NO MATTER THAT ONE THINKS ALL IS UNDER CONTROL - SOMETHING WILL GO WRONG

 Well another week gone past – how could it be?

I put away more of the Christmas decorations during the week.  I have a couple of boxes left to go downstairs and plan to take them down tonight when I go down on trips to washer and dryer for laundry.  I also have my teddy village Christmas on the second floor (boxes are up there to store the Christmas bears in), but have held back on putting it away as there is not much I put out for Valentine's Day – which is now in the past anyway – so I figure this year I will jump right to March.

Now I am getting started doing tax returns for clients.  Some business income returns are due March 15.  I have a partnership which owned by husband and myself and the return is almost finished – but it does no business so that it is easy to do.  

I do have a problem with one client.  The business returns are due by March 15.  Client has not been well and I need all of the information from all of 2022 to prepare client's returns.  So while neither client nor I like extensions, the business returns have to go on extension.  

Federal extension – no problem – I filled in the form and it does not even need to be signed so I will mail it to IRS.  Client's business is in a large city in our state – I prepared the extension form for the business's city income tax return and included the minimum tax payment as client generally has a loss lately, wrote up instructions and it will also be on its way to client tomorrow with other tax related papers for client to write a check, sign the form and mail out.

Problem is client's corporation return.  If it was a regular corporation or a partnership or even a business which Somehow they have the wrong address for the business, sent the papers to that address, and cannot send it to another address! If it was owned as “a sole proprietor” it would also be no problem. Somehow they have the wrong address for the business, sent the papers to that address, and cannot send it to another address! The business is, as are lots of other businesses, what is a called “an S corporation”.  This is a sort of a cross between a corporation and a partnership (to keep it simple).  For some reason this type of extension and ONLY this type of extension has to be filed online.  I cannot file it for client as I am not the owner of the business.  Client cannot file it as does NOT use a computer at all.  Client has been ill and in the hospital so cannot send me the info I need to prepare the return!  I managed to get someone at the state tax office to agree that due to the circumstances of client's age and illness they would mail an extension form for us to use.  Client never received it.  Remember client is not at work due to illness and they can only mail the form to the business address!  Someone checked her business mail for her and the form is not there!

I telephoned the state again and found out that somehow they have the wrong address on file for her business – and they can ONLY send the extension form to the address they have on file!  I pointed out that they have her returns from past years and can see on same that it is the wrong address, no did not help.  

What we apparently have to do – client has to give me a power of attorney for the business.  I will then call the state tax office and get them same so they can let me do things and talk to me.  I then will change the business's mailing address to my house – they can then mail ME the extension and I can sign it for client.  After a month or so I will then again file a change of address form for the business and change it back to the correct business address!  

Why this type of business has this problem in our state and ONLY this type of business I have no idea.  This is something new as in past years if an extension was needed it was not a problem.

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK  -

It is amazing how many odd things happen to make life harder no matter how organized one is.

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.

MISSING OUTGOING MAIL - BORROWERS?

We had a busy day today and while out and about I was composing my post for you for tonight's post.  Now it is all gone.  I know that the theme of it was things that are missing, but aren't, so I will go from there.  

I try to be careful not misplace or lose things.  As an accountant (since I was 12 and started helping my dad) I have learned to be extremely careful and organized with work items.  I strive for the same care and organization with personal items also.  I have written previously about “borrowers” - as in the series of children's books about same.  The “borrowers” are tiny people in who live in people's houses and borrow things  - they do not take or steal, they only borrow and then return the items.  

Husband and I say that they have taken things when items are not where one or both of us knows the items were put, and then they reappear exactly where they should have been, but were not.  Okay, we probably missed the items sitting where they should the 10 or so times we – taking turns – looked there for them and they did not disappear and reappear, but it does make us feel that it was not our fault we could not find items which were they belong and where we looked multiple times.  

Our latest occurrence was this past Monday.  Before the pandemic we went to the post office daily as we have a box there and would go to check what was in it.  Mid March 2020 we decided that we did not want to go out or go into the Post Office.  After a long period of time we managed to change the mailing address for any mail that went there to our home address and did not really have a reason to go the Post Office on any sort of regular  (or almost any) basis. We went late night on the last two Sunday nights of that March and were not inside the Post Office again until about two months ago and have been there once since – both times after receiving an email from the Post Office that there was something in our box.  (A wonderful service of the Post Office.)  

We had not been in the Post office while it was open during the day since mid March 2020 until this past Monday.  Husband sold one of craft tools that he no longer was using and we had to go there during open hours to ship it out (would not fit in an outgoing mail box, especially since there is now a slot instead of the pull down opening.  

As long as we had to go into the Post Office anyway, we had been about to renew our passports when everything shut down.  We don't plan to travel out of the country nor have we done so in decades, but it is good to have alternate ID to our driver's licenses, just in case.  In addition to go into IRS if needed for clients I need to either have a special driver's license or a passport – the passport is easier to renew then get the special license (for which I would have to go to into the DMV office and bring alternate ID with me – such as my passport….).   So I filled in the forms to renew our passports, wrote the checks,  and we each signed our renewal form.  I had each set of passport renewal papers in a different envelope  - one for me and one for him – and was mailing them separately.  I also had 3 regular pieces of mail which in a regular week we would have posted late Sunday night either at a local USPS collection box a couple of blocks away or in same outside the Post Office, so instead of making an extra trip Sunday night, we were posting them at the same time as the rest of the items on Monday afternoon.

I have been putting our outgoing mail in a gallon size zip bag to keep it all together.  Sunday night I put the two passport mailings and the three pieces of mail in the bag, counted the number of items in the bag – 2 larger envelopes (the passports) and 3 regular #10 envelopes – just what should be in the bag.  I then went downstairs and put the bag next to the item husband was shipping.  I opened the bag and counted again – 2 +3 is 5.  

Monday afternoon we took the bag (which I did not open and check again) and husband's item and set off the Post Office.  We parked as we normally did every day in the lot of an adjacent park and walked through the park with the bag and husband's box to the Post Office.  Dropped the three regular items to be mailed in one of the boxes in front of the Post Office.  No customers inside and we felt good that the normal huge waiting line was not there.  We handed the clerk husband's item – found out that one no longer fills in the little form for insurance – done through the computer.  No problem.  I went to take out the two passport envelopes and ----- THERE WAS ONLY ONE!!!!  It was husband's.  We paid for it at the clerk (found out that Passport does not sign and return Certified Mail and had to mail by Priority Mail – a lot more expensive – to be able to track it.  

We then started back home – looking carefully as we walked along.  No sign of the envelope with my passport renewal anyway along the way to the car or in the car.  Drove home.  Checked all the way to the house.  Checked in the house to the table in the living room everything had been on.  Checked the floor – nothing (well,  a lot of dust of course, but not what we were looking for).  I went up to our office looking at the floor as I went.  Where would it be in the office?  Not in the outgoing mail basket, not on my desk or under my desk or in the sorter trays on my desk.  Not by my computer or calculator.  Husband has been following me and double checking every place I look and look for alternative places.  If I lost this envelope I cannot renew my passport (at least not easily and by mail) and will be worried about what happened to it and WHO HAS IT?

Husband is thinking and looking around.  “Did you scan the envelope before you dropped in the bag to take it?”  “Yes.”  He lifts the top of the scanner – there it is!!!  How could it be there when it was counted twice in the bag while downstairs?  We have no idea, but at least it was found.  A trip back to the Post Office and it was on it's way also and we were on our way to Wendys for lunch.  

Why would the borrower's want my passport envelope – just to see it?  No idea and it makes no sense at all as so many of these incidents don't.  

The passports have arrived at the government office - “whew” - per the USPS packing.  On the other hand, the package husband shipped still shows only that it was accepted at the Post Office – three days ago!  It is suppose to be delivered by Friday and we are hoping that  it is not sitting in the back of the Post Office and someone will scan it and let us know where it is!

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK -

No matter how many times one checks something – another check is not a bad idea – even better if one gets someone else to check it for them – just to be sure.

BUSY WEEK, BUT NOT MUCH ACCOMPLISHED!

 A busy week, but not much accomplished.  

For example -

I have mentioned that we have a very small RV (a Chevy van converted to same).  When one has an RV one must deal with the toilet waste from when one has used the toilet during their trip.  In this type and brand of RV it is a different system than in most RVs which use gravity to empty the tanks as the tanks are too low to the ground for gravity to work well.  In this RV a pump is used with a macerator to grind up any (ahem) solids being pumped out. There is a hose in a small compartment at the bottom of the driver's side of the RV located immediately behind that side door.  When emptying the tanks the hose is pulled out the hose end is put into the tank in the ground where the tank contents will end up and then a valve is opened before the macerater/pump is started.  

Since we first got this RV we have not been able to turn the valve.  The original hose which came with the RV was very stiff and hard to put in and out and took up almost the entire section where it is stored.  As a result we were able to leave the valve open as we would make sure that the end of the hose was pointing up so nothing left in the hose could pour out into the compartment (ick).  This worked very well for the first 8 years we had the RV.  In 2019 we had to have the macerator replaced as it stopped working.  While this was being done we asked them to replace the hose with one which was easier to maneuver.  What we did not take into account is that the end of the RV would not longer be able to kept pointing upward.  Husband managed to close the valve at the end of the hose and we have not traveled since due to other work needed on the RV, winters, and Covid-19.  

Husband is now thinking ahead to traveling again (drooling with happiness at the thought of traveling on our short trips again).  He realized something has to be done to be able to close the end of the hose.  Any replacement valve we can find intended for this purpose will not fit into the small opening of the section the hose is kept in – what to do?  Husband spent a good part of 2 afternoons measuring the hoses and the connections. His idea is to replace the valve with a piece of pipe which can have a cap screwed onto it.  He made a list of what we need and checked at a chain home supply store that they carry all of the needed parts and same was in stock at the store close to us.  

We went there this afternoon to buy the pieces.  This store's section of plastic plumbing fittings was a mess.  Bins were empty and items were mixed into the wrong bins.  There is another store of this same chain in the community to the south of us and we headed there.  We were eventually able to find everything he says we need.  We were in the department for such a long time I am guessing that employees thought we were moving in.  Hopefully all of this will work when we put it together.  

This shopping event took almost the entire afternoon – I did not even get to check email today.  

Lest you think we are going to work on this project tomorrow, tonight after dinner we drove the RV to our car mechanic (4 blocks away) as it needs its state inspection – fingers crossed that all goes well.  This will, hopefully be done tomorrow.  

I figured that tomorrow I will catch up – ha, ha!  Tomorrow we are going food shopping, just a fill in trip not one of our marathon “there is a pandemic and we don't want to walk out of the house again for as long as possible” trips of the past year, but a fill in trip.  When I am finished with this post I will update and check the shopping list I have been updating in an Excel spreadsheet (piece of paper on fridge, list items as we run out and then copy to spreadsheet to print out – much easier to write when not written by hand and list is in order of aisles (more or less) at supermarket.  Sooo, there goes tomorrow also!  

On the financial side of life, I have spent the past week chasing down a direct deposit to our bank account which was suppose to be made by a company which handles same for the company through which husband does online counseling.  Deposit was 4 days late – with me telephoning their computer each evening to check – when husband received an email that the deposit was not made as the account does not exist.  HUH?  We have had this account for decades and they have made the deposits to it since they took over handling same for the company through which he does the counseling.  Granted we are not talking big money here – about US$100 -  but still…   I telephoned the company which handles the payments and spoke with a woman there – we each kept getting silence or voices were too low to hear.  At one point she had to call me back as the connection was so bad.  Finally we were each able to provide information to the other – and husband had to confirm he was him and I could talk to her.  We emailed a copy of the last bank statement (with other account info blacked out) and are waiting to hear back.  I checked the bank again tonight – just in case – still no deposit to the account!  This took up most of yesterday afternoon!  Deposit is now a week late.

That's 3 afternoons gone this week and then add tomorrow – and that is 4.  

In between all of this I am trying to track down an IRS refund due one of my clients,  and deal with renewals for our reenactment unit and my embroidery chapter.  I am now at the point where I am pleading with members to get their renewals in as both sets of renewals must be mailed by May 31 to the national offices.  In one case a member says she mailed her dues “weeks ago” (I only put out the notice to renew the beginning of May), but I don't have them.  I emailed her 2 days ago to find out if she mailed to my house (as they were told to do) or our PO Box (which means it should be forwarded, but often is not and we went 2 weeks ago, but not this past week).  She has not let me know where she mailed it.  

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK -
Well, what has to be done gets done and everything else waits for it.  I am not a magician, if something has to wait, it wait.  Today is all I can deal with today!

Did you get Covid-19 shots yet?

WHEN EVERYTHING GOES ON AND DOWNHILL AT ONCE...

 OOPS!  Somehow I lost Wednesday - and Thursday - this week.   

I finally finished doing tax returns this week – except for a client who wanted an extension, so I finally had time to devote to my embroidery chapter and our reenactment unit.  

In normal times I would be working with the membership chair of my embroidery chapter on renewals as the national group for same has renewals due by May 31.  

Normally the reenactment unit has its membership renewal period at the start of the year as our national group wants its renewals and dues by March 1 and the unit renewals are done at the same time.   BUT this year – our chapter is rolling over dues from last year as the unit did almost nothing last year due to Covid-19, so that part is easy, but our national group pushed their renewal period back to now – also due in May – as they were redoing their membership records system.  So I have to get the members of both groups to renew at the same time.  I had emailed to members from my embroidery chapter an those members of our reenactment unit who belong to the national group (not all unit members belong to same) to renew.  I have received some renewals from each group and all week have been intending to send a second email to those who still have to renew in each group.  (Yes, personally my dues/our dues have already been paid to both groups.)  

Throw into this mix that week was the monthly Zoom for the embroidery chapter and a last minute Zoom board meeting was called for the reenactment unit.  I was so confused that I thought they were both the same day – embroidery in the morning and the board meeting at night.  I was working at my computer late in the day – long after the embroidery meeting – and suddenly realized that the meeting had already started.  I yelled to my husband to come up and sign in (he is also on the board) as I started my laptop (no camera or microphone on my desktop computer) to quickly sign into the meeting.  Husband yelled back that the board meeting was the next day- phew!!

Now add into this the embroidery chapter has its face to face meetings (when we used to have and will in the future) in a town park's community room.  The one we have been using is much too small to be able to social distance (January 2020 I did not go to the meeting as I had a cold and could not figure where I could sit and not pass along the cold.)  We have been in talks with the town to use a different meeting room for the rest of this year – if and when it is opens up – and we had to change our meeting date to do so.  A vote had been taken by the members as to which day to meet instead.  I suddenly realized the day before the meeting that we had not setup the meeting dates with the town.  I double checked with the chapter President and telephoned the town parks department – call went to voicemail.  I left a message.  Next day I was called back – we took too long, the room was already assigned.  I grabbed the alternative they still had – the same meeting room we had before on a different day – in the interim.  Chapter President said the room was too small even before Covid, and to call again.  

So I have been in a panic most of the week – a large IRS refund due to a client which has not come yet and does not show on IRS records, plus the 2 sets of renewals, plus the two meetings, plus the we lost the meeting room we wanted.  Little by little over the week things started to resolve – the client's refund is finally showing up on the IRS website, the board meeting for the reenactment unit went much better than I thought it would and the unit is not disbanding, and today I received a call from someone else at town parks, that we can have the room we were asking for on the days we wanted it.  (We are hoping that later this year we can meet in person.)  Breathe a big sigh of relief!

Now add into all of this – husband and I have been working on cleaning up in the garage.  Late last week I had been using my leg to measure how tall the small trash pails he uses to hold smaller pieces of wood are, as one broke and we needed to replace it, and I leaned forward to see how tall it was against my leg and smashed my head into the end of husband's lathe – OUCH!  As of now it still hurts if I touch it.  And on Tuesday my right thumb started to hurt.  I don't think it is computer or cell phone related as I tend to use my fingers much more than my thumbs on both.

All of this has been in my head and Wednesday slipped past me and then Thursday slipped past me.  Now I can get back to the renewals for both groups, hopefully my head and thumb will feel better and maybe tonight I will be able to sleep and remember what day it is!


THOUGHT OF THE WEEK -

Even when everything is hitting at once, try to deal with the various problems one at a time with the most urgent one first – and in today's pandemic world – try to remember which day it is – all day!

REAL ESTATE TAX EXEMPTION PAPERWORK AND TEETH FOR HUSBAND

In our state, which has high taxes, being over 65, we are entitled to a senior exemption from part of our real estate taxes (which is a BIG amount) and since our school taxes are a separate real estate tax, we are also entitled to a partial exemption from same from our state.  In speaking with friends in other counties this is handled by the local township, village, or city and is a simple process.  In our county it is handled by the county and they seem to make it hard in an attempt to make it harder to obtain the exemption.

I understand that they have to make sure that those obtaining these credits are entitled to them but if I was not an accountant I would have a problem with the paperwork in past years and even more so this year. 

First year we were entitled to the exemption I put together the info we seemed to need and we went to one of the meetings that the county holds in libraries around the county about the exemption.  We need to fill in a form that is actually pretty straight forward.  We also need to supply copies of W2s, 1099s etc. to prove our income – okay not too bad from the prior year .  If our income was under the maximum amount allowed that would be all we need to do.  My mom cannot understand why I scream about this process as she has a 1099 for interest, one for some small dividends and one from Social Security and that is all she needs to make copies of and send with her application form.  Have I mentioned that the paperwork needs to be filed annually?

Since our income is higher than the maximum amount allowed, we need to provide our medical costs paid by us to bring our income under the maximum.  Sounds easy, right, make copies of the checks or charge slips that paid our medical insurance, doctors, pharmacies, eyeglasses, etc.?  No, they will not accept canceled checks or credit card slips as proof.  We have to get a printout for the year from each of the medical insurance companies, doctors, etc. that we paid money to during the year.  Pharmacy – no problem, the understood what we needed.  (Maybe because they are in our state?)  Dentist – no problem, he printed our our payments file.  Medical Insurance companies – ha, ha, ha.  I have now dealt with 3 of them trying to get printouts – and now have done so over multiple years.  The first year I only had to get same from the one (ACA) insurance company we had both shared the year before.  After several calls I finally had what I needed and I made a note of what they called it to help the following year.  Second year I had to get same for us, and husband had switched to Medicare during the prior year – so I had to get printouts from his supplemental policy and his medications (Part D) policy as well.  (Actual Medicare paid is shown on the Social Security form and they accept that.)  Since this is all done towards the end of the year using information from a year before, when I got the info last year my Medical insurance co had also sent the payments for last year as I had already switched to Medicare and I held onto same for the filing this year.  This year I managed to get the printout for our two medication policies on the first try.  It took 4 tries – the last by mail with a copy of the printout that they sent last year  - to get a copy of same from our supplemental policy company.

As, I mentioned the first year we were applying we went in and met with a person from the assessor''s office about this.  https://wheredidileavethat.blogspot.com/2017/10/dealing-with-county-bureaucracy.html  In addition to all the paperwork that was listed and we had with us, they wanted other paperwork.  The employee said that our income was too high.  I pointed out that we have medical expenses that bring the income down and well into range.  “But these have to be medical expenses that YOU pay, not someone else!”  Who the heck else is paying our medical costs but us?   She took the info we had and I get to get a form from IRS showing the W2s etc that they had on record for us also.  (This is a very valuable form that I did not know about before this.  A client of mine between moving and losing her husband had not filed her /their income taxes.  She filed later ones, but not that one.  I pushed her to her file it as she normally has a sizable refund due, but then she could not find the information forms she had been mailed – this form allowed us to get copies of them so her return could be prepared.  In addition husband is having a fight with an online payment processor which wants proof of his corporation's “Social Security number” - it does not have one.  They need a notice or bill sent within the past 6 months (umm, we pay on time, only if one has not paid would one get either – do they really want to do business with people who don't pay their bills?) showing the Social Security number.  I sent away for this form as it shows the Business ID number of the business and will dated within 6 months – I hope that will resolve the matter.)

Last year since I knew what had to be done I collected the papers, made copies and we mailed them – certified mail – to the county over a month and a half in advance of the due date and relaxed waiting for the notice to be sent of the exemption we were entitled to.  We received a robocall from the County Executive that we had filed for the program before, but had not filed for “this” (last) year yet.  I had to take mom to the doctor and this office cannot be reached by telephone.  I tried calling anyway, but got the usual - “We do not have time to speak to anyone.  There is extremely limited parking here, so don't bother to come here.” message. (I am not exaggerating – that is how their phone is answered and there is a currently a movement by higher county officials to make them take calls.- the parking part is correct, it is almost impossible to park to go to them.)  I tried again later in the day while mom was in with her doctor and there was a message that the call had been in error.  Turns out that instead of calling 3000 something seniors, every one of 400,000 plus land owners had been called.  Per the information on TV that night if one had a receipt from the assessor's office one was okay.  There had been a line 2 hours plus long of people running in with the problem.  The next day we made an additional copy of the application and all the attachments and drove there – husband dropped me off and drove about 5 blocks away to a store's parking lot to wait for me.  They did have our application.  They could not give me a receipt as it had been received by mail, but they did have it.  And we did get our partial exemption.  We decided that in the future I would walk the application in to them, while husband waited in car. 

Knowing I would need all of this I started collecting and requesting the information earlier in the year this time and had it all ready for when we received the application in August.  After we did all the rest of the problems that I have posted about with mom happened.  I worked a bit on the exemption when I could.  I thought that it would easy this third time, but they added to what they need.  If one has business income (and we each have a very small professional business – both with losses in 2018 the year we are giving them for the 2020-2021 real estate tax year) one has to provide proof of all income and expenses.  This actually turned out to be harder and more time consuming than any IRS or state (of 5 states I have done income taxes for) audit!!

Husband's was fairly straight forward – he gets paid through an online company and the printouts from same show the income and the fee taken from same.  (His income was not high enough for a 1099 form last year.)  8 photocopies (he did not get paid every month) took care of the proof of income and of the fees paid to get paid.  He had maybe 3 other expenses plus car expense and Internet expenses.  I had a 1099 from one client and deposit slips plus copies of checks received from my other clients.  I cannot reveal names of same so I blacked out all identifying income of clients.  I have a variety of expenses – office supplies, exams I have to take, computer, subway etc plus my share of car expenses and Internet expenses.  I had to copy every gas receipt, every repair receipt, car insurance, etc. for the car and also all of our Internet service bills.  I then used the copy of the breakdown of the car expenses that I used for our tax return to show same and had to do a breakdown of our Internet service expenses for them.  I scanned each page of the entire form and attachments into the computer as I added them to the stack of papers.  I also wrote a summary of what was enclosed – that was 6 pages long – and put a title page on each of the sections of  papers, plus a cover letter.  I know I passed 180 pages! 

Then I went to attach the papers to each other – I did not own a clip large enough and even my  special “large stack of papers” stapler would not work.  I ended up putting the application and main papers in one clipped package and the business income and expense proof in a second one. 

I finished this over last weekend and we planned to take it this past Monday to the assessor's office as we wanted their receipt for it (plus it would cost a fortune to mail).  So, last Friday husband's front tooth fell out.  Our dentist retired and while we had 4 possibilities, we did not know who to go to.  We are doing a colonial craft show this coming Saturday and he really needed this tooth replaced.  We decided to go with a local office that we pass which has good reviews which has a lab in it and takes walkins.  Husband had me call on Friday and the phone kept ringing.  I finally called their office in the county west of us and was told that the office near us was closed until Monday.  My already panicked husband was in that state all weekend.  Remember – we planned to bring the application for the exemption to the county on Monday.  Monday morning I started calling the dentist's office at 9:40 and it just rang.  I called the other office again and was told that someone would be there by 10 am.  I started calling at 10:10 and either the line was busy or it did not connect.  I should mention that it was heavily raining.  At 10:30 I called the other office again, apologized and explained.  She said that she would have them call us.  They did – they were having troubles with their lines. Big problem – dentist was away until the following Saturday (still 3 days away as I write this).  I explained why we needed to come in.  At last a break!!!  The technician was in – Monday his only day – and he might be able to add the teeth (there was another one out and ignored while waiting for this front tooth to go) for us – but we would have to come right away.  We did.  Very nice receptionist and technician.  After the inevitable paperwork the tech took a mold and we were told it would be ready by 2 pm – same day!!  I went to the desk to pay for the work (much less than we thought it would cost), but due to the telephone lines problem, the credit card would not process.  I was trying to figure out if we had enough in checking to cover the cost, when she decided to call the other office – she read the info to the lady there who had been of so much help and the receipt would be waiting for us to sign when returned. 

It was just around noon.  Husband decided that we should go to the assessors' office and deliver the paperwork.  Of course when I was taking same with us as we left for the dentist, he told me to leave it home and we had to go home and get it.  I had figured that the assessor's office would be jammed and we decided if I was not done by 1:30 I would leave so we get his teeth.  (He has an older set that he was wearing.)  I also figured that since it was lunch time it would be even worse as people would come during same and less employees would be working.  I went in and there were less than 20 people ahead of me.  (Texted husband same.) 

At first I was amazed how fast it was going.  One of the 3 employees working at this spent the entire time I was there with one woman who apparently had a real mess.  One of them was seeing people, collecting paperwork that was right and seeing person after person.  The third seemed to be a supervisor.  I happened to be seated near him and could hear what was going on.  There was a man there delivering papers for some other matter of the assessor's office and he was wasting time – he could not understand to give the employee the needed papers and had to go and make photocopies (they had a free machine in the room) – the employee then took a couple of people dropping off their exemption papers.  Then the fellow came back – he kept asking if all the papers were right and the employee kept telling him that it was not his decision.  The fellow went to make more copies.  I turned to the employee and said “You have great patience.”  He smiled back at and nodded.  He then took someone again.  He was about to take someone else, when the fellow came back.  This threw the numbers off.  He had been about to see #79 and it had disappeared off the list of numbers to call.  He told the other employees to call that number, but they forgot and called #80 – who nicely let 79 go ahead of her.  Then when they called 81- 80 went.  There was then a discussion between the two regular employees – you take 81, I'll take 82 – me.  But someone with something from before came back.  I stayed near where they working to make sure that I was next. 

The employee asked for the papers and I handed them to her and explained it was too large to put together  - not for her – a rubber band around the two and a huge clip on top and it was done.  She handed me a computer issued receipt and it was done! 

As I was about to text to husband to come back to the building and pick me up – he texted asking if I was going to see someone soon.  I texted back.  He picked me up and we went back to the dentist.

The teeth were perfect!  I signed the copy of the credit card slip, took our copy and we left.  Two major problems resolved at the same time!  And we now know of a dentist to go to.

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK -

When there is a huge problem – do it step by step.  Expect that things will go wrong or be different than last you time you did the same thing.  Take advantage of down time (in this case I had worked on finishing the exemption form in short bursts over the weekend between shopping for his younger niece's gift, meals out and movie night -plus the run to the assessor's office while waiting for his teeth).  Somehow the work always seems to get done.  The paperwork was due by January 2, but we wanted it in before the holidays. 

ARE YOU CHECKING THE FORMS COMING IN WITH INCOME, ETC. TO DO YOUR INCOME TAXES?

I was reminded yesterday that one should always check the forms that come in with income, etc.at the year end to help you prepare your income taxes.  I am sure you understand what I mean all the W2, assorted 1099s maybe some K1 forms...    NEVER ASSUME THAT EVERYTHING IS OKAY UNTIL YOU CHECK THE NUMBERS!

I thought that I was doing well, doing as I always do.  I use a bookkeeping program all year, so all I have to do is compare the totals for the year as I always do - well maybe.  Husband has an IRA at each of 2 credit unions.  (Credit unions function like banks, but the depositors own it.  Originally they were “affinity” organizations - one had to work for a certain type of company or live in a certain area to “join”; they are now allowed to have people joined who are not members of a limited group.)  We have been making withdrawals as we need to supplement our other income from one of the two credit unions - we like the other one better and the other one has slightly better interest rates. Last year, however I noticed that the IRA money in the other as his account had gone over the insured amount, so we took money from it once last year.  I keep on eye on what we might need and will have husband transfer money from a CD (fixed time saving certificate of deposit) in the IRA into a savings account in the IRA so that we always have some money not in a CD that we can go in and make a withdrawal from that account - we do this as if we withdrew money from a CD not when it renews there would be a bank penalty.

To protect the (not really) “innocent” I will refer to the credit union that we have been withdrawing from over the years as “Union A” and the other one - the one we like and just started withdrawing from - as Union B or none of this will make sense. 

For those of you not in the US - Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) are so that people who work and do not have a pension at work can set aside money for retirement.  I will not go into all of the details of same as you will all have headaches if I do - but basically one must be 59.5 years old or older to take out money without an IRA penalty and one pays income taxes on the money one withdraws.  The IRA can also be used if one had a pension and leaves work by one having the pension money transferred (rolled over) into a IRA (at bank, credit union. stock broker and a variety of other financial institutions).  In our case, husband’s IRAs are the rollover of his pension when he quit his job.  (This is not something called a Roth IRA - which I will not go into explaining as it has no relation to any of this.)

As an accountant I consider myself good at keeping track of our money.  Every bank statement is timely reconciled - including those for the IRAs.  I also have a (very) small IRA at Union B as I had no pension.

When the year end forms showing the income (withdrawals from) from husband’s IRA at Union
 A arrived, I looked at the amount of income (withdrawals) it showed for the year and compared it to the total in my bookkeeping software and it matched.  Remember, through 2017 we had only made withdrawals from the Union A IRA. 

Well, yesterday the paperwork arrived from Union B and I went to check it against the total in my bookkeeping software and I realized something was wrong - MAJOR WRONG.  The Union B form showed that he (we) had withdrawn three times as much as I showed we did.  Then I remembered that the entire amount withdrawn on my software was the same as what was withdrawn from Union A. I pulled out the year end Union A paperwork to figure it out. 

Remember I said that we transfer money within the IRA at Union A and also within the IRA at Union B (each credit union separately - not between the two IRAs)?  Somehow both credit unions had made a mistake in a transfer within the IRA at that credit union.  The paperwork from Union A had looked right as the amount transferred within same (from CD to savings account) happened to be equal to the withdrawal we made at Union B.  The form from Union A actually showed several thousand dollars more than we had actually withdrawn. 

At Union B we had gone in and taken money during the year (as I said, just happened to be the same amount as the transfer at Union A) and at the same time - on separate paperwork - we had transferred money within that IRA into the IRA savings account at that credit union.  So - it was by chance that the paperwork from Union A looked correct when it was not.  At Union B we had transferred twice as much as we had withdrawn - hence, since the same sort of error was made there - the paperwork showed that we had withdrawn 3 times as much as we did.

So today - after a quick “fun” stop at the doctor for followup blood test - we drove to Union A.  We went there first as in general they don’t always seem to know what they are doing and there was no paperwork for the transfer there - only a withdrawal and deposit slip.  As we thought about it and looked at the paperwork I did have, we remembered the problems the day we transferred (or thought we transferred) the money.  We had gone to the branch of Union A we normally go to - a small branch closer to us than the main branch.  There has been a very nice and competent employee there that would we wait for.  She was not there.  The fellow who was there did not have any idea what he was doing and we left and went to the main branch.  In the main branch they were having a “summer beach party” theme event (banking is not suppose to be fun - it is business).  I did not have a business card from the employee - who seemed competent at the time - and had written his name down as he did not have one. I remembered when thinking about it that it had all seemed too quick. 

When we went in today I asked for a manager or supervisor and was questioned at the reception desk as to why I needed one and told that any of the employees can do that - I told the woman at the desk, we preferred to deal with a manager to do this.  An employee came out - based on where she had come from I knew she was not a manager.  When we shook hands I asked what kind of manager she was - she was not and I repeated my request, which again, she tried to talk me out of.  We eventually met with the assistant manager. Luckily she understood and she was able to correct the error.  We are to get new paperwork - both the required paperwork for our income taxes showing the amount he received for the year and we also requested a new “summary statement” as we will need that later in year to apply for the real estate senior deduction (the one seemed not to have arrived at the township back in December).  Hopefully we will have correct copies of both in about a week. 

Oh, this manager said something that no one should every say about their business to a customer.  I had told her that we have not been happy with the credit union in general  -“Really?  How come you have not moved your account elsewhere then?”  Instead of “I am so sorry to hear that - what can we do to make it better for you?”  (Which husband basically told her - employees need better training in IRAs and don’t have event parties.”) She basically suggested to us that we should not bank with her credit union and we should move our money elsewhere!

We then drove to Union B.  I was not as concerned about dealing with the problem at same as the employee ( a very good one that we ask for when we go in) had filled in the form to have this processed correctly - it just had not been done correctly by whoever processed it.  What a difference!  We asked to speak to a manager. Other than being offered someone else to help as the manager was with a customer, there was no question about us speaking with her.  When we speaking she commented (in reference to something said) “Some customers just like to stop in and say hello to me.” 

She corrected the error - and apologized it for it.  She could not get us a replacement summary statement for the year.  She came up with an idea and printed out each account for the year, stamped it with the bank’s rubber stamp and signed it as an alternative.  So much more pleasant and not at all adversarial as the other credit union had been!

Hopefully this all is resolved now other than our receiving the amended forms.  I have now decided that whatever is going on and making us redo things a second time is some sort of curse and I don’t know where it came from or how to get rid of it.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK -

When you get financial papers - make sure they are correct.  Always reconcile statements.  Do the math to make sure that those W2, 1099, etc  forms to prepare your tax returns are correct - do the math.  We have not had a problem before - but this year we had two problems from 2 separate sources. 

Check things when you receive them.  Some banks will not correct statement errors after the month you receive the statement.  In this case if I had put these papers aside until I was ready to do our taxes - instead of checking right away - in addition to being concerned about getting them corrected, I might be facing a tight deadline to get them corrected to file our return.  Keep the assorted slips and papers you receive when making a deposit, transfer or withdrawal.  The more paperwork you have to back up your side if there is a problem - the better off you are - even if you scan the papers into the computer to keep them there. 

Start now keeping things organized for your 2019 taxes due in April 2020.  No - really - start now as papers come in.  I have a folder in my paid bills accordion holder marked “1099s”. Anything I receive during the year that is a form like this I toss in this folder.  I also have folders for our car and our van (both are partially business expenses) - I put receipts for cash paid for either, plus the invoices from the mechanic, etc for either, in the appropriate folder.  There is also an “accounting” folder for receipts for cash paid for same also - including receipts for parking and for subway fares when I go to clients.  At the end of the year all these folders - except the “1099" are pulled out and put in a holder I have for clients (and us) that holds the papers for taxes.  This lets me start putting in the new year’s receipts (took out 2018 papers, now can use for 2019 papers).  The “1099" folder still holds items for 2018 right now as they are coming in the mail and it is extremely rare to receive any of these forms for the current year this early in the year. 

ANOTHER STORM COMING

Well, another week of not getting anything done easily.  My client’s payroll taxes are filed - and I only needed to open one of the kinds of forms I bought - it had the second one I needed included.  Now we need to make a trip to the store to return the other ones. 

I went to the client this past Monday.  She is located in Manhattan.  I drive to Queens and park in a municipal parking garage near a subway stop that is one stop from Manhattan - I only have to travel 3 stops total to the client.  (For those who might not know both Manhattan and Queens are boroughs of New York City.  Manhattan is what most people think of as New York City - it located on Manhattan Island.  Queens is a more suburban part of New York City and is one of the two boroughs of New York City on Long Island (which also has Nassau and Suffolk Counties which are not part of New York City).  Parking in Manhattan is prohibitive.  Not only is the per hour rate charged by the garages and the few lots left high, but there is something like a 16% tax on parking in garages/lots.  The lot in Queens costs me less than $10 for the several hours I am parked - less than an hour would cost in Manhattan.  The other alternative I have is to take the Long Island Railroad into Manhattan from my home community and then switch (at additional cost) to the LIRR in Manhattan to complete my trip.  This is not cheap even with the fact that I generally would be traveling off peak (cheaper than on peak) and am entitled to a senior discount (from both trains).  In addition neither of these trains companies have been having a lot of luck lately - breakdowns, etc. and I can walk from the client to my car if I had to - it might take awhile, I might have to stop, I might have to leave my laptop at the client - but I would get home if for some reason (to put it politely and in a way not to scare anyone if you think about things which have happened in Manhattan in the past 20 years) something happened and the trains - both types) were not running.  So I drive to Queens, park, and take the subway.  It is normal for me to arrive at the garage and have to wait in a line to get in - maybe 3 or 4 cars might be waiting ahead of me.  The garage is located next to a court house and normally people will leave after their business at same is finished and it is not a long wait (shorter than writing this post will be).  This time when I arrived there I got on the end of a longer line than I have seen there - at least 7 cars ahead of me - and there is a second entrance which had 2 more cars waiting to squeeze into the line.  It took an HOUR before I drove in.  (I did let one of the two cars in the other entrance ahead of me - the other had left and, well, he was there before me.) I had arrived there on the early side - but due to this arrived at the client late.

To save time at the client - the weather was to turn bad on Tuesday and I wanted to make some stops on the way home - I not only had the forms client needed to sign, finished and printed, but had also printed out envelopes to mail them in (as opposed to printing them at the client).  This was not to be.  She had a form I had forgotten about for disability insurance for employees (her) and our state has added a family leave policy to this.  The form was 2 weeks late (it arrived while the business was closed as she was away), there were no instructions for the new family leave premium - instructions said to go online for same - no Internet connection there. I tried calling the number on the form for help, was on hold for about 20 minutes - finally when the call was answered the person had no idea what I was talking about - he had not even heard about the type of policy I was talking about.  He went away, came back and said he was transferring me to the right department.  Another 15 minutes on hold - the woman was very nice, but she also was the wrong department.  She also transferred me - after another 10 minutes on hold, I gave up!  I filled in the form as well as I could.  I told the client about this and that if there was a problem, I would straighten it out. Not only did I want to get out of there and home to my husband who was having a breakdown over the coming weather this week, but the client has a car service which picks her up at 3:30 and it was close to same.  I had her sign the forms and the checks I had prepared and made my goodbyes as she packed to leave also. 

I made a stop at a bank (they would all be closed by the time I was in my car).  I remembered hearing a ring in my cell phone from my husband who was suppose to be running a couple of errands and buying some food items in case we were stuck in the house the rest of the week and had figured he had a question on what to buy - plus at that time I could not get to my phone as the I could was on the wrong side of the desk I use and was blocked from it by the client packing.  So I checked my phone.  He had not gone anywhere - when he went to leave - there were no brakes in his car!  So I texted him back - almost crying over what had gone on - it was that messed up a day and asked if I should come home before running errands - he agreed.

The drive home was not too bad - about 2 hours.  We got in the car I had been driving and went out to run errands.  I suddenly remembered that the items I had to mail out - bill payments for us and the forms for client - were still in my brief case ... in the house.  So we had to drive home to get it and then drive to the post office to mail them out (and I checked our box - still no forms from IRS).  I then made the best suggestion of the day - “Wendys for dinner?”  Neither of us had defrosted anything for dinner, plus we figured to be in the house most of the week, so we went.

Yesterday I filed the clients New York State forms online.  I gave a deep breathe - all of the clients payroll taxes filed on time - with 2 days to spare.  Then I remembered - it had never asked me for her bank account information to debit the payment.  I went back in to the site - it does not seem to have anything else to do?  I have an email out to the state asking about this - nothing seems to get finished on the first try any longer? 

We had been able to go out yesterday - rain started late in the day and it was horribly heavy rain with much flooding around.  We had the other car towed to our mechanic - about 4 - 5 blocks away.  We told the tow company when we called it had to go on a flat bed - it has all wheel drive - and was glad to see that they had listened and sent same.  Fellow who was towing insisted it was not needed “I HAVE been doing this for 10 years and know when a flat bed tow is needed - see the wheels are in the air in the front, no problem.”  Glad he has done this for 10 years - we have had the car for 20+ years and it was not our first all or 4 wheel drive.  He had to turn around (he was facing opposite to where the mechanic is) and told us to drive there and he would meet us.  This mechanic (and another before him) has been at this location well over the 40 years I have lived in this area and is generally known in the area - I was surprised that the fellow did not know which mechanic and where we were talking about.  We drove over and waited and waited and waited.  (I could have walked there in less than half the time it took him to drive there).  Our mechanic and another customer there were shocked that the driver did not know where he was.  The fellow finally showed up - the wheels had locked and he - HAD TO PUT IT ON THE FLAT BED!!!   

The rain was the leading edge of the weather to the west of us across the U.S. - this is that freezing temperatures and huge storm that you had first.  Today we managed to get out for lunch just ahead of a “snow squall” which is apparently like a thunderstorm with snow instead of rain.  Our area was lucky as it was quickly and we only got about 2 inches of snow - we went out and pushed it off the driveway and then husband salted around as it was in the teens and heading colder until late next weekend. 

It is now 6F outside and still dropping.  Not as bad as the -40sF I have heard about to the west of us across the country, but cold enough for husband to be in a major panic.  We now have the cabinets under the kitchen and bathroom sinks open and the faucets are set to drip, as is the basement to keep the water from freezing - just in case. 

I did the laundry Monday night so we would not have to worry about doing same tonight and tomorrow.  I sent out my embroidery chapter’s newsletter by email tonight - and in searching for textile related exhibitions to list for them, found one of interest to some of our reenacting group members and sent it out to them also.  I thought I was doing better - then my dinner (not husband’s - we had different dinners) was refrigerator cold from sitting after it was cooked and I reheated it - of course part of it then was so HOT that I burned the inside of my mouth.

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK -

Well, in 2 days there is a new month - maybe it will be better.  There is an old adage - “Man makes plans, God laughs”.  I sort of feel like that right now. 

One has to look at the good in one’s life as even as all heck seems to be breaking loose.  We are both okay. We have a place to be in the cold and food to eat.  The cold will end over the weekend (even if it will be raining then). 

Everything works out - some way, even if not as one planned.  Hopefully I will get some work done in the house while we are keeping warm inside.  Oh, and hopefully the weather will be nice enough next week for a bunch of us “old ladies” to go out to our embroidery meeting.



   
   

WEATHER AND ORGANIZING

Another week already? 

We had a cold and messy start to this week and spent the end of last week and the weekend getting ready.  I mentioned last week that we were expecting two storms.  I had cleared the walking areas of the house so we could walk in dim light if we had a loss of electricity. 

The first storm dropped an extremely small amount of snow overnight from Thursday to Friday.  At 6 am when I looked out the window the street was clear, but the driveway and sidewalks were white - but a minor amount.  By the time we went out around 2 pm, the snow had melted and was gone and it was above freezing.

The second storm was much more problematic. It was to be Saturday night into Sunday morning - and worst of all, extremely cold weather was expected to follow it.  Starting on Friday the information jumped back and forth - one weather report from the reporter my husband trusts was that the storm would come in to the north of us and we would not have more than a trace of snow.  His next report was that the storm was headed further south and we would be getting 6-8 inches of snow.  The next - he the storm was north of us again and we would get a trace to 3 inches.  All versions included freezing rain, sleet and then finally after hours of same - rain.  When the temperatures then dropped after the storm (we made it down to 7 degrees Fahrenheit) the mess would freeze so it would dangerous to go out on Monday and there would be (the dreaded, especially by husband) downed electrical lines and loss of electricity.

I have mentioned in past posts that over the years husband has become more “weather phobic” due to changes in the weather in our area and is terrified of big snow storms, ice storms, and hurricanes.  This is the result of having multiple huge snow storms for this area (sometimes 24 inch or more and then 2 days later another one) and repeated humongous hurricanes.  So I go along with his fears and his ideas of what to do to make him feel better.

In the case of winter storms we make sure that we have extra food in the house, some of which is things we would not normally spend money on.  In this case, for example, we had a bought a large (expensive) chicken pot pie the end of the week before.  Husband during the week asked me to make it for dinner.  I looked at him and said “I am saving it for the weekend”.  He thought a second and said “Good idea!”.  We bought deli turkey on Friday - we could have for lunch or dinner while in the house. 

Then we started on the fear of electricity loss.  One of his fears is that the water pipes, especially in the basement will freeze.  This was not something that was mentioned much - if at all - in this area until we started having weather much colder than normal a few years ago.  We put foam insulation on the basement pipes - but the pipes to our clothes washer and the basement sink are attached to the wall and we cannot fit anything behind them.  Husband sets up a space heater in the basement near these pipes when it gets bitter cold.  Last week I cleared away the assorted laundry and cleaning chemicals that are kept the platform which holds our basement sink so that they would not be near the heat.  We also took an indoor/outdoor thermometer I use in the basement for a Packtite (trademark) heater which kills bedbugs and set it up so the “outdoor” part was on the pipes so we could see how cold the pipes were.  At night we opened the cabinet doors under the bathroom/kitchen sinks and left the water dripping in same and the basement sink.   Biggest problem with his fears this year was that the news reporters were constantly talking about wires will be coming down.

We were lucky and the storm did pass to the north so we had no snow, just the freezing mess.  We stayed in through the worst of the cold through Monday - finally going out for lunch and a bit of shopping on Tuesday.  Today it made it into the 40s Fahrenheit. 

Luckily for once in recent years during these storms he was (relatively) happily on the Internet instead of pacing, biting his nails and staring out the window.  I managed to catch up on a variety of small things to get done on the computer and in our office - you know that all that relatively unimportant stuff that really needs to get done.  I even put together the mailing to our reenactment unit with their renewal paperwork. 

I still have not received the W2,etc. forms I requested from IRS - not that under the closure of the government I thought I would actually receive them.  I had planned to file them online if I did not receive them - but since I have not been able to file the annual return for our reenactment unit online (the only way that form can be filed) - I am concerned that I will not be able to file them online.  So today while we were out we stopped in at an office supply store and I bought packages of the forms - I have 50 W2s so that I can prepare ONE of them!  The other forms involved buying 10-25 forms.  Hopefully I will be returning them if I can file online or receive the other forms by the end of this week.  I plan to go to the client next week (I had planned on going this week until we had this weather - it will raining most of the rest of the week - hit and if the forms are being filed by mail, I need to have them with me when I go to her so she can sign the cover forms.

I now have to start taking down the Christmas tree decorations and the tree.  We need them down so that husband can warp his loom for his next weaving project.  Also, if we take the tree down and move the storage for the weaving (yarn and finished pieces) back to the living room I will have my area of our studio in the back room back.  I will leave the decorations up until the tree is finished - and maybe a bit longer- they look so nice.  (I think I mentioned that before all this weather we did take down the outside lights - the battery candles in the windows and the battery lit wreath at the door are still in place and still lit.)

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK -

When one faces one’s fears - whether husband’s fear of what the weather will do or starting to work on clearing a specific space in our house - one generally finds that what happens is not as bad as one fears.  While I always say that every day starts a new year - a new year has started, pick something that needs work and start on it.  Whatever you get done - it is that much less left to get done.  Whether it is a drawer or a box or a room it is one thing that is done.

I also wanted to stay I would love to hear from some of you to hear what you are doing or what your problem in organizing and decluttering is. 

2018 SEEMS TO BE CONTINUING INTO 2019

Well, this year seems to be a continuation of last year.  Not only did husband hurt himself again (as I mentioned last week) - although a lot less than he did last year, I am doing things over again.

I still have one client who has an employee - herself.  I have to prepare an IRS W2 form for her each January, along with a covering form named (appropriately) W3.  Then since I don’t use a business name, I also have to prepare a similar form for people one pays that are not employees called 1099-MISC which also needs a covering form named 1096.  Unlike most IRS forms which one can download from their website and fill in, these forms have red markings on the copies which go to IRS and can only be filled in as a preprinted form - available from IRS for free and can also be purchased at stationary stores and online.  One can also buy software to fill in the forms, The alternative to filling in the forms is to do it online free at the IRS website (or various companies that charge to do so).  Most companies have payroll companies which take care of their payroll for them and deal with this for them.

Knowing I will need to do this and knowing that my typing is terrible, even with the word processing typewriter (lets one type a line, check it, and then print it) I have, I always order more forms than I need to have spares.  I do this in December so I will have them in January to fill them in.  I did so last month - in December 2018, ordering forms for the 2018 year.  The forms arrived within the 10 days they are suppose to arrive.  I opened the envelope - remember all the craziness last month - and I checked the form numbers and how many of them had been sent - all okay.  I put them under my desk where I keep the forms to wait for this month.  I am so organized about this since I do it every year.       

Last Thursday I decided to fill in the forms while I had some time.  I know what the client’s payroll is and can do so without having gone to her yet this month.  These forms used to be that the form to the employee/other person had to be given to them by the end of January and mailed to IRS by the end of February.  Due to the increasing number of fraudulent tax forms being filed, as of 2 years ago the IRS copies also have to be filed by the end of January.  So I fill in the forms before I go to my client so I can have her sign them and mail them out.  (I used to bring them to her in February and they were signed and mailed then.) 

It took me all 6 copies of the W2 forms I have, and at least 2-3 of the other forms to get a correctly typed form and over Thursday and Friday.  I breathed a sigh of relief and scanning them into my computer to keep a copy of them on same. I scanned in the W3 and W2 forms.  I then scanned in the 1096 form and was about to scan in the 1099 form when I noticed something and got extremely upset.  I had not received 2018 forms - I was sent 2017 forms and none of the forms I had typed were usable.  Not only that, but since one can no longer pick up forms at local IRS offices, I had to order them again - during the Federal government shut down!

We went looking online.  I can buy the forms - they will run me around $60 for all 4 forms as they sold in much larger quantities than even I with my terrible typing would need to make one form of each.  I also would have to make sure that the forms were attached multiple parts that allow one to type all copies at once (W2 forms are 6 part, the 1099 forms are 4 part and the others are 2 part) as if they are not I would have to type each copy of the form separately.  (The forms have extra copies as there are copies  for IRS, state, employer, and the W2 has 3 copies for the employee - the 1099 has one copy, and the other two have a copy to file with IRS and copy for the employer to keep.) 

I can file them directly online with IRS, but I don’t like the idea of putting the client’s and my Social Security number through the Internet, but if nothing else works, that will be what I have to do.

So, I am waiting to see if I receive the forms from IRS before I go to the client - and then start typing them all over again.  If I don’t received them in time, I will have to file them online.  If I do receive them in time - I have to type them all over again!!

I am not sure why we are in a “place” where it seems that everything we do - from something as simple to as buying a Barbie doll to tax forms that I prepare every year to ordering checks has to be redone. 

On the other hand, I did get the second order of the checks I ordered and this order seems to be correct.  I am currently shredding the incorrect ones.  (I held on to them in case they wanted them back.)  To make sure I did not “muck it up” I stored the second, correct set before starting to shred the first set.  I am shredding them a bit at a time to not overwhelm the shredder.

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK -

Sometimes when we are in a “bad” time it just goes on and on.  I know that at some point - hopefully soon - this will end and I will be able to go back to doing things once.  One just has to do what needs to be done until there is change in karma.