New policy for next year

[IRonMaN]

I'm old fashioned and not afraid to admit it.  Other than a handful of returns that go out electronically to clients, I still operate primarily in paper copies of returns going to clients along with paper 8879s going out along with the returns..  Of course I am able to recognize that most of my client base couldn't figure out that I need their signature on the lines that say "signature", so I use "sign here" tabs for them to follow.  But once you sign the 8879 please remove the &%$###!!!! sign here tabs.  I am old and all of the work involved in removing all of those tabs is just too exhausting for me at the end of the day. (ok, maybe it is just a little irritating rather than exhausting but exhausting sounds better).  Starting next year I am considered giving a $10 discount for any client that can safely remove the tabs without injuring themselves.  But then again, maybe I should check with the more frugal members of this community before I go that route.  Anybody here interested in purchasing slightly used sign here tabs at a greatly reduced price compared to new ones? 💰

[dascpa]

I too used these Sign Here tabs (by RediTab) for a zillion years. Also had a note to remove. Last year I gave them up and spent $0.85 to buy a yellow highlighter. Now I highlight the taxpayer and spouse signature and date field and it's been a life-changer. I may even splurge and buy a 2nd highlighter.

Together we can sell cases of these tabs in stock.

Add to that I just reprinted 1,000 envelopes to the state for property tax returns (still not available yet) but I see they changed addresses. I have for sale cheap two unopened boxes of envelopes. Some people say to put stickers on top of the old address but that looks tacky.

[IRonMaN]

But I'm guessing 90% of my client base is color blind so I don't know how well that would work.  Maybe I will give it a test run at some point.

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

I just put a big red X where they need to sign, with a slip clipped to the top that says sign at the red X and return to me, in person, by mail, by fax, by carrier pigeon, I dont care how you get it to me, just get it to me!

[IRonMaN]

To put things in perspective, IronWoman was working with one of our Fire Relief Association clients back in December and had mailed the organization's treasurer some forms that needed be submitted to the State.  The treasurer received the packet in the mail with various forms that had addressed envelopes paper clipped to the forms and the forms had sign here tabs as needed.  IronWoman received a phone call from the treasurer and the treasurer just had one question - Do I sign my name next to where the sign here tabs are?  😬

[IRonMaN]

As a side note, I believe if I sent 8879s with big red X's, a portion of my client base would send back the form with a big red O's thinking I was engaging them in a game of tic-tac-toe.

[Skylane]

I don’t bother with stickies, highlighters or X’s and don’t really care if  sign on the wrong line.
We keep a dozen  unrecognizable (retired MD) signature stamps in the office just in case..

It always amazes me that preparers not only Pay fees for e-signatures but spend hours tracking chasing, and complaining about them… 

My clients have never requested e-signature …. My pricing lists e-sign as an option for a $75 additional fee.

[BobKamman]

Same here, although I use orange instead of yellow (too pastel, too difficult to spot in dim light).  Although nowadays I'm not sure if I'm making a political statement with orange.  Like the Canadian YouTuber with the cooking show who recently did a video on how to prepare Orange Fool, from a 1685 recipe.  Apparently an American who does colonial-era recipes got in trouble 10 years ago for the same item.  

[GodFather]

I'd raise your rate by at least $10 before giving the discount.  😉

[IRonMaN]

After a good night’s sleep I decided it was a stupid idea.  Fees will be doubled for anyone that can’t take the tabs off.

[Accountant-Man]

I stopped using the "Sign Here!" tabs years ago and just highlighted the Name and Date blocks. The colorblind were out of luck.

[TaxGuyBill]

---

@IRonMaN wrote:

 any client that can safely remove the tabs without injuring themselves. 

---

That is the tricky part.  They will likely injure themselves, then file a lawsuit against you for their injury.  😂

[IRonMaN]

As we speak I am putting together a safety video on how to take them off safely.  Clients will be required to watch the video when they drop off their information and I will add an additional section to our engagement letter that they acknowledge that they have watched the video and can't sue me for any damages occurring while taking off the darn things.

[Taxprohere]

You need to add a second tab that says 'remove other tab'.

Then a third tab that says remove 'this and preceding tab but only when signed.' 

But the fourth tab has to explain they're not signing the tab but the signature line.

Have the fourth tab not so sticky so it falls off after a couple days.

Fixed!

[IRonMaN]

Or maybe I'll just retire.  Of course that will create another problem.  If I put a sign on the door saying we retired it will take some clients two or three years to figure out that we aren't here anymore.  

[Accountant-Man]

I posted this many years ago but it is still relevant:

A client was being a jerk and even though I saved him a lot under an audit, he still rejected my invoice. He also returned the "Sign Here" tabs and said I could re-use them. (True, but still an AH move.)

For the next invoice, I calculated my cost of the tabs, $X per 1,000 tabs, and included a credit for the returned seven tabs. Probably about 1.1 cents each. His response? "That wasn't necessary."

By the way, when he stiffed me for the fee, I added $$ to his next year's fee, and the next year's fee, ad infinitum. I made that "contested" fee back many times over.

[IRonMaN]

I have a client that maintains that I can't charge finance charges (I'm still researching where he got his law degree).  Of course, he is a real prompt payer ---------------------- takes about a year for him to pay.  I know he is ready to come in with his current year return when I see the payment arrive for the prior year.  He would always ignore the finance charges when he finally did pay.  A couple of years ago I wasn't feeling generous and when I billed him for the current year return I added a year's worth of finance charges into the current year bill.  Problem solved.

[JRC]

I am also a Highlighter operator here.. With a rubber stamp for the top of Form 8879 "Please Sign & Return"  .... lol

[dascpa]

I love the clients who ask for their paper-clips back, even if mailing to them.

[JRC]

Oh My!  And do you receive a description of the Paper Clips so as to properly return them back?

Also, I'm thinking to add "To Me" at the end of my rubber stamp so they do not send the Form to the IRS!!

[IRonMaN]

We always have an envelope with our name and address clipped to the 8879.  But I am still waiting for a client to mail it to the IRS one day.

[tax456]

We also are not paperless.  I do, however, utilize the Adobe feature to send to clients to sign.  Most of them are ok with it.  We also have Sign Here tabs for the others.

[IRonMaN]

"We also have Sign Here tabs for the others."

I can give you a heck of a deal on "gently used" sign here tabs if you are interested 😂

[JRC]

I do the same thing. Envelopes addressed to me with the signature form and Bill attached!

[IRonMaN]

A few of my clients take this stuff very seriously.  Some evidently believe that envelope is for official IRS business only.  They will address another envelope to pay my bill and mail it out the same day as the 8879.  Go figure.

[TiredFarmer]

We have sign here tabs and highlighters...use to use pink and blue but someone said you couldn't do that anymore so we have an assortment of colors now.

We do have them ask for their paper clips and rubber bands but the worst is when they ask how about their envelopes that their documents were in because they use them for scratch pads...even had a few ask if we could staple them together so they could tear off what they needed.  

PS You all have made a tough day have a bright side.... Thanks

[IRonMaN]

Give me a list of addresses for those scratch pad clients.  I’ll start setting used envelopes aside for them instead of throwing the envelopes in recycling.

[Accountant-Man]

I did too, and the return envelope was yellow. That was great for two reasons:1) it allegedly made it easier for clients to find, and 2) when I saw a yellow envelope in my mail box--Yippee! Money!!

[IRonMaN]

 "it allegedly made it easier for clients to find"

I find it a little sad that we have to resort to colors so clients can find things 😜