Who should have access to this message board?

[AZ-Tax]

TTB Clients Only

Until we have official licensing of all tax preparers, that is the best this board can do is to restrict to TTB clients only.

[joanmcq]

Limiting to those who've purchased TTB would limit me; not because I don't have the book next to me, but because those in my office that wanted it did a group purchase since we all are SPs in our other lives. So unless each book has its own access code, an actual order number could limit usage.

I don't necessarily mind non-pros, they can generate some good discussions. And when they're idiots, well, I get a vicarious thrill by being able to post or read something I couldn't say in person!

[dsi]

Restrict it to tax pros only.

[POCAHONTAS]

I am tired of free loaders, tax professionals spend many hours researching and all the other costs we incur so why should these non-professionals get all the free advice.

[KJ Judd]

I agree with limiting the access to tax professionals. I was first attracted to this message board before I purchased the book. It was the quality of responses here that made my decision to support the authors by purchasing TTB.

However, I don't know of any good way to restrict it to tax professionals only (not necessarily TTB customers). Maybe everyone who is a "newbie" member with less than 10-20 posts needs to have their questions reviewed before they are posted here. That would weed out the individuals who just want free advice for their own tax returns.

[veritas]

I don't mind

the freeloaders. The questions are sometimes interesting and also amusing.

[JG EA]

It's a lot to go through when we are busy. I would love only tax professionals having access. I would also feel better about asking about more specific questions. I don't know how you would limit it to tax professionals without limiting to ones who have bought the book.

[ED SMITH]

The 3rd Way

Establish a hierarchy. At the bottom - the non-professional who would be allowed to ask only One question over a 4 month period. This would eliminate someone asking a series of questions and getting enough advice to prepare their return.

The second level would be non-licensed tax preparers - allowed to ask one question every month.

The third level would be non-paying EA's and CPA's, allowed one question per week.

On the top would be the paying professionals who would be allowed unlimited questions.

Of course the periods are purely arbitrary and only represent a starting point as experience could later define more efficient time periods.

This should satisfy those seeking exclusivity without shutting anybody out and give advantage to the paying pros and limit those between both ends of the spectrum.

[joanmcq]

How do you define 'paying' vs. non paying?

[Jiggers]

Restrict to TTB Buyers only

I don't read or respond to those that are apparently looking for free tax help.

I don't in my office, over the phone, or on this board.

NAEA WebBoard limits access to their members.

Why not TTB?

[Scarecrow]

Establish a hierarchy. At the bottom - the non-professional who would be allowed to ask only One question over a 4 month period. This would eliminate someone asking a series of questions and getting enough advice to prepare their return.

The second level would be non-licensed tax preparers - allowed to ask one question every month.

The third level would be non-paying EA's and CPA's, allowed one question per week.

On the top would be the paying professionals who would be allowed unlimited questions.

From a technical standpoint, how do propose implementing a policy where access is based upon one’s professional credentials?

It would be easy to restrict access to customers who purchase products. Not so easy to do it based on what the person does for a living. Are you suggesting TMI hire the FBI to investigate all message board members?

caw

[Jack the Tax Lady]

"read only" option is a good option

I would have voted a different way, except the question that I wanted was not in the list. That choice would be "Board open to "read only" for non-professionals, but cannot post."

I agree with the above. I think the "read only" option is a good option.

Jack

[Jesse]

I still don't understand the problem.

If ther poster's wording offends you, then why not click through to another post? Or have a little fun with them if you wish. Either way, there's no harm done.

...............The hover featrure works quite well. .............

I agree w/ JohnH on this the above quoted points. I use the hover feature and bypass often. And actually, sometimes a question asked by an "outsider" can stir up responses that I learn from. One example is the thread on replying to the CP notice.

http://www.thetaxbook.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7919

[Koss]

Limiting Access

I would vote against limiting access.

The number of nonprofessional posts may be increasing, but I don't see a lot of the professionals on this board complaining about it.

Limiting access to tax professionals generally, without some sort of payment mechanism, would be next to impossible. TTB is not going to develop resources to verify someone's credentials.

Limiting access to an account number or username issued with the book would cause other problems, as one previous post mentioned. An office with five tax pros may only order three books. So they only get three message board accounts? That's not going to work very well.

A lot of the best contributors to this board may be sharing a book with a partner or something. We don't want to exclude those folks by binding the access to the purchase of an individual book.

The only viable option would be to maybe have a screen that appears during the registration process to establish a username and password, that explicitly states that the board is only for tax professionals. It could have a mandatory questionnaire, requiring a professional designation, which could include "non-certified/non-licensed tax professional," but could also ask for "years of experience." Putting any new registrant through this type of online interview would chase off most nonprofessionals.

Yes, some will simply lie. I already said TTB doesn't have the resources to verify this type fo information. But if the registrant lies, the truth will come out in his post.

We recognize nonprofessional posts because the questions are often couched in language that reveals that the author doesn't even know how to articulate the question, or that the question itself is based on a serious misunderstanding.

If the registration interview states that you must be a pro to post on the board, we could begin reporting posts that appear to be from nonprofessionals. If, in the judgment of the moderator, the post is noncompliant, the post could be deleted and the username cancelled.

[oceanlovin'ea]

Limited access

I'll eliminate the ones I don't agree with first.
I don't think that it should be limited to those who purchase TTB. Many have come on the board and decided to buy based on what others have said about the book. I think that all of us use a variety of research materials to locate our answers to our questions.
I appreciate VERY much the intelligent and helpful answers I have gotten to my questions. Since I am alone in my office in my home, this board is certainly a lifesaver to me at times. All the tax professionals (people who are in the business of preparing income taxes for businesses and individuals) are appreciated on this board, in my opinion.

This has been the first year that I have noticed the general public coming on the board and asking questions. I personally find this somewhat annoying because these people think they know what they are doing but from their comments you can tell they are in trouble. But I know that it is my option not to read or respond to these posts. Usually I don't unless I suggest they find an EA, CPA or other tax professional in their area.

My only worry is that in reading some of the posts and answers to questions the general public might take an opinion and consider it "gospel" when in fact if the all the posts are read, the final outcome might be completely different.

Linda F