own business and have no clue about the responsibilities. SCorps with no officer payroll. No estimated tax payments and no money to pay taxes on time, year after year. Sch C filers trying to claim no income "because I didn't get any 1099s". No recordkeeping at all. The infamous "bag of receipts". Arguing that NO you cannot write off your boat and I don't care what the other preparers let their kids do.

The list goes on and on and on.......

[newbie]

The know it alls that want you to take a credit for the kitchen sink because their barber, bartender, and neighbor all said you can.

[David1980]

The know it alls that want you to take a credit for the kitchen sink because their barber, bartender, and neighbor all said you can.

Hey, if they did a major remodel of the kitchen the sales tax they paid on the sink might be a Sch. A deduction!



My pet peeve would be the same. People that "know" there's a deduction/they can get some credit, but in reality they don't qualify or the credit doesn't exist. Or anyone that assumes automatically anytime they owe money it's an error. As if nobody can ever owe money on taxes, heh.

[AZ-Tax]

I have enacted a new payment method.....

This is the first year I got stiffed by a referral that is a relative of a 4 yr old client. Needless to say I lost the 4 yr client. It hurts but it tells me I need to enact a down payment before starting a return especially with new clients with the exception of my insurance and/or investment clients.

No More Mr. Nice Tax Preparer......we should all unite and require a down payment

Why cant our software deduct our tax prep fees from the t/p's refund.

[LawrenceGR]

Getting Stiffed

on an appointment. I just hate it when people show up extremely late or don't show up at all for an appointment. I know many of you, like myself, work out of your home and people just figure you have to be there anyway so "I'll just show up a little late". As long as I'm at it; I also hate people just showing up at my door, no phone call and say "I was in the neighborhood so I thought I come and pick up my taxes or drop off my taxes". I guess the sum of all this is I hate it when people don't respect my time. Thank you all for letting me vent. Another month or so and this should be over.

[SueBaby]

So let's vent.

What peeves you most during tax season?

My number one peeve:

"How come I'm not getting a refund?" Client gets in a huff and takes all their papers and think they are going to take the return without paying me.
What's yours?

When I am finished printing papers all out, fix folders, get paid and THEN they say: I forgot to give you this 1099-R I got this year.

[JohnH]

Just charge extra

If they spring a 1099-R on you after the fact, just charge them more to re-work the return.

But what really peeves me is blow-hard tax preparers like me who claim to charge extra for this sort of stuff when we all know that most of the time we don't actually do it, because we don't want to risk losing the client's business.

[dkss]

I charge

If they spring a 1099-R on you after the fact, just charge them more to re-work the return.

But what really peeves me is blow-hard tax preparers like me who claim to charge extra for this sort of stuff when we all know that most of the time we don't actually do it, because we don't want to risk losing the client's business.

I am a stickler for charging a re-do fee in these cases - most clients have no problem with it, because they know it was their fault.

[JohnH]

Sorry - my mistake

Sorry, I meant to exlcude you when I wrote the post - my mistake.

[taxmandan]

Why cant our software deduct our tax prep fees from the t/p's refund.

Mine does, I offer bank products for just that reason. I have 50-75 clients every year that pay my fee by having it withheld from their refund. That' s a significant $$$ amount that would otherwise walk out the door. Alot of preparers bash the refund loans and think that is the only product available from the banks so they never consider options.

Daniel