New policy

[Bees Knees]

TTB is marketed to tax professionals. It is not sold in stores. The number of non-professionals purchasing TTB and thus gaining access to this message board is small and insignificant.

[thomtax]

Cost

One thing that many seem to overlook in their criticisms of how the board is administered is that the TTB people are bearing the cost and major time investments to make this, a free board, available to us. I for one appreciate it and the board and will abide by whatever they feel is needed to be done.

After all, it could go the way of the ATX board if it became too much of a hassle, and I sure don't want that.

LT

[abby]

It seems they've made a fair and workable decision

Frankly, if a non-professional has enough interest in learning about tax preparation to buy a TaxBook, then I say welcome. There aren't likely to be many. I myself stumbled into the profession when, as a young person I discovered I had something called Schedule C income. I started reading instructions. I admit I did despair the first time I peeked at the instructions for Form 4562. Still, that's where it started for me.

I appreciate that anyone can read the board - I imagine they can even do a search to find a discussion pertinent to their concerns, but will not be able to use the board as an instruction manual.

I appreciate that anyone who buys a book, new to the profession or a seasoned professional will be able to join in the discussion. I learn from the newbies as well as the time tested pros.

And, this IS a community. A community where we get to know each other a bit, a place where we are pleased to see posts from certain folks we've come to know and trust, and those we've come to think of as virtual friends. I do have to state that the balance of the board is important to me, and I would be greatly sorry to see all off topic discussion banned. I don't think it's going to be banned, but I think it's important to defend it. You are all in my virtual office, and sometimes we meet at the water cooler or take a coffee break. An occasional mention of our personal situation, history or talents, or a discussion of the weather, show of concern for those in a disaster area or in ill health, a wish for a happy holiday, a bit of humor, these are all seasoning for the tax stew and add flavor and nourishment to our day. The moderators have cautioned against profanity, mean comments and politics. I think we're good for the rest.

Last, thanks to The TaxBook folks for the astounding sense of care, stewardship and personal responsibility they put into all aspects of their product.

[JohnH]

Well said

Bingo!
I have nothing to add to that - you put it all in perspective..

[Nashville]

Helpful

Sluggo, whether I agree with him or not, is one of the most knowledgeable and helpful people around. I have more than once been the recipient of Roland's helpful advice, and admire that he is not afraid to express his opinion and get knocked around.

Roland, I think perhaps now you are beginning to see just how much resentment exists among those of us who don't want the free lunch bunch to get advice. There is a groundswell of opinion from many of us who watch the "box" take over the airwaves and convince laymen that they can now know as much as CPAs. Those of us who know better realize how ridiculous this is, but the public is believing this hook, line & sinker.

[Lion]

TTB Board

I'm a sole proprietor and like to come here to talk to my colleagues. Often I'm the dummy needing direction. I sometimes need to vent about a situation or learn how others handled something, firing a client, for instance. And, I even want the silly humor that only us sleep-deprived practitioners would find funny at 3 a.m.! (You don't know how many times I've passed along a joke or someone's signature line to my sleep-deprived college daughter up late writing a paper and in need of some silliness.) In other words, I want to talk to others who are in the same boat. I talk to clients all day long. I don't want to come to this board and find the one-time person asking a question. I don't want to have to pick around them. I want to moan and complain and let my hair down with no clients listening, mine or anyone else's. And, I especially don't want to lose any wonderful board members who leave due to having to pick around the one-timers doing their own returns. I don't care if they lurk and read and search to find their answer. And, if I decide to skip a year buying TTB, I'll hate this new policy. But, don't see that happening. So, I'm all for anything that moves the one-timers back to the TurboTax board where they belong.

[BHoffman]

I agree not to answer any questions from the do-it-yourself laymen.

However, sometimes it was nice to be able to answer an easy question after getting my head kicked in all day researching the hard stuff.

[Holland]

Idle chatter

<snip>
At least when someone from the general public posts here, he asks a legitimate tax question ... albeit a simple or naive one in many cases. Contrast that with all the idle chatter and non-tax nonsense that passes as acceptable because, apparently, it is posted by people who buy your product. If your objective is to reduce the number of unworthy posts, you might want to consider standards for the CONTENT of posts, including replies, instead of restricting WHO is allowed to post.
<snip>

I agree with these sentiments. This board is becoming a social network for lonely tax preparers who apparently have no life outside of this board. Some frequent posters are posting not to add solutions, suggestions, or insights, but merely to add inconsequential chatter. At least one frequent poster reveals a lack of grammar and basic tax preparation skills. Soon we will have someone posting about what they are going to eat for their next meal! Yum Yum! ATXers will remember him. Some of us try and skim through all of the posts to try and learn something about tax preparation. Any other topic is, in my view, a waste of time.

Perhaps someone could set up a separate board for professional tax preparers who want to discuss the weather, how clever they are, how hard they work, the state of their health, etc. ad infinitum.

Many thanks to the TB folks for supplying me with a venue for a not-tax vent :-)

[BP.]

I love this board. So very much to learn, and such generous help from so many friendly, knowledgeable people. A nice place to take a break and, like Abby & Lion mentioned, check in with our virtual colleagues in the business. Thank you TTB!

[veritas]

idle chatter

I enjoy it. I am a contributor of it.

Deal with it.

[daleborg]

Who really is a professional?

Enter your EA #? what about your NATP#? or AICPA #?
Does this mean that only those with CPA or a number from an organization are professionals? A professional is a person who works at their trade or craft for the most part of a full year, ie. professional truck driver, professional race driver, etc. What about those who may work at doing tax preperation only during the tax season of Jan through April 15 and do not have CPA or EA or anything else behind their name. While some may bash the HRB's and others who hire tax preparers after going through a rigorous class and must take additional classes each year and pass tests with at least 80%, do you consider them professional tax preparers or not?

When I got into doing tax preparation after taking some classes I soon found that I needed to do amended returns on returns that were prepared by CPA's and EA's, several errors in each return.

So it looks like "professional" needs to be defined. If there are professionals on this board why do they hide behing alias names. I would think a true professional would sign their own name.

Anyway, just my thoughts.

Dale

[Zee]

I view a true profession as one that requires licensing. Anyone can prepare taxes and call themselves a tax professional, that's the problem. But, I suppose it isn't any different than most occupations.

If you're a tax preparer, the answer is easy. Most people on this board don't care about your credentials. They'll answer your question. Buy the Tax Book. It should be part of your tax library anyway. I wouldn't be without it.

If you're not a tax preparer, you can still get your questions answered by simply purchasing the Tax Book.

[Gretel]

I love and appreciate this board so very much. I am glad that non-professionals (anyone who doesn't do paid tax preparation) are being stopped from posting. Mainly because I got tired of wasting precious time reading these posts. I am a very slow reader and writer in the English language and probably make some silly mistakes. I deeply dislike the pointing finger of some towards another poster for "imperfect postings". Just a plea: Try to be more kind and patient.

I also enjoy some small talk but a lot is too much for me. I just skip around these posts. I don't want to loose any of the posters I learned to appreciate but realize the TTB cannot please everyone. TTB, you have done a great job in creating this message board and I really like that we also can share our humanness and not just our knowledge.

[newbie]

At least one frequent poster reveals a lack of grammar and basic tax preparation skills.

I don't know for sure but I don't think he was pointing the finger at you Gabriele. I've noticed a certain poster who claims to have read the Tax Book from "top to bottom" but asks many questions that any basic preparer should know.

[David1980]

Personally, I do not care if someone buys a "box" and does their own return. However, you have to consider another effect of random people asking questions.

Would you consider this forum as valuable as it is, if 90% of the threads on the first page were "Help my employer gave me a 1099-MISC", "How much of a stimulus rebate will I get?" and "Tax question"?

The biggest reason not to allow random people to post is because they could quickly flood the forum with very basic questions.