Tax Organizer

[ELS VA]

Posting again. Is it possible to add an additional question to the tax organizer? I would like a question on paying taxes by direct debit.

Thanks!!

Eileen

[jeffmcpa2010]

I have found that if you want to do anything different the best way is to just print to pdf the organizer, then use a pdf editor (I use sejda) to make whatever changes you need to make. Is if inefficient YES, but if they make a change to add a question for me - everyone else may not want that. The Organizer is almost has to be as generic as possible, while covering most common questions and situations, but cannot possibly cover everything for every state or every practitioner, without becoming so cumbersome and large as to be unusable for most of our clients.

I do my editing in November when I am not real busy anyway and but the first of December I have everything ready to send out (electrinically or mail) the 2nd of January.

This year I had to edit a couple of dates that weren't updated yet and delete a page that had a lot of questions duplicated in other places. (I use the short form organizer).

[ELS VA]

Thanks. I actually wanted to add a new question which could be done with my previous software - not necessarily for everyone just me. There isn't a place for clients to check if they want to pay taxes electronically only for refunds.

I added it to the cover letter and underlined it so hopefully that works as well...

Thanks for the reply.

Eileen

[jeffmcpa2010]

Yeah I get it - My cover letter has about 4 bold paragraphs, telling clients they must answer certain questions, I give them page and question #, etc. If I get 50% without asking again by phone call, text or email, it's a good year.

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

You may get people afraid to commit to that question, For many of my clients, it depends on how much money were talking about....and yes, I realize the higher the amount, the better off they are paying electronically, but people get funny with their money  LOL   Many of my clients dont mind having smaller amounts pulled electronically, but they get kinda weird when the amounts are larger.

[ELS VA]

I know - but at least this get the information needed to pay with the efile - I don't file until they have signed efile forms and reviewed returns so they know how much they owe and can change their mind. But checks are a big problem so I discourage anyone from mailing checks. Due date doesn't change........😉

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

Yea, when my clients get wishy-washy about it I just give a voucher and the instructions for them to pay online through IRS DIrectPay and they can pay whatever way they choose when they're ready (or not pay at all, doesnt make a difference to me), leaves me out of the equation.

[jeffmcpa2010]

I'm kind of like Lisa, except I give ALL my clients that owe the voucher. Never had a client request to have an automatic payment come out, In fact it took years to talk most of them into using Direct Deposit of their refunds.

Other then the (someday) IRS stopping taking checks for payments, I have no problem with using the mail to make the payments. I seriously can not recall any instances in 45 years of doing taxes where a client complained that the IRS didn't get their payment because it got lost in the mail.

I know I do have some that use the voucher for the amount and make their payments through one of the online methods, and that's great. I just don't want to be responsible for making sure it happens for them.