It’s TaxQuips time from TaxMama.com®.
Today TaxMama® wants to talk to you about the nervous breakdown your tax professional is about to have.
And why.
Dear Family,
I am extremely alarmed by what I am reading and seeing from the tax professional community – at all levels. From the basic unlicensed tax preparer to Enrolled Agents, to Certified Public Accountants. People are stressed, overwhelmed, anxious and ready to jump down the throats of their clients, families and friends.
Why? There are three reasons for this.
1) Congress keeps passing laws designed to try to help people who have lost so much during this COVID19 shutdown period. Unfortunately, our legislators don’t understand just how much tax theft and tax fraud they are encouraging in the way (and the timing) of the passage of their laws. Especially when they pass laws that affect tax returns for the year we are currently filing – after we have already filed the returns.
2) The IRS is trying to interpret Congress’ laws and turn them into forms and procedures to make it possible for tax software companies to incorporate those changes into the software – and to find ways to deal with the millions of people who have already filed tax returns before these tax breaks came into effect. AND the IRS is also tasked with getting another round of stimulus checks out – especially to people who haven’t bothered to file tax returns for years, but had income and should have filed. And this is causing even more fraud and theft as people try to file and catch up and turn their children into independent adults when they clearly don’t qualify.
3) And you. Yes, you. Clients are constantly calling or emailing your tax pros asking the eternal question “Is it ready yet?” Do you have any idea how much extra time it takes to answer that annoying question for 50, 100, 500 people each week? No wonder your return isn’t ready! Believe me, if your tax return were ready, YOU would be the first person your tax pros would contact. After all they want to get paid.
But why isn’t your return ready?
The BIG complaints from tax pros this year:
- Even our long-term clients are not sending us all their usual documents – and it’s like pulling teeth following up and asking for the same missing docs – and then being pressured because they aren’t cooperating – but want their tax returns done.
- Many people have issues that are affected by tax law changes and we are waiting for the updated forms and guidance from the IRS – but the clients want their tax returns finished NOW – which will mean amending later. But they don’t want to amend or pay for amended returns – but they want all the breaks NOW.
- There are all kinds of new complications we are still trying to figure out – especially thousands of dollars worth of tax credits for employers, and dealing with PPP loan forgiveness and whether or not your state complies with the IRS, and…and…so much more – that we really need some uninterrupted time to learn, to think this through, and to get it right, so you get the biggest tax refunds and the best breaks.
- And of course, the brilliant way that Congress wrote the $10,200 rule relating to non-taxable unemployment income that has everyone scrambling to see if people should be filing married filing separately or not.
- Then, don’t forget the extra funds coming to families with the child tax credit starting this summer. Trying to explain to clients that maybe they don’t want those advance funds – these will have to be paid back, if they don’t end up qualifying.
This is just a little of what your tax pro is dealing with.
What do I recommend?
- When your tax pro asks you for something – GET IT TO THEM ASAP.
- If you want to do tax planning – set up a SEPARATE tax appointment for that purpose –
- that’s not part of the tax preparation process or fee.
- Meanwhile, have them put your tax return on extension
- Stop calling and putting pressure on your tax pro. They will reach out to you with their questions – and when your return is ready.
- If they tell you you’re better off on extension right now – don’t argue. Believe them.
- When you find out that your fee has increased, accept it. Do not bicker or bargain. There is a lot of new information to integrate into your tax return, and education that reputable tax pros engaged in this year – more than ever before.
- Chill out. Your stress is contagious. Your tax pros are about to either have a nervous breakdown – or just walk away from their tax practice, or both.
I know this is not what you want to hear from your TaxMama®. But I will admit that I am getting very frustrated with people posting questions in the TaxMama® Forum and wanting to argue when they don’t like our answers because we aren’t helping them rip off the system. And I have added a notice on that discussion group – if you have complex tax issues and hundreds of thousands of dollars at stake – you need to pay a tax professional. A free advice column will not give you the help you need – and are apt to tell you that we won’t answer.
There’s more you need to know, and your tax pros and I are rapidly learning everything we can to get you the most tax credits and refunds, legally possible.
(Right now, we are all taking as many classes as time permits.)
For those folks planning to study for the EA Exam this year, it’s going to be a really tough exam! Good news. THIS new law won’t be on the exam.
Join me our annual free webinar (a bribe is included for those who attend):
Everything You Wanted to Know About the 2021-2022 Enrolled Agent Exam.
Sign up for the next date.
April 19 – 10:05 am Pacific
https://iTaxMama.com/Everything_EA_April
Meanwhile, I will be posting various updates and webinars that I am teaching, on this Events page – https://irsexams.school/events-and-webinars/
And remember, you can find answers to all kinds of questions about taxes and business issues, and EA Education, free. Where? Where else? At https://iTaxMama.com/AskQuestion
To make comments please drop into the TaxQuips Forum.
