Reflections From Another Tax Season
THE FOLLOWING IS UPDATED AND PUBLISHED EVERY APRIL 15
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An accountant recalls (non) Kodak moments from another tax season
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As another tax season came to a close, some memories:
- “Why must I give you the same forms that I gave you last year? Can’t you just use those?”
- (the wife on March 20) “I booked our vacation for April 1-7; we got a great rate!”
- (a client on March 25) “I want to thank you for the great job on my taxes. How about dinner the first week of April?”
- “Why must I pay? I don’t like what the government does with my money!”
Recounting another tax season
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- Some clients you must gently warn of the potential downsides to aggressive tax positions; others you must read the federal sentencing guidelines to.
- To the client who generously gave $20,000 of non-cash donations in the form of various household items: “Your New Jersey return shows a refund, would you like to donate to any of the charitable causes listed on it?” The answer is predictable.
- (the client from March 25 above) “I haven’t heard from you. May I presume Friday night, April 1?”
- “Is there a box I may check on the return that switches me from Liberal to Conservative so I may pay less? Those wild-eyed Conservatives are starting to look more reasonable.”
- (client) “My taxes this year should be easy as there’s not much to report: most of my income was paid in cash.”
- (client) “It’s so stressful trying to get my papers to you. How do you do it?”
- (the wife) “I don’t care what time of the year it is! The fertilizer must be laid down no later than April 14!”
- Client: “Did you e-file my returns yet?” IMW: “No, did you send back authorization to do so?” Client: “No, but why didn’t you e-file my returns yet?”
- “Thanks for doing our taxes again this year. When you get a chance, could you look into why you sent us a bill last year?”
- “No, I paid the balance from last year, but did not pay any of the “estimated” tax vouchers. Is that an issue? I figured that was only a suggestion.”
- A tax manager should remember that there’s a reviewer checklist to be strictly followed and adhered to when reviewing a staff-prepared return and that such list should be discarded when reviewing a return prepared by a partner. How could a partner be wrong?
- (client) “I got the tax returns you prepared for me but the return I drafted on TurboTax not only produced a lower tax but no tax at all…”
- “I know I owed money from last year that you said would be offset against this year’s refund but I don’t understand why they took my refund this year? Would you explain it to me for the 17th time?”
- “Hi Mr. Windee. I received my w-2s today. I have no idea what the next step is with them. Could you let me know what I do?”
- [an accounting firm partner]: “What happened with the Widget Corporation return??!!?? It was a 20-hour job that I priced at 10 hours and budgeted to do in 5 yet you put 7 hours in on it!!!! Where’s the 2 hours over budget gonna come from??!!?? Your paycheck??!!??”
- “Wow! The way you just explained my return to me makes it sound so simple! I’m good at math. Maybe I should try doing my returns myself.”
- (the client from March 25 above) “I figured it out; you’re on a diet and don’t want to eat out. How about a Yankees game on April 13? It’s against the Orioles, a great rivalry!”
- “Why do I have to make a payment when my neighbor doesn’t?”
- (the wife on April 12) “I don’t care about your silly client meeting at 6 pm. You tell your client that every Friday night is pizza night with the family and you must be home early. Besides, your top client will understand, trust me.”
- “If I only supported the Iraq war but not Afghanistan, may I get a reduction on my taxes?”
- “WHAT DO YOU MEAN I OWE??!!?? I THOUGHT YOU WERE A GOOD ACCOUNTANT!!”
- Starting in late March, my firm has a shoot-to-wound policy: any tax professional who strays too far from the building receives a leg shot that allows them to keep functioning in front of a keyboard……..at least until April 15.
- (the client from March 25 above) “I’m disappointed having not heard from you and it’s mid-April. I’ll give you one last chance: how about snowboarding the first week of July?”
-I.M. Windee
