The Round Man

[DaveO]

Reminds me of a "Round Woman"

I have had as a client for several years. Every year I would give her the same lecture about keeping better records and she would tell me she had them. She finally got audited and no surprise, she didn't have hardly a single receipt.

I compiled her records from credit card and checking account statments and we did actually hit most of the numbers pretty close. I was able to reconstruct her travel, which was extensive, from her frequent flyer account records and was able to claim the standard M&E rate to cover those missing receipts. The audit cost her a couple of thousand $ in tax and interest and my work even more. This year she came in with much better records.

[JohnH]

sometimes, is when I'm looking at income to the penny (1099's), and rounded
expense figures. I ask client about those even hundreds and he says that each
category is at LEAST that, and he has receipts to back them up "just in case."
then he tells me not to worry.
And I get to tell him where to go.

I like your attitude.

Client: " Here, just get it done - no need for you to worry about back-up info."

Harlan: "I don't plan to worry about it, 'cause I'm going to have you to take it somewhere else."

[ChEAr$]

It's more like:

I like your attitude.

Client: " Here, just get it done - no need for you to worry about back-up info."

Harlan: "I don't plan to worry about it, 'cause I'm going to have you to take it somewhere else."

Client: "here let's GET ER dun!. I don't worry cause you my CPA"

Me: "I won't worry either, 'cause you can go find Larry the cableguy."

(grin)

[Black Bart]

Hmm, y'know Dave,

...I see...prepare(r)s that are strict when it comes to current year returns...do a prior year return...they're much more lax...for these people an amended return is an opportunity...to be a hero in their clients eyes while on the original return it is what it is.

it's just a little bit uncomfortable bein' around guys like you who see things clearly. Didn't you ever take advantage of an opportunity or wanna be a hero in your clients' eyes?

[David1980]

it's just a little bit uncomfortable bein' around guys like you who see things clearly. Didn't you ever take advantage of an opportunity or wanna be a hero in your clients' eyes?

I can't tell... Is that a comment about me overgeneralizing? I'm sure most people willing to put in the extra effort to visit a forum instead of guess on tax law are better than that so it wouldn't likely be anyone here (especially anyone posting here this time of year) doing that sort of thing.

And sure I've often wanted to be a hero for a taxpayer. It's great when you get a badly prepared return that you can amend and take obvious deductions that were missed like sales tax (often missed here...) and get them more money back. But I'm not willing to prepare a return I wouldn't have done initially just to be a hero to the client who forgot to report a 75k 1099-MISC by slapping 75k of questionable deductions on their Schedule C. That's the sort of thing I'm talking about, having two different sets of standards for what you'll prepare depending on whether it's an initial return or an amended/prior year.

[Black Bart]

I just thought

I can't tell... Is that a comment about me overgeneralizing?...sure I've often wanted to be a hero for a taxpayer...But I'm not willing to prepare a return I wouldn't have done initially just to be a hero to the client who forgot to report a 75k 1099-MISC by slapping 75k of questionable deductions on their Schedule C. That's the sort of thing I'm talking about, having two different sets of standards for what you'll prepare depending on whether it's an initial return or an amended/prior year.

you were perceptively (and humourously) pointing out a common human failing -- we demand compliance with high standards when possible (year one) but accept less when expedient and nothing else is available (frequently in amended years). All I (and maybe DaveO) was talkin' about was roundin' off a few (not all) numbers on year two, etc.
While I once did a $25K job (thought that one was pretty high), I've never done a $75K omission -- good/bad deductions aside, how would you even explain an income omission that big?

P.S. Talkin' about fickle people/mobile standards -- as late-driving vacationers going through a remote area in the back side of nowhere, we and friends who'd skipped breakfast/lunch were desperately seeking sustenance. Ready to stop for road-kill, the conversation went: "Look, look...there's an old drugstore'..."No, no, don't stop -- it looks terrible"..."So what? I'm starving."... "They might have milkshakes, maybe even burgers..." "Hey, there's a fifties motel with a greasy spoon built on...it looks pretty good"... and so on until, out-of-the blue around the next bend, pops up a four-lane strip of malls and fast food. Then, we quick-change artists just amaze ourselves -- all of a sudden it's: "What about Taco Bell?" "No, it's too hot!" "What about Subway?" "No, it's too cold!" "What about O"Charley's?" "Yay, that's just right!"

[oceanlovin'ea]

My client

I had a client come in in March with a W-2 for about $1200 and a 1099 for about $2000. I can't remember the exact figures. He is a single Jamaican man. He worked at a auto body shop for less than 2 months. The 1099 was for work as a musician.

He lives alone. I asked him where else he worked during the year and how much he earned. He said he did a body job (auto) for about $1500 and another small job. Other than that, he just "hustled" work here and there, not enough to matter. I told him it mattered to the IRS. They wanted to know about ALL the money he earned. I told him that he would need to come up with more complete records.

I filed an extension for him since he hadn't been back in. He called me in June or July and told me to just file it with the W-2 and the 1099. I told him I couldn't since he had told me he had other income. He was adamant that he just wanted me to file something. But I didn't.
Last week I wrote him a letter telling him I could not prepare his return. When I sign a return, I am saying that it is complete and accurate. Since he had not given me all the information, I couldn't do his return. Since Oct 15th was approaching, I was returning his paperwork to him. I suggested that he go to the local IRS office and ask for their help in preparing his return. I sent everything back to him.
He was probably angry, but I don't care. I wasn't going to touch that with a 10 foot pole.

Linda F

[veritas]

no worries

I had a client come in in March with a W-2 for about $1200 and a 1099 for about $2000. I can't remember the exact figures. He is a single Jamaican man. He worked at a auto body shop for less than 2 months. The 1099 was for work as a musician.

He lives alone. I asked him where else he worked during the year and how much he earned. He said he did a body job (auto) for about $1500 and another small job. Other than that, he just "hustled" work here and there, not enough to matter. I told him it mattered to the IRS. They wanted to know about ALL the money he earned. I told him that he would need to come up with more complete records.

I filed an extension for him since he hadn't been back in. He called me in June or July and told me to just file it with the W-2 and the 1099. I told him I couldn't since he had told me he had other income. He was adamant that he just wanted me to file something. But I didn't.
Last week I wrote him a letter telling him I could not prepare his return. When I sign a return, I am saying that it is complete and accurate. Since he had not given me all the information, I couldn't do his return. Since Oct 15th was approaching, I was returning his paperwork to him. I suggested that he go to the local IRS office and ask for their help in preparing his return. I sent everything back to him.
He was probably angry, but I don't care. I wasn't going to touch that with a 10 foot pole.

Linda F

Bob Marley he say:
We don't need no trouble; we don't need no trouble!
We don't need no trouble!
What we need is love

[Black Bart]

Okay, I give up

Bob Marley he say:
We don't need no trouble; we don't need no trouble!
We don't need no trouble!
What we need is love

I just keep hearin' that guy's name. Who IS Bob Marley?

[veritas]

Ahh

I just keep hearin' that guy's name. Who IS Bob Marley?

He is the most famous reggae artist ever.

Hits like-

I shot the Sheriff and Buffalo Soldier to name a few.

He died in 1981

[veritas]

Bob Marley

being a Rastafarian was of course a proponent of ganja, known more commonly here in Portland as Medical Marijuana.

[BHoffman]

No Round Woman, No Cry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg2n039txnk

[Black Bart]

Re: Bob Marley

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg2n039txnk

Say Hoff; that was a pretty good song -- I especially like the part where they kept sayin'/singin' "ever'thing's gonna be all right" (I need that just about now).

Veritas; say he died in '81, eh? Drat -- I missed the whole thing/movement/whatever. One of the disadvantages of sticks existence I guess -- (I have learned, however, that a CD can be a record instead of a bank account). By the way, did you notice him (like our customers) readin' his lyrics off the ceiling?

[BHoffman]

Reggae is alive and well

Bart, if you liked Marley you might enjoy Errol Blackwood.