Taxing times for tax preparers

[Black Bart]

Dear Prodigal Son,

those were some good points...

As were yours.

...and I hope we can broaden both our viewpoints here...

Here's my olive branch. My "sorry lot" statement was much too strong and over-the-top. I tend to lump all complaints about work in one basket -- it's just not that simple.

I have...ambitious goals...However, just because I may not choose to work the huge hours during the season does not mean I don't work very hard during the 50-60 or so I put in...after 50-60 hours, my rate of errors goes through the roof...no point spending a tired hour...that will take me 15 minutes when I'm more with it.

Do whatever works for you, I say -- 50/60 hour workers are rare these days, so you're on good ground. I do 9-5 Mon-Sat, supper & TV 'til 7-8, work 'til 2, hit the sack, back at 9, do it again. Switch to half-day Saturdays on March 1st -- maybe work a few hours Sunday depending on workload. While you're a young family person, I'm an empty-nester over-the-hill insomniac with nothing else to do and can afford to be holier-than-thou (I vaguely remember trying to get off work at your age...hard to believe...).

As for clients...last minute demands...office hours are set...phone goes to voicemail after 5. Sundays are not for them...A lack of prior planning on their part does not create an emergency on mine...

I do the same now -- I used to go to extraordinary lengths for clients, but a few memorably unpleasant individuals ran it in the ground. That "accomodate the client" skit in my first post was for laughs and was a bad example. The reason we work so much overtime is not to meet clients' deadlines, but just to get all the work done by April 15th; there's 500 returns and two of us...

Plus, when my practice is long sold or closed, I will be left with my family, sactified as it is. I define my work, not the other way around.

Touche! But...I predict that before you're through your work will make you bend to it -- check back around 2030.

_____________________
He did nothing in particular
And did it very well -- W. S. Gilbert

[BHoffman]

empty-nester over-the-hill insomniac

LOL! Amen, brother!

Speaking of work habits, those early birds who view the mere fact that they are moving around at 5AM as something virtuous has always irritated me. This night owl is not able to function at that hour. I can put in a good 16 hour day when necessary, but it sure doesn't start until around 10AM.

[Davc]

California passed a law during 2008, to clarify previous legislation, that those who prepare tax returns or who EVEN ASSIST IN preparation of tax returns must complete education and register with CTEC. Exempt from the CTEC registration requirement are the federally authorized Circular 230 tax practitioners, EAs, CPAs, attorneys, etc.

This is explained in the Franchise Tax Board website "Tax News" archive for August 2008. The employees of a CPA, for example, are going to be exempt only if the CPA signs all the tax returns.

Which is different than the OR law I was citing.

[Black Bart]

Second the motion.

...To be honest, I like putting in more time at one time and then having a lot of the year to do other things that need to be done.

LT

I like that after-tax season part of this business too, LT. Only thing, you can never completely relax 'cause ever' time you lay back and get started watchin' cartoons (once heard a client say that), somebody pops up with a problem.

Anyway I'm scheduled to finish my June to-do list this month and (with apologies to ATG) hopefully louse around a little bit.

P.S. Scratch that -- I don't know what the heck I was thinkin' about with October 15th right around the corner.

[David1980]

My HRB contacts say that one of the primary reasons they lose workers is because the worker obtains a full time job.

It seems to me the main problem with the lack of tax prepares is the seasonality of the work. if they made taxes due like August 15th instead of April 15th we'd have the benefit of college students on summer vacation, but other than that group there really aren't any big groups looking for seasonal work.

[JohnH]

Hold on there - what's wrong with being able to move around at 5AM ?

[okie1tax]

Its unnatural, that's why. Besides, that is just when I finally get to "sleep" and quite tossing and turning.

[JohnH]

I'll answer you tomorrow around 5 am.
Right now I'm getting ready to take a nap.

[S T]

Oregon Preparers

Read this news article. http://www.webcpa.com/article.cfm?ar...d=29175&pg=ros

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Sandy