Fired

[Roberts]

One of my first tax clients I ever got is going to be fired by me today. Clients that can't show me the common courtesy of basic respect by showing up at appointments or calling to reschedule in a reasonable amount of time when I'm going out of my way to meet their needs...... nope, hate to fire her but life's too short to put up with that.

Every other client I disliked tended to just drift off and not call me the next season after they received their bill!

[BOB W]

That is the way to get them out>>> bill them out the door.

[Gary]

No Show

I work for H&R and we have a lot of no shows. I guess we expect that. But for the rest of my friends (that's you I;m talking about), why can't you charge a fee just like the doctors and other professionals do?

[erchess]

ok what fee would I charge?

I do returns in the homes and offices of my clients and I would ask for a $25 gas fee if for any reason I got there and the person was not there or was there but still wanted to reschedule. At this point I would not charge to reschedule provided they reach me before I leave for the day. I may ask for a consistent day before notice and raise that fee when I have a larger client base. Perhaps raising it to my fee for an EZ return (currently $45 but likely to be 50 or 55 next year) would make sense at that time. So far the issue has not actually come up. (Before I leave for the day is a highly variable standard based on what else I am doing that day.. I have had more than one tax client in a day and then I have left as early as 11 am when my only tax appointment of the day was late afternoon. I do carry a cell phone but new clients do not have the number.)

I would imagine what stops most of us from charging something for no shows and late cancellations is the fear that the client will choose to take their business elsewhere. I would also imagine that there is the slippery slope as to what is a valid excuse that would lead one ot waive the fee. For example I doubt most people would charge a fee if the client's problem is that he or an immediate family member is at the ER. But what if they wake up with a cold either sort of flu? Or if you also take Walk ins or have work stacked,that not getting this appointment means you work only a 12 hour day so you are relieved?

[JohnH]

Allow me to suggest an opposite point of view on the no-shows to the office.

I always have a stack of unfinished returns and other work sitting on my desk, so if a client is a no-show or late for an appointment it doesn't cost me anything - it just enables me to take a whack at something else that needs to be done. It's billable time for someone, so a no-show should not translate into non-billable time.

As a matter of fact, I tell them when they schedule the appointment that if they are a few minutes early or late not to stress out over it - I don't want them rushing into my office worried about a silly little thing like the clock since we have much more important business to attend to. I also tell them that if something comes up at the last minute, just give me a call and we can reschedule becasue I always have plenty of other things to do to fill the time. I'd never think of charging someone for a no-show.

I realize this sort of policy won't work if one has appointments scheduled every hour or so all day long, but I also see that as a terribly wasteful way to run a tax & accounting business. As I've said before I do as much as possible using mail, email, and drop-offs to get the info in the first place.

It's all a matter of "beginning with the end in mind", and to me the beginning of the whole process is figuring out how to keep the clients out of your office - not how to get them in.

[AZ-Tax]

I have to agree with John...

that there are other tax returns to work on if there is a no show.

For you tax preparers that do house calls, my hat goes off to you. I could never do it since most taxpayers have very little respect for their tax return (and in many cases their tax preparer) in the first place. Chances are 25% of my home visits would not be there.

I had a client call me this year who was a new client in 2006 tax year. The reason for calling me, I like the work you did on my 2006 tax return. That is respect and those are the clients I prefer to have and the client yesterday who told me I don't charge enough.

This was the first year I got stiffed and I talked to most of my clients about charging a down payment next year for which none were opposed. That is my plan for 2008 the only concern is will it deter new clients. I wish all tax preparers would charge a down payment then it would make it easier on all of us tax preparers.

[erchess]

Legality

If you charge a down payment toward next year would you not have to keep the money in a non interest bearing account and not report it as income for tax and accounting purposes until you earned it? And would there not be some circumstances such as the death of the taxpayer or his having so little income that he did not need to file, that would call for a refund of the deposit? It sounds like a major hassle to me.

[AZ-Tax]

Amending to add Roth?

I am going to amended a 2007 tax return to add a Roth. Obviously this will not change the numbers on the return so what needs to be mailed in to the IRS?