And Tax season has only JUST started.....

[wolfie]

Someone incapable of filling out a 1040EZ probably needs to be reminded to breathe on a regular basis.

For people like that, PLEASE don't remind them. Everyone needs to do their part to chlorinate the gene pool.

[AmethystSquirrel]

Please tell me you at least threw the crazy bitch out.

Oh gosh yeah. My boss is awesome, she sticks up for all of us.

[Rosakala]

Ahahah. I work for the IRS. People never cease to amaze me, especially their ineptitude over their own taxes. A 1040EZ is NOT hard. Also while the brass balls thing made me cackle, I am hardly surprised over some of the calls I have taken. I handle tax law, none of the business stuff or the really overly complicated stuff, but it should take common sense that those wont count.

For those of you who actually do taxes and are competent at them? Bless you. Nobody ever calls the IRS when their preparer does a good job, its because their preparer doesn't know diddly squat or doesn't care. I have heard more horror stories from the Green Square that make me wonder how the hell they stay in business if they give tax advice that bad or so factually incorrect I've been left speechless. This years taxes are going to be a pain too given we cannot give a final confirmation yet on a filing date for some people.

[AmethystSquirrel]

Ahahah. I work for the IRS. I have heard more horror stories from the Green Square that make me wonder how the hell they stay in business if they give tax advice that bad or so factually incorrect I've been left speechless. This years taxes are going to be a pain too given we cannot give a final confirmation yet on a filing date for some people.

I feel for you. I truly do! All of these delay dates are NOT your fault. It is all congress sitting on their tails. I respect your job!

I hear horror stories from the same place. When people say "Oh Green square will do it cheaper" I remind them they get what they pay for.
I admit, I have been with the patriotic place for 6 years (two different owners in the same location) I am proud to say only one return I have done has an issue and that was over who was claiming the kids. Thankfully I had for my customer the 8332 needed.

[taxguykarl]

I hear horror stories from the same place. When people say "Oh Green square will do it cheaper" I remind them they get what they pay for.

I would conservatively estimate that half of the amended I've prepared for to correct Green Square mistakes. Agreed, how do they stay in business and will they once the licensing exam reg takes effect.

[fireheart]

Also while the brass balls thing made me cackle, I am hardly surprised over some of the calls I have taken.
.

Someone else tried to claim various expenses that when added up, worked out to be someone growing and selling pot

[AmethystSquirrel]

Agreed, how do they stay in business and will they once the licensing exam reg takes effect.

Just heard the news today that the exam was repealed.
There is an article in Forbes about it.

[Rosakala]

-.- Really? :P~ Honestly while taxes can be simple to do, they can also get very very very complicated. If and I do mean if, I ever let someone else do my taxes I want to know they know what the heck they are doing!! That said I aint letting nobody touch my taxes with a 10 foot pole. I cannot afford to make mistakes on my tax return because that can literally cost me my job.

Lets see questions that made me go and sometimes .

Can I claim a medical deduction for making my boobs bigger? No. you are not a working girl and even then i believe the IRS shot that down when a pimp tried that as a business deduction.

Can I deduct my superhero costume I run around town in to do random good deed? While I salute you sir, sorry the answer is no.

Can I claim my girlfriend on my joint tax return with my wife? You... want to claim your girlfriend on your joint tax return with your wife sir? Does your wife know about this?? Sadly he was serious and apparently yes his wife did know. Then he got mad when I told him no.

[Sonoma]

I am so thankful my Dad made me learn how to do my own taxes. I've been doing my own since I was 16. When I bought my house, I looked int having mine done professionally, but then I saw the pricing for my Mom's tax preparer, and decided to just do my own.

[Cia]

I've been doing mine since I was 16, after I got married I did our joint return. I stopped doing our taxes and handed them over to a CPA when my brother and husband changed the company from a C corp to an S corp.

My daughter received her first of two W-2s in the mail last week and her first question was "Do I have to file taxes now?" My answer: Bwahahahahahhahahaha!

[Geek King]

Actually, if Green Square is the one I'm thinking of, my Mom works for them, and runs one of the classes for preparers pre-season. From her stories, just like everywhere else, you have a share of sucky coworkers and bosses and beloved idiots. They're also just about everywhere, so you're going to get more numericly, even if their percentage of errors is on-par with other agencies.

Oh, and when the IRS's own help line and local reps have a massive failure rate on correct answers, how is a someone outside that agency supposed to be any better? Even their own numbers show they gave the wrong answer almost a third of the time.

[AmethystSquirrel]

EEP. No offense to your Mom!

There are good tax preparers at Green Square, but in general, they have the highest mess ups of the big 3 companies.

We actually stole a green square employee and were shcoked by their training or lack there of here in Squirrel City.

[manybellsdown]

Oh, and when the IRS's own help line and local reps have a massive failure rate on correct answers, how is a someone outside that agency supposed to be any better? Even their own numbers show they gave the wrong answer almost a third of the time.

Hah I thought my ex was just lying when he said the IRS told him they wouldn't seize his tax refund for past-due child support. Maybe someone DID actually tell him that, now I see that article.

[wolfie]

Someone else tried to claim various expenses that when added up, worked out to be someone growing and selling pot

Something that Mr. Capone learned the hard way (thought he didn't have to pay tax on illegally earned money) - the IRS doesn't care HOW you earn the money, they want their share. Logical extension of that is being able to claim as deductions the expenses you incurred in the process of earning the money illegally.

It wouldn't surprise me if the IRS conveniently neglected to tell other government departments about the source of the person's income - after all, if they got busted, it would cut off the income, and then there would be nothing for the IRS to grab a chunk of.

[Geek King]

EEP. No offense to your Mom!

There are good tax preparers at Green Square, but in general, they have the highest mess ups of the big 3 companies.

We actually stole a green square employee and were shcoked by their training or lack there of here in Squirrel City.

No offense taken

Just pointing out some of the issues with a BIG business. Also, for the last two years, Mom's been complaining because the IRS (and mainly due to congress) hasn't gotten the rules laid down until the W-2 have been sent. It makes training people hard when you don't know what the rules will be.