Hatrack River Forum: And this is why I love my job...

This is topic And this is why I love my job... in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Boon (Member # 4646) on :

For those of you who don't know, I'm a tax preparer for one of the major national companies during the spring...

So yesterday afternoon I had an appointment with a new customer. First thing she says: "You're gonna hate me before this is over. I've been procrastinating because I know we're going to owe a bunch of money." [Big Grin]

She wants to file a joint return with her "husband" this year(2003). This will be their first joint return ever. They were both self-employed for about half the year, and they have W-2s for the rest of the year. "No problem," I tell her.

Her husband didn't even mail last year's (2002) return because he was self-employed and the lady that prepared his return said he'd owe over $6000. They just couldn't afford to pay that, so never filed. She wanted me to look it over and make sure it was right before she mailed it. "No problem."

She also has to amend her own 2001 return because the IRS sent her a letter saying she didn't report some income she received on a 1099. They show that she owes about $600 on that one. "No problem. Let's start with this one, and work our way forward."

So I amend her 2001 return. BTW, I hate the IRS every bit as much as everybody else, so I try hard to make sure they don't get any more of my customers' money than necessary. [Big Grin]

After all of her expenses, she actually lost money on that 1099. Imagine that! So the IRS owed her about a hundred bucks. [ROFL]

She was just amazed. She even offered go buy me lunch, and I hadn't even looked at the other two returns yet. [Big Grin]

The husband's 2002 return? He's a self-employed over-the-road truck driver. The idiot that did his taxes used his actual expenses instead of the standard mileage rate...and then didn't give him even half the standard meal rate for truck drivers. Instead of owing over $6000, he actually owed about $200. [Big Grin]

By then, she's practically bouncing all over the office. She's hugging me, telling the other customers that were waiting how great I am...

2003 refund amount: over $5000.

Poor lady sat there and cried.

I love my job!

[The Wave]

Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :

Want to do my taxes? [Wink]

Posted by Book (Member # 5500) on :

At what age is it appropriate to understand the process of the income tax? Because now, at a staggering 19, I'm afraid I'm utterly clueless.

5000 dollars either way does sound good, though. That much I got.

Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :

No kidding!! I think I put my W-2 around here somewhere... Do I need to do that soon? Is tomorrow too late?

------

Congratulations!! It's a service that needs to be done, and it sounds like you are incredible at it. [Smile]

What a good day.

Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :

Yes. Bless you Boon. [Smile]

Posted by UofUlawguy (Member # 5492) on :

I used to think we got great tax refunds. But that was before we had two kids and a mortgage. This year, our refund has been enough for a down payment on our dream minivan and a trip to Disneyland.

I know, I know, a big refund just means you paid too much in taxes during the year, and you would have been better off not having so much withheld. But I sure love getting that check.

And I love the van.

Posted by Book (Member # 5500) on :

From what I hear from the people on these boards, it sounds like Bush's financial domestic policy is fairly effective.

Posted by sarahdipity (Member # 3254) on :

I hate taxes. I hate filing in 2 states. But at least I don't owe anything.

2 years ago I was told by H&R block they wouldn't do my taxes. What's up with that?? They weren't *that* difficult just confusing. I probably did the m wrong but I had to do them myself since apparently they were too difficult. Oh and I think the unofficial advice the lady gave me was totally wrong.

Do they make it so confusing to try to con you out of more money than what you're owed?

Posted by Papa Moose (Member # 1992) on :

Boon, you apparently chose your name well.

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

Book: only if you've got kids, sadly. [Frown]

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

You're great, Boon.

Wish my ex-husband could find someone like you. He hasn't even FILED taxes for over 10 years (we've been divorced 13 years, and I don't know if he has done it since). He gets overwhelmed and just puts it off until it never happens. He was an OTR truck driver for several of those years. He doesn't even know where to start.

Too bad too -- because if he ever WAS due a refund -- it would have gone to back child support! <WINK>

Farmgirl

Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :

If you are anything except for a single one-job salary/hour wage person, I whole-heartedly recommend finding an accountant you can trust and have them do it every year. Especially if property is involved.

It's worth the 50-100 dollars, if only for the peace of mind alone.

-Bok

Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :

Actually, all of my return would have been there under Clinton too; houses really change the balance.

-Bok

Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :

I heartily agree, Bok. I'm never doing my own taxes again if I can help it. [Smile]

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

I decided to give the H&R block guys a try, after we did our taxes first. They weren't able to find us any more money. But we are a single-income family with one house, and no other debt. Pretty simple.

Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :

I filed online with H&R Block this year. I recommend them. [Smile]

Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :

WE have a CPA do ours, and this year she called us and said too many of her other customers who pay her more than we do need her so we're getting an extension.

Dontcha just love it when your accountant says you aren't worth her time during tax season?

I suppose we should pay her more than a six pack of Dr. Pepper.....

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

Belle,

I always assumed that was S.O.P. for CPAs dealing with small businesses. We had extensions almost every year, even when we had 2-3 million in revenue. Basically, I've seldom gotten good customer service from them, and we shopped around.

Dagonee

Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :

One year this friend of ours, who does tax returns for friends for free (though he doesn't sign as the tax preparer, and thus assumes no risk) did our return and saved us about $2000.00. We were so sure it was a mess, but evidently it wasn't.

We gave him a peanut butter pie. He'd been at a party where ron brought his famous peanut butter pie (1000 caleries a slice, but oooh so tasty) and had tried to eat the whole thing, telling people it was awful and they wouldn't want any as he went for his second slice [Wink]

He was as excited about the pie as we were the $2000.00. [Smile]

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

1000 calories a slice? I *have* to try that some day. [Big Grin]

Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :

Just to reiterate, most of the tax cuts that middle class people are benefiting directly from were wholly supported by the Democrats in Congress, and most of them were on both party's agendas -- not just Bush's, so they were hardly "Bush's" tax cuts.

Its the tax cuts whose benefit (or detrimental effect) you can't see directly which are/were contentious.

In fact, a lot of those haven't even come into effect yet. So you could hardly be seeing benefit from those parts of Bush's tax cuts, and giving them credit for anything is just wishful thinking.