Tax season has been going well but there are always frustrations with clients that you really can’t say to them. So, I hope you don’t mind me venting about a few issues I am seeing with clients and returns.
- Talk to a tax pro BEFORE you: pull out from your retirement account, draw Social Security or start a business.
- Talk to a tax pro AFTER you win a casino jackpot. And leave the money you put aside alone. Actually, it would be better to make estimates before you “loan” yourself the money you put aside for taxes.
- If you get a notice from the IRS or a state revenue office, deal with it then. Don’t wait until they are threatening liens, levies or Tax Court. If the aggravation won’t motivate you, maybe the extra penalties and interest might.
- If the box software says you don’t qualify for a credit, don’t change your answers until you get the results you want. Seek out the help of a tax pro. And if you chose to ignore their suggestions, remember to promptly respond to any notice you get.
- Don’t get mad because we aren’t giving you special priority when scheduling an appointment. You really shouldn’t have no show/no called the special appointment you missed.
- I don’t do FASFA’s. Really, I don’t do FASFA’s. And, I don’t have the forms. I will give you a copy of your return so you (or the financial aid office) can fill out the form.
- The numbers I need are not on my ceiling. If they were, I wouldn’t have asked.
- Don’t whine about living on a fixed income when your Social Security and pension put you in the upper 25% of my clients. My Grandmother lived on $600 a month with far less complaining.
- Amending a tax return should really be left to the tax pros but if you insist on doing it with box software, send in the Form 1040X and not the revised 1040A.
- Withholding on the pension distribution or gambling jackpot does not mean that the taxes have been paid and you don’t have to include it on your return.
- Please leave the kids with Grandma or a friend. If you have to bring them, police them. And clean up after them.
- At the risk of sounding rude, please shut-up. I need to concentrate on your return and your chattering about everything from the weather to your vacation is very distracting. I will be glad to answer your questions and visit a little when I’m through.
- I need to know if you had health insurance for all 12 months in 2014. I don’t care what you think about the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). It won’t change the reporting requirement. I still need to know about your insurance.
- If you get the answering machine, leave a message.
- Don’t assume that I or my receptionist knows who you are. We may have just called you but we also called 10 others. Please give us your name.
Off Soapbox! I feel so much better!
McIntire Tax Center - on Facebook - on Google+ - or Twitter @ mactax.