300+ filed, one signed not paid, final few I was sitting on out for signture today, (2 back already and 4 I should get over night)
And one pair of landlord returns with incomplete information, so stuff 'em.
Luckily its pub night.
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Very similar to you.
220+ filed, 2 not back, 4 won't be done even if the information does arrive in next 24 hours as will be spending the remaining time sending out the bills, which starts to ease the pain.
Pub night as well!
Had 4 left to file this month, 1 remaining but it's gonna be late due to client. So that's me done.
Pro tip, get em filed mid year. Easy January.
One out for signing and one with 1 number to be provided (cost price of some shares) - should be a doddle....
All the US tax returns to prepare for all our American clients here in the UK; the US "tax season" is only just getting going!
We only had about 20 to day this month - 4 out for signature, 3 missing info & 2 that have only just applied for UTRs!
You just said what was outstanding lol so you are not finished yet! I don't count myself as finished until everything lodged, So I have a about 4 stragglers but no not finished because of them
Just got the problem clients who bring their records in at the last minute. They have been told no guarantees. Iris are not helping - they have decided to do some sort of computer update this evening from 6pm to midnight- I guess they assume nobody does overtime the day before the tax deadline. Anyway, I was planning to move to Taxfiler anyway for next year - this confirms that I start planning the move next month.
2 to be submitted this morning, 1 still out for signing and 1 has been given extension to 5th March. So nearly there but not quite..............
Had a new client arrive yesterday (son of an existing client) He has left it until the 59th minute. But this is his 2017/18 tax return!
Talk about head in sand
Fortunately I have today free to do it (and 18/19) as all my other clients are sorted.
Got 7 left, although only 2 which I am waiting for info from the client.
Next year I'm going to increase my fees and offer a discount for those done by November as too many have left it to the last minute despite reminders.
Last one went out for signature last night. Same guy every year, had decided not to send a third and final reminder but changed my mind yesterday only because I had the time. Glad I'm done because Taxfiler seems very slow this morning.
G&T tonight I think!
Well, now that I am not in practice I have more outstanding at this stage than usual- the catch has been migrating from using Agent SA Code to lodge and chasing around setting up various individual partnerships etc for my employers so each beastie has their own- currently really toiling with one of the partners as whilst I have got her a tax account there seems to be no facility to set her up to lodge her returns under her own code- frankly if I had realised what a pain giving up practice was I might have stayed in practice.
I still have two FURBS ( I am a trustee of both) still to get set up so with these I either use old AGENT code if it still works and incur the wrath of HMRC, lodge late and take the penalties or maybe do not bother as no income and not sure we got sent notices to deliver this year, so as trust returns with income below £100, do I feel lucky.
The annoying thing here is all returns are completed and ready to lodge, it is just re some actually getting the software to lodge them.
For the last couple of years I have only had twenty or so private clients,and finished by October.
When I was in a tax department,other tax staff said they were clear,when what they meant was that they had cleared what was in.In some twenty odd years,sadly I was only completely clear once.
6 or 7 out for approval today. Leaves around 4 who are habitually late, and so I'm not even thinking about them.
Finished the work last week and just needed to wait for folk to sign them off.
Apart from two - which won't be done now.
One's a woman who just won't respond in a timeous fashion. A very simple return which took me an hour to do - she just won't reply. So, not my problem.
The other's a bit of a sad story. Bloke who's been diagnosed with cancer and obviously has other more pressing matters on his mind than a £100 penalty. However, the reason he hasn't sent in his 31 March 2019 books is because he hasn't even bought the book yet, let alone written them up. I've been telling him for years that it's asking for trouble and - guess what - now there's trouble.
Done now, was a bad January due to one Farmer client. I will not be acting for him again, good riddance.
All finished here too....refused to do one that didn't pay all of last year's fee - the cheek!, and disengaged after filing another, who pays the tiniest fee, is always at the last minute, and then queries absolutely every figure!
Happy days!
Got text from missing client last night at 19:06 - "Hi, I know I have left it late but......." Made him sweat overnight and replied this morning that if he drops his stuff round I will complete his return on Monday and he can live with the £100 fine.
Made the last submission last night. Today I am having a day off.
Like the suggestion by SouthCoastAcc to increase fees and offer a discount to those who respond in a timely fashion. Might do this myself
135 all done and dusted, except a couple whom have agreed to file in Feb, as their records still aren't ready. A couple who haven't signed, but we'll probably just file them anyway, as we have a verbal ok at least.
All staff down at the Thai restaurant for lunch today to celebrate!
Tell me something... did I miss some major event at 11pm Fri?
I wouldnt know as I was still doing returns past that time.
Yes.. I reminded clients and in previous years have told them that unless they get their stuff in before end Nov then I couldnt guarantee submission in time etc etc but this year for various reasons (incl the late taking over of a block of clients who were used to Jan delivery) I didnt and they all took advantage.
It was worse than hell.
We've all read previous years comments about how to get clients to get info in on time but this has been a real lesson this year.
So I'm finally going down the route of 'if you dont get it in until xxx you will be charged extra'.
So suggestions>>> how much shall I charge?
I charge an extra 10% if they send their stuff to me in December, or 15% if they send it in January. I'm changing to 10/20% next year. I've been doing this for years and make it clear in my "6th April" letters.
There tends to be a small rush of work coming in just before 30th November to avoid the charge but that's better than it coming in Dec/Jan.
Of course, the charge doesn't apply if I don't get it done by 31st Jan!
Well, I was done by 15:45 on 31st ready to leave for the 16:09 train home, but no. Had to stay whilst a payroll client signed off.
At least, not going back until Thursday, now.
I have 2 clients who are ALWAYS late (no responses to my 'chase' emails all year and then email me in last week).
I decided not to chase beyond 31 Oct this tax year.
One of them emailed Wed 29th stating he was very sorry and 'where did the time go' - I simply stated that I was still working on those who arrived earlier...will aim to review these later this week or early next week. I wish I didn't get stressed out because it is not my fault...!
Surcharge of 20% for very very late submissions. It doesn't change their attitude to filing but it makes me feel a bit better about keeping them on.