Not so many 'where's my refund' calls

[bill_schubert]

I think people are used to the idea they are going to have to wait for refunds.  The news has a ton of info about the delays and some headway is being made.  So now I'm getting far fewer but more complex calls.

Many years ago when I did my own taxes at the dawn of the tax software era I called into H&R with a question.  Got a lovely lady who ultimately figured out that the online version had an error in it and recommended the desktop version.  I think I downloaded the desktop version although it was at 600 MBTS so I may well have gone out and bought the CD.  Desktop version worked like a charm.  That is exactly the kind of thing I'm doing now.  But no CD's.  Just pushing a download.  

And I can't file myself.  I'm waiting for a K-1 to be released (they were required to do it by March 15th but the fine is only $2oo so they don't even bother to try).  Fortunately I'm friends with the bookkeeper so I actually know what is going on and have a time line.  The people in the company, despite my having asked several times, don't even bother to keep me updated.  Of course they only accidently told me that one of the other partners had been killed last October so the disrespect level is pretty high.

I have no idea whether the resulting K1 will require me to pay more taxes or less.  The bookkeeper said the company made money last year (how the hell they did that I'll never know) which would mean I have to pay my share 3% of the partnership taxes on it.  Won't be much but I'd like it better if they lost money.  Not like I'm going to get a distribution.

So the shoemaker needs to file his taxes.  I'll be happy to make it by May 17th but I'll pay and file an extension if I need to.  Fortunately I have learned a lot about taxes recently.

Comments

[susandennis]

killed? did i know this? i did know you were chummy with the bookkeeper and boy, aren't we glad about that now! geesh.

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Cindy and Alan were in a Halloween accident. I found out by accident from Doug in January or so. Alan died, Cindy is still out of action at home.

And, yeah, Shelly and I are two peas in a pod. She gives me all the scoop. I treated her the same way. They always kept her in the dark so I'd tell her what was really goin on. Paid off.

[susandennis]

ah. kind of rings a bell. hope you get what you need soon.. that's a pia to have it dangling.

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

It is. But I've done some reading that specifically says tax professionals are proscribed from filing their clients returns with income missing. Exactly what happened last year. I've only been using the guy and paying exorbitant fees for years and he says, 'oh, yeah, we'll just file an amended return'. Turns out he's not supposed to do that. I'm not filing this year unless/until I get everything. It is all done and ready for the last entry so it will only take me a few mins. I kind of know the software.
Then maybe I'll actually get my refund from 2019 one day when they process the amended return.

[wildcelticrose2.livejournal.com]

I use the H&R Block software and file electronically.

Except for this year, I did it online but had to mail in a paper copy due to some random schedule I had to file, so I'm not expecting to hear anything any time soon.

[msconduct.livejournal.com]

Apropos of tax software, I just remembered seeing this ProPublica article back in 2019. Fascinating.

https://www.propublica.org/article/inside-turbotax-20-year-fight-to-stop-americans-from-filing-their-taxes-for-free

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

I would venture to say that 80+ percent of the TT customers use the free version. BUT it is kind of marketing with a pretty good hook. Since they have Mint and damn near any other service that involves money they have lots of ways to ease people into the family so they make money on their free services anyway. And they own anything and everything in the small business world.

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

Yeah, more common to have missing forms this year. Lots of changes.