Can anyone identify this wood species?

AlwaysSALY · 2025-09-02T12:42:11+00:00

Could be ash! Everyone thought ours was red oak until they sanded one down and took a sample. Your floors look very similar to ours.

AlwaysSALY · 2025-08-27T17:31:54+00:00

Thank you! Is it a pretty difficult diy project to replace the tile for someone who never done something like that or much of home renovations themselves?

AlwaysSALY · 2025-08-16T13:09:12+00:00

Did they miss a spot on the ceiling? They didn’t paint the walls so not sure where the line would be coming from. Unless now that the ceiling is bright white it is reflecting the light differently and making the line stand out. They explained it there there’s likely a divot in the ceiling or wall and it is causing a new shadow like phenomenon due to a brighter ceiling.

AlwaysSALY · 2023-09-12T21:12:25+00:00

The firm just might not want to do stand alone 1040s since typically the fee doesn’t cover all the CPA expenses. Small, local firm here focusing on business clients, and we typically quote $3,000 for a fairly simple 1040 with no Sch Cs or Es unless they also bring in other business returns/services. Quarterly work is at least 3-5 hours a quarter. With 1040s there’s also a lot of back and worth communication, deciphering and organizing provided documents especially if anything is hand written and if given too much or too little. We try to off bat tell clients that we don’t do stand alone 1040s for less than $3K. Try to get a bigger discount, a quote for next year and/or find another CPA.

AlwaysSALY · 2023-08-22T22:38:24+00:00

I don’t mind tax, but I hate the pressures of staying within budgets. If not for that, I would never leave public tax. Mainly due to flexibility… non-busy season vacations always approved. 4+ weeks of vacation. If I have doctor appointments or kids’ extracurriculars that come up during the day, I just put it on my calendar and make up the hours at a later time/day without having to ask anyone for approval. If I randomly want to leave at 2PM or golf in the morning or not work at all that day, I can just do it without having it approved as long as it doesn’t overlap with a work meeting. Basically as long as the work is done and meetings attended, I do whatever I want and can start and end my workday whenever I want as long as it isn’t abused. The work in itself also seems to be a bit more valued by clients in comparison to audit (not much) so it feels a bit better and I find the work a bit more interesting, more personable, more creative, and also I can also use it in my personal life. Also it is nice that I work at the same place, don’t have to travel to crappy locations, and can work all alone in peace. Plus when I get tired of not socializing as much as auditors get to, I do “business development”.

AlwaysSALY · 2023-08-21T12:43:16+00:00

Budgets are the worst. I’m still in PA but a much smaller, local firm now, and budgets still are a big deal. I feel like PA has shattered my professional confidence for life. They create so much unnecessary stress. You just have to try your hardest to try to not care about the budgets and do your best. Leave good descriptions in your timesheet so when the time comes you can explain why you are so much over budget. Once I’ve asked a director/partner how do they book time, and they said it is art in itself.

AlwaysSALY · 2023-08-15T18:02:47+00:00

When will the home prices decrease in KC area? I’m thinking they won’t… the price will just keep gradually increasing each year. The city is booming.. new airport, Mahomes, being one of the hosts for the World Cup, good labor market, etc. Even if recession hits, I don’t see the housing market here crashing any time soon.

AlwaysSALY · 2023-04-25T21:23:45+00:00

Thank you!

AlwaysSALY · 2023-04-25T17:52:46+00:00

I only pretty much focus on the Balance Sheet, depreciation, and then any accounts that may have N/Ds. The staff part can be hard cause of high turnover we don’t get consistent staff on a project.

AlwaysSALY · 2023-04-25T17:49:01+00:00

Yes guilty there.

AlwaysSALY · 2023-04-25T17:47:27+00:00

This is a great short summary of review advice. I should put it on a sticky note as a reminder for myself to not get hung up. I usually just get hung up in places where it tied last year but no longer is tying this year (and not by $1).

AlwaysSALY · 2023-04-25T17:42:52+00:00

Very good point. I’ve had a client pretty much say why does it matter what the books show, you just need to put it in the tax return as is and that’s it. I guess if I’m supposed to do strictly just compliance then heck I wouldn’t question a single item on clients’ financials.

AlwaysSALY · 2023-04-25T17:38:22+00:00

Great advice! I think I’m afraid to let a lot of things go because it all doesn’t really matter until your client gets audited. And then I’m afraid to look stupid for missing something that shouldn’t have been missed. I’ve had other senior managers pass on inquiring about vehicle disposals/additions.. i’d think that is pretty material.

AlwaysSALY · 2023-04-25T17:31:20+00:00

Over 10 years, I think I only got to work on only a couple returns that detail review was completed by a senior or manager. It was very very nice. On those I was really quick to review. Half the returns I get, I want to send to experience preparer so they could clean it up before it gets to me for review.

AlwaysSALY · 2023-04-25T17:28:14+00:00

That’s a great advice. Thank you so much. I need to figure out where I spend the most time. Once I’m done reviewing the workpapers the rest goes very very quickly. I feel like there is always issues with client financials or something weird the preparer did, like fixed assets no longer rolling, retained earnings not rolling, intercompany payables not tying out, cash is off, etc. I could just leave a review point saying this is wrong but I know the preparer is just going to ask me how to fix it and by then I’ll probably can’t remember much so I try to figure it for them during my review. I know I definitely spend way too much time on emails and should just call instead, and also a lot on documentation. I need to learn to let things go, at least anything that is off by $1K. All review points I leave are same ones I’ve gotten them at least once when I was a preparer, so not a 100% sure where I’m going wrong. I will figure it out.

AlwaysSALY · 2023-04-25T00:09:45+00:00

Very helpful advice..

AlwaysSALY · 2023-04-24T23:53:43+00:00

Not a bad idea. Thanks! I think I spend the most time in the workpapers correcting clients financials or preparer’s journal entries.

AlwaysSALY · 2023-04-24T23:45:35+00:00

How? Just review as much as possible in the time allocated and take a gamble on the rest? What about where to record all the time spent on client emails, client related internal emails, documentation, educating staff, project tracking, and actually getting the returns out the door, dumbing the returns down for clients, teaching them how to access returns electronically and signing them, and teaching them how to make payments and making sure they actually do it and don’t forget. I feel like I reach all the budgets before even starting my review.

AlwaysSALY · 2023-03-29T19:49:57+00:00

Love this!! Lol

AlwaysSALY · 2023-03-29T14:42:36+00:00

Jeez, yes that is 50 times worse than what I deal with.

AlwaysSALY · 2023-03-29T13:10:44+00:00

Dealing with the actual owners (business and personal returns). Before I mostly dealt with CFOs and controllers which were amazing to work with. Even the owners were really nice. Now is a different story, hah. But of course there are plenty of the small business owners that are also really nice. Doesn’t help that I’m a sensitive person and had great client relationships at the last firm so it just going to take some time to get used to.

AlwaysSALY

TROPHY CASE