placement of client documents

[erchess]

I wonder if anyone has a fixed policy about what they do with the information documents clients give us. Both of the companies i worked for before going out on my own made sure that the client got back a copy of everything and it was stapled in the back of the client folder. If it later turned out that something was left off of the return, this was deemed to be the client's fault unless two conditions were met. The information document had to be stapled in back of the return and there had to be only one set of holes thus proving that the client had not unfastened what we did and fastened in the document.

I keep telling myself that I need to get client folders but I have not done so. Sometimes I use file folder but most frequently I simply staple their copies of what they gave me in one pile and their copies of the return in another pile.

[Bees Knees]

I scan everything the client gives me during the client interview and then I give everything back to the client before he/she leaves. Cuts down on storage, and I can always retrieve a clean copy of their documents in the future if I ever need them again.

[geekgirldany]

I've also started scanning everything they send me.

[OtisMozzetti]

Rubber stamp

We got some rubber stamps which say "presented at the time of tax preparation" which can be put onto each document that was presented. A record of what was presented would of course also have to include an audio recording of the client's answers to questions. <smile> I have heard about people who come back later and claim, for example, that they were never asked about unemployment compensation.

[Black Bart]

Xerox

I photocopy everything that's relevant and staple it to my file copy; returning all original documents to the client. I've thought about a scanner, but it's handy being able to flip through my document copies and see what they did last time, especially if they forget anything -- too, I think that would be faster than scrolling through the scans.

As to how to package their documents, they're variously stapled, rubber-banded, paper-clipped, folded, or whatever fits best. I guess the single set-staple hole method would be better proof, but it seems a bit meticulous. If omissons are questioned, I show them what I copied and they can believe it or not (most do).

Otis' rubber stamp ("presented at the time of tax preparation") seems like a very good idea, although one downside (to me) is that it seems to imply you believe the customer is capable of trying to slip something in the package after the return is done and blame it on you (subtly calling him/her a crook). But...aside from possbile hurt feelings, it would be very effective.

[David1980]

I guess the single set-staple hole method would be better proof, but it seems a bit meticulous.

If it's a major storefront chain I have to wonder how they handle when a preparer "forgets" to staple a document, removes the staple, adds the document, and staples it back to the folder once more. How would you differentiate between the preparer doing that, or the taxpayer?

Personally I've found a lot of good ideas in this thread. I like the idea of scanning everything and keeping it in a backup somewhere offsite. I suppose if you were worried enough you could make a list and do something like PGP-sign the document. But really, if a customer is going to tell me they gave me something that they didn't I'd probably be happy to get rid of that customer anyway.

[JG EA]

I photocopy everything that's relevant and staple it to my file copy; returning all original documents to the client. I've thought about a scanner, but it's handy being able to flip through my document copies and see what they did last time, especially if they forget anything -- too, I think that would be faster than scrolling through the scans.

...

I am so glad you said this. I apologize to all the trees on my way to work because of my need to have everything right there in the folder. I tried to at least not copy the code page to K-1's and instead had them in a folder to get out if I needed to read the codes. Only takes a minute and this would be a token green thing. This worked OK the first year then when I had to get two or three years of codes at a moments notice - well - I went back to copying them.

I do feel very guilty, but I'm easily confused and the more information that is right in front of me the better. I sometimes check returns away from any computer and it is essential have everything there.

[Black Bart]

Get a grip, JG

I am so glad you said this. I apologize to all the trees...because of my need to have everything...in the folder. I tried to...not copy...this would be a token green thing...I went back to copying them.

I do feel very guilty...

It's not like they're going to run out of trees -- I mean, they're still growin' 'em. You can't spend your time worryin' about such nonsense. Do you think Quill wouldn't like to sell you 100,000 reams of copy paper next season? Georgia-Pacific not only cuts trees, they plant trees -- they're "green" if for no other reason than if furthers their mercantile interests (and it's also nice that the environment is helped).

Many activists chaining themselves to trees are well-intentioned idealists who want NO trees cut simply as a matter of principle -- while silly (look around your house and think about a world without wood), it's their prerogative; just like it's yours to buy necessary office supplies to do their taxes (even tree-huggers must file). The system works for greenfolk just like it does for everybody else; they didn't make those chains with their own hands -- they bought them at a hardware store and an itemized (gasp) paper invoice was printed out for those links and locks.

Point is, you have to live in the real world, consume goods (without littering), reasonably doing your part where you can without cutting your economic throat along the way. If somebody jumps you about this (can't imagine who'd have the nerve), ask them if they use toilet paper, and if not, what?

What state do you live in? Drive through the Ozarks and you'll be disabused of the notion about a tree shortage.

[erchess]

We were taught (no joke)

If it's a major storefront chain I have to wonder how they handle when a preparer "forgets" to staple a document, removes the staple, adds the document, and staples it back to the folder once more. How would you differentiate between the preparer doing that, or the taxpayer?

Personally I've found a lot of good ideas in this thread. I like the idea of scanning everything and keeping it in a backup somewhere offsite. I suppose if you were worried enough you could make a list and do something like PGP-sign the document. But really, if a customer is going to tell me they gave me something that they didn't I'd probably be happy to get rid of that customer anyway.

to come as close as humanly possible to lining up the holes and putting the new staple through the old hole and to make sure that the new staple at least touched the border of the old holes on the top sheet. That was as much trouble as it sounds but I did it and I did it because I wanted there to be no doubt whether I had seen a particular W2 or other form. If I saw it and left it off I wanted the employer to recognize that it was my fault because I knew that no harm would come to me from a reasonable number of mistakes.

[Black Bart]

Just curious, EC

to come as close as humanly possible to lining up the holes and putting the new staple through the old hole and to make sure that the new staple at least touched the border of the old holes on the top sheet. That was as much trouble as it sounds but I did it and I did it because I wanted there to be no doubt whether I had seen a particular W2 or other form...

but did any customers ever come in demanding to see that "proof" and if so, did they believe it?

[erchess]

I am sure there were clients we lost

but did any customers ever come in demanding to see that "proof" and if so, did they believe it?

over this issue but the real point is that they were not able to make the company pay any part of their tax bills. Keep in mind that for this question to come up someone at some point removed the staple and put in a document that was not there. The two most obvious possibilities are that the preparer did it at time of preparation because he forgot to staple something in or that the client did it at some later point hoping to convince the company that the preparer saw a form that he did not in fact see. In other words if the preparer did not do it then the client is trying to pull a fast one. So really the company does not much care whether it keeps that sort of client.

[Black Bart]

Those two obvious possibilities

...the real point is that they were not able to make the company pay any part of their tax bills. Keep in mind that for this question to come up someone at some point removed the staple and put in a document that was not there. The two most obvious possibilities are that the preparer did it at time of preparation because he forgot to staple something in or that the client did it at some later point hoping to convince the company that the preparer saw a form that he did not in fact see...

seem to me a good reason to use Otis' rubber stamp method. The staple method leaves it open to question who did the stapling while his method seems more definite. Still, there would be other possibilities:
(a) remote chance -- they had a "presented at the time of tax preparation" stamp made (very unlikely unless a very large penalty involved).
(b) very possible -- your clerk just overlooked it.
Hmm; I may have just killed my own argument with those two items.