SO MANY PROBLEMS TO RESOLVE AT THE SAME TIME - WHICH TO DO FIRST?

 Did not get to do much yesterday.  It was nasty weather and I was looking forward to being in the house and getting caught up – HA!  I had two major projects to deal with – each of which needed me to telephone a different tax agency - which would, of course involve sitting while on hold with each of them.  

I have a client who is in her 80s and does not use a computer.  The alarm company for her business will only bill by email.  (Businesses should really not presume that EVERYONE uses a computer or a cell phone – even more so a  smart phone as not every one does.)   Since I used to go in to her business every month and I would usually end up writing the check for this bill when I came anyway, with her permission I opened  yet another email account – this one solely for her business – and we set up with the alarm company to sent the bills to this email address.  Before I would go to her on the quarter months (alarm company bills quarterly) I would print out the out the bill at home, bring it, and write the check for it for her.  

When I checked my email yesterday there was a bill from her alarm company saying she had not payed the new amount due on the last billing and owed them $40 more.  Since the other two matters involved one matter due by March 15 and the other due by May 15, this moved to the top of the list to call.  The woman at the alarm company was very nice, but could not talk to me (though in the past when I went to the client's business they had been given permission to talk to me), especially since I did not know “the code number”.  The employee told me to have client call her and nothing would happen in the interim (last thing client needs is the alarm on her business shut off).  

I telephoned her on her cell phone as she had planned to be away during January and I did not know where to call her.  She is not well and needs surgery – more complications.  She told me that she would have a family member call me back as I could fax the bill to her.  No one called.  

I then went on to a problem involving the same client.  I was concerned before finding out she was not well about getting her state business return filed on time due to her having to mail the info as I am NOT going into NYC yet due to Covid concerns.  But, now knowing her situation of being not well, it is was even more important to have an extension form for the state return.  For some reason this type of business – and seemingly ONLY this sort of business – can only file a state extension online!  Now normally this would be not be a problem – as accountant's software for business filing would take of it – but since my practice is sooo small (this is my only business return to do) I don't have the software.   I could have the taxpayer go online and file the form – but, remember, she does not use a computer and in any case would be terribly confused trying to do so.  So I had to call the state department and sit on hold for about half an hour (which is actually much less time than I thought it would take). I got a very nice lady there.  I apologized for the problem and explained the odd situation and that the client was ill and there was a decent chance that the return would have to go on extension.  She actually had to take all the info and then go and GET PERMISSION to mail an extension.  But, just for the fun of it, she can only mail the form to the client's business – where neither she nor I will be!  I called the client back and explained and told her when someone goes in to get the mail for her to let me know so I can get the form – or a fax or an email of it in case we need it.  

Next stop – IRS.  (You can see what a fun day this was.)  I have to file an annual form for our reenactment unit (which is a non-profit).  It is a “postcard” form, meaning there are only something like 5 questions after identification information to be filled in.  I have been trying to file this form since the second week in January.  They have changed the filing and the sign in this year.  I tried using the web address from the past – when I do I get a message that the system is “under maintenance”.  I found an online booklet about the changes and tried using the filing web address in the booklet.  That site when I try to sign in was resulting in a “error 404” message.  I figured maybe it would not work until after the opening of the regular filing system on January 23.  Tried it again since then and again yesterday.  This time husband tried also to sign in (he is also an officer in the unit) for me using a different browser.  Same problem.  So back on the telephone.  I reached someone in that department – they are not open yet for filing!  So I will wait awhile before trying again.  

This morning I get a telephone call from the client – she spoke to her alarm company and there is no problem, she can pay the difference when she pays for the next quarter.  Thank goodness, her alarm will remain on.  I explained to her that I got NYS to mail the extension form – but it is going to her business.  So when next she or a family member goes there for mail, let me know that she has the form and we will figure out if it should be sent to me by mail or if she should have a family member fax or email the extension to me.  I also noted in my “todo” list for when her next bill for same should come by email about this to remind me.  

So most of the day yesterday was taken up with these problems!  

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK -

One has to know how to prioritize.  Originally I had placed getting the NYS extension form for client as the more important thing as the IRS matter involving our reenactment unit is due much later than the NYS form for her – plus if that is late, as long as the 2 years are filed as they should be, would not result in a fee being charged or other problem.  

While each of the problems was rather important, once it arose as a problem, I had to move the alarm company to the first thing to do as the alarm company was expecting to be paid right away as they had not been paid the correct amount – and we don't want them to stop monitoring her business, especially if she not going every day, so it automatically took precedence.    

When overwhelmed do you stop and figure out which HAS to be done first and what can wait until last and what order the other things have to be/can be done so everything is done on time.