[Abby]

I am so ready for tax season to be over. I cannot focus anymore, I still have a wedding in June to finish planning, and I need to take at least one section of the CPA in Q2. I work at a 15 person firm and am the only staff accountant in our main office. My coworker quit in December and still has not been replaced. Instead they hired two part time interns who come and go when they want while I work 55 hours 6 days a week. I have been handling the business returns with very minimal training and I am starting to think my bosses (the two main partners) just work their staff to the bone then hire new every few years. The only positions at my firm are staff and partner. I did receive a 5.2% raise this year but I somewhat feel like I am underpaid. I do like the paid time off I am accruing from tax season though. I guess the upside is my bosses really do truly care about me and my family. I just don’t see how people can work these hours AND study for the CPA exam and perform well at both.

I am just at a point where I don’t know if it is time to move on or if I am just exhausted from the overtime. So far I have accrued 132 extra hours of time off but I had to use part of it to pay for three sections of the CPA. Anyway I guess I just need general advice and to know if public accounting is worth it for the long term.

[Adam]

^^^^Train your clients to be responsible and give you #s instead of boxes of receipts..having worked at both firms that dictate client behavior and ones that allow clients to do whatever they like (both legally and illegally) People are trainable belive it or not..usually they clean up their act pretty fast if you bill them for the piecemeal crap or the heres everything you add it up crap..of course if nobody ever stops the behavior it never changes.

This is a huge difference between CPA firms and non CPA firms..the latter usually allow people to do whatever they like since they need whatever business comes there way.

[Tncincy]

Thanks Adam. You are absolutely correct. Dictate client behavior is a good way to put it and a good lesson learned. I think I can do this. I am sure they don't send 101 receipts down the street without paying. Thank you again Adam.

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader....ready to pass

[Recked]

Roughly 600 personal clients here. Returns for roughly half of them done.
Looks like I better start on these batch zero extensions tomorrow.
Still have a few “owe big money every year” clients in process that I need to get done, or at least done to the point where we can e-file extensions with money due/direct debit.
Controlled chaos.

We are near Woodstock, and have a very large population of laissez-faire clients.
We'll hear from them in a few months, or we'll scare them out of the woodwork in September.

[aaronmo]

That's a lot of damned returns recked!

I'd love to work somewhere else for a year…see exactly what other firms do. I have a lot of questions/doubts over some of what we do here, but it's the only place I've done this.

[Recked]

About 570 1040's, 90 1120s, 40 1065, 17 1041s, and 5 990s, between 2 preparers.
It keeps us busy.

I have only ever worked at this place as well.
We should switch jobs for a year.

[Recked]

So you charged 16k to your amex for solar in Q4 2016 and we took the solar credit, right? Yes.
And then you paid off the Amex in Q1 2017? yes
So now you want to take the solar credit again in 2017? yes, I paid it in 2017.
But we already claimed it in 2016… right, but I paid it again in 2017.
So you bought more solar equipment? no.
So you want to claim the credit twice on the same solar equipment? no, i paid for it in 2017…

So people really try my patience during tax season.

[aaronmo]

If you're asking that, you're far more conservative than we are.

Like I said…I have some doubts as to what goes on here, and I don't know what normal is. I'm nervous, and it's sure not what we learned in class, or in the ethics areas of REG.

[Recked]

Just make sure you have your E&O.
If you're self insured, then you need to be a bit more cautious to protect your own ass.
I had a lengthy conversation with my attorney after I got licensed.
Not sure about your state, but in NY, if my name is on the return, no matter if its a sole prop, S corp, LLC, LLP, PC, etc… If I mess it up, I can be held personally liable.

In the past I might have asked less questions, but if the prior year came from this office, and the dollar amount for the solar credit matches exactly the same amount claimed on the 2016 return. Makes me a little suspicious.

They won't get me for the tax, but they might get me for the penalty and interest, and worse yet, I'll be out of pocket for the legal fees.
As with most court cases… even if you win, you lose ($$ legal fees).

[jenpen]

One more week, guys. One. More. Week. Then FREEDOM!

I feel like I just got buried in returns in the last hour. It's been a pretty easy tax season, but it seems like the next week is going to be a special kind of hell.

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[aaronmo]

Once you're in court…you've lost. Agree 100%.

Firm has E&O…that's a great point on liability and I should probably find out what my exposure is. Most of the returns I'm concerned about are being prepped for a partner…with his name on it. The returns I'm doing with my clients are more up and up.

[Recked]

227 Personal extensions, good times.

[Anonymous]

I recently quit public accounting and it was the best decision of my life. If you absolutely can't stand it get out sooner than later. The idea that you have to stay 2 years is a myth. You can leave whenever you want and you will get another job. It may take a little longer than usual but you will.

[Adam]

Well I'e been at 4 places in 2 years…2 CPA firms laid off both and one EA Resigned from..one Tax Attorney (who was the worst of all, knew nothing of accounting and tries to get people audited to make himself more money) Oh and then my uncle owns a firm hes an EA so I guess 5 but i never worked for him much.

So I've seen the good the Bad and the UGGGGLY lol

We can share stories…compare and contrast

And no you can't be sued personally unless you are the one signing the return. They only hold that person liable as it's their responsibility to insure accuracy of everything on the return.

[aaronmo]

Somehow tax season sucks just a little more when the Sixers are in the playoffs 🙁

[Recked]

Not much a fan of basketball, but I had the Masters live coverage going on my third monitor last weekend.

And no you can't be sued personally unless you are the one signing the return. They only hold that person liable as it's their responsibility to insure accuracy of everything on the return.
My name has appeared on all my tax returns since I became an EA.

[Author]

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