First SC's of the tax season

[sirwired]

I don't get it either. I've been working for 30+ years, but due to the fact I only have 2 W-2s, don't own a home, or have any investments or anything else tricky to speak of, I do my own as I can still file the EZ form. Federal literally takes me 10 minutes, tops. I do wish you could file with the IRS electronically, like I can with NJ, but not a huge deal. And I'm not buying any tax prep program so I can file them electronically for free. I just mail them in.

Well, in many states, the state taxes are horrible. Here in NC, there is no "EZ" form. The first time I did that one, I did my federal taxes in ten minutes over the phone, but my state taxes took me about four hours to puzzle through THAT mess. I was a dedicated user of TaxCut (now H&R Block) after that. I can't blame an EZ user for eschewing doing taxes by hand in order to avoid such a PITA.

With software, state taxes consist of me selecting my state and hitting "Next" about eight times. (And then dropping it in the mail to avoid the silly $20 state e-file fee.)

[Catwoman2965]

I really don't understand why so many people (especially those well in 1040-EZ-land) pay somebody to do their taxes. Just about everybody has a smartphone and/or PC these days, which is all you need to file.

There is certainly a role for paid tax preparers. (The year I had five states on my W-2 (four of which were non-resident returns), an ESPP, and stock-option sale, was a PITA. I found three separate bugs in H&R Block at Home that year.) But many of the people engaging the folks manning the cubicle at Wally-World have cookie-cutter taxes that wouldn't even be that hard to do by hand, much less with software. It requires a pocket calculator, a pen, and the ability to read. I fondly remember the days when I was eligible for the 1040-EZ and I could actually file my federal taxes over the phone; there are quite a few folks that can file an EZ (esp. now that it accommodates the EIC.)

I don't get it either. I've been working for 30+ years, but due to the fact I only have 2 W-2s, don't own a home, or have any investments or anything else tricky to speak of, I do my own as I can still file the EZ form. Federal literally takes me 10 minutes, tops. I do wish you could file with the IRS electronically, like I can with NJ, but not a huge deal. And I'm not buying any tax prep program so I can file them electronically for free. I just mail them in.

[EricKei]

Simple. Few companies go out of business while catering to the lazy ^_^ 'Tis a convenience.

That, and some people are genuinely intimidated by the IRS -- tho, paranoia aside, as long as the work they've done is all above board and they aren't trying to hide anything, there's not that much reason to be.

[sirwired]

I really don't understand why so many people (especially those well in 1040-EZ-land) pay somebody to do their taxes. Just about everybody has a smartphone and/or PC these days, which is all you need to file.

There is certainly a role for paid tax preparers. (The year I had five states on my W-2 (four of which were non-resident returns), an ESPP, and stock-option sale, was a PITA. I found three separate bugs in H&R Block at Home that year.) But many of the people engaging the folks manning the cubicle at Wally-World have cookie-cutter taxes that wouldn't even be that hard to do by hand, much less with software. It requires a pocket calculator, a pen, and the ability to read. I fondly remember the days when I was eligible for the 1040-EZ and I could actually file my federal taxes over the phone; there are quite a few folks that can file an EZ (esp. now that it accommodates the EIC.)

[MoonCat]

Three days?! HAHAHAHA How cute!!

They told me around 10 days on average for the feds and up to three WEEKS for the state (because NYS is dysfunctional on its good days; don't even ask about the bad ones).

[registerrodeo]

I have done peoples tax returns for them..usually my daughter's friends who are between 18- 22 yrs old and are fairly simple returns, and used to do 4 different friends returns until 2 got married and hubby took over and 2 tried to get me to do some creative math. The first thing I ask anyone who hands me their stack of papers is "Do you have any outstanding judgements/child support? Because those are going to be taken right away"

[taxguykarl]

The first SC had somehow gotten it in his head that his fee should be refunded because his tax refund did not arrive within three days. For one, the IRS themselves won't claim to have refunds back that quick. He claimed that there was a guarantee (I'm calling Bullshit here--yes SM can be a bit of a ditz, but she knows better than make such a claim; no, I didn't say that out loud). Nonetheless, he persisted and I gave him the GM's contact info as she is quicker to call out SC's. An updated status from the IRS showed that his refund was intercepted for some kind of debt.

The second was more trouble than she was worth. When doing her return she was challenging me all the way; questioning almost every move I made and putting up a major effort to not understand. All for one piss-ant W-2 return and no kids, the process took twice as long as necessary.
It seems her refund was intercepted as wekll. She has been calling almost daily about this matter--sometimes twice in one shift. She keeps making appointments to go over the letter she got and has yet to keep them. She keeps insisting that "they" offer some kind of "income-based payment or forbearance". Needless to say, that depends on who intercepted her refund.

Another insisted that "she" persistently claimed we stay open 'til midnight---not since, I've been working here.