From: Cindy VanBeckum [mailto:vcindyvb@natptax.com]
Sent: Friday, January 04, 2013 9:42 AM
To: Chuck McCabe
Subject: TAXPRO Journal Article
What frustrates you as a tax preparer? One NATP member tells us that he is exasperated with the inconsistency of 1099 forms. He writes: “The Edward Jones investment statement is a portrait form that stacks sales on several lines making it hard to follow. Wells Fargo has added an additional column to their 1099R, pushing the federal withholding to the right from where preparers normally find it on all other 1099R’s, which we have already missed on a couple of returns. On investment statements with sales, which date comes first, selling date or purchase date, and then what is the format in the tax software? Does it follow the form? NATP should push for form standardization at the bank, broker, employer, IRS and the software companies.”
We’d like to put together an article that addresses the things that make your job harder than it needs to be. What would you like to see changed? If you’d like to participate in this collaborative effort, keep a list during tax season and then send me your suggestions. The IRS reads our publications. Who knows? Maybe something can be done about the difficulties you face.
I wish you all the best in 2013. Happy New Year!
Cindy Van Beckum
Publications Editor
National Association of Tax Professionals