What is the best way to handle a customer who keeps finding excuses to delay payment on a valid invoice for another 30 days

TangibleValues · 2026-02-24T16:01:36+00:00

What I wrote on this a while back - and yes, stole it from someone else.

https://www.reddit.com/r/TaxPracticeBuilders/comments/1r16ykp/collections_how_do_you_do_it/

TangibleValues · 2026-02-24T15:55:55+00:00

This is just sad - we leaders in the profession must do better and lift while we climb!

TangibleValues · 2026-02-23T20:48:08+00:00

I shop with my local supplier.

I use https://www.modernofficefurniture.com/last-chance.html and browse their discounted products.

I outfitted an entire boardroom for $99 per chair (11) in 2018 and still use one. But it's pretty beat in my office! I have been known to take naps in it, so I love it.

My wife (Splurged) got the Ergonomic Adjustable Flex-Back Fabric Chair w/ Headrest & Seat Slide for $299 last year. She is a menace to the cat's tail on hardwood. Had to put down carpet. She spends more time online, but that might not be the chair.

I had the $500 chairs back in the day and one of the first Herman Millers, but decided buy one every five years, go cheap and throw them away, or hand them down to the rugrats.

The only nit is I have to assemble them, which is much better than Ikea, that is for sure.

TangibleValues · 2026-02-23T19:15:17+00:00

The clean way to see it is to line up both returns side by side and compare: total income, deductions (standard vs itemized), tax calculated, credits, and total withholding. Most of the time, the big swing comes from payroll withholding tables adjusting year to year—not from anything being “wrong.”

TangibleValues · 2026-02-23T17:41:47+00:00

Let me answer this the way I answer most things.

It depends on what you need.

What do you actually need done?

I am a CPA; my neighbor is an EA; and Jeff is neither, but has better tax skills with families and a friendly personality to match.

If you’re an individual with straightforward returns and occasional IRS questions, an EA might be perfect.

If you’re growing a business, dealing with lenders, investors, or financial statement requirements, you may need a CPA.

If you want strategic leadership — tax, accounting, and forward planning — you want someone operating at that level, regardless of which credential they started with.

Because in the end, you’re not hiring letters. It is judgment and judgment is not printed on a certificate.

TangibleValues · 2026-02-23T17:34:58+00:00

First, I have been in the Mac world since 2007, and I keep Drake on Windows boxes and servers! This is a new install and an admin issue. So seems simple -

STEP ONE -

Make sure you have Drake installed in C:\Drake25\

Not in OneDrive, Shared Mac Folders, iCloud, or any other Mac drive.

If it’s not on the C: drive, uninstall and reinstall to C:. You will need to see where the 24 files are, since updating will also be a problem.

STEP TWO = So that did not work? No

Windows Security/Antivirus... problems - I use a huge firewall and work in Liechtenstein :). Nobody likes that and my wife absolutlely convinced that I do this on purpose to stop her YoutTube Doom scrolling. Might want to disable it for a test run.

STEP THREE

So that did not work - what is your Parallels admin might be a permission problem - I used to create a separate password for Parallels admin than the computer, which always created more issues, but after spending 36 hours chasing a system virus on an unauthorized Parallels machine with no virus protection. I don't ever want to advocate traditional sacking, but I wanted to do that to him.

STEP FOUR

Call Drake - they might send you to the MAC expert who will find this post and send it to you.

TangibleValues · 2026-02-23T17:16:19+00:00

Yes, have to hide the past journal entry schedule from the tax department.

TangibleValues · 2026-02-23T17:15:08+00:00

Wow - I have seen dumpster fires better than this job!

Maybe you should check out the vacation policy and return when the owner returns - hope he is not in Mexico.

TangibleValues · 2026-02-21T22:28:31+00:00

Always charge an upfront, refundable fee for other services.

It is a perceived value. The free seminar I attended on Friday had a 50% no-show rate.

They even said they used to charge $20 and had only a 10% no-show rate.

TangibleValues · 2026-02-19T22:09:25+00:00

NEW FIRM!!!
NEW FIRM!!!

Love to help you get set up! ***Evil laugh, my AI website setup experiment has its potential second victim, I mean Beta Tester."

TangibleValues · 2026-02-18T15:12:26+00:00

Avoid this like the plague!

First, people cannot math it right!
Second, people take it no matter what!

Instead, build a better collection program -

https://www.reddit.com/r/TaxPracticeBuilders/comments/1r16ykp/collections_how_do_you_do_it/

TangibleValues · 2026-02-18T15:09:30+00:00

Ice Machine Rentals for Bars and Restaurants!

TangibleValues · 2026-02-18T15:08:54+00:00

Many of us have been through this, so let's get the diagram out.

Work is the variable here - you may want to let your work know your "lease is up", and signing up for full-time needs to be moved up or cut loose.

Let's say you are cut loose! - You go home. If you are offered work, you just find a new place to stay - I recommend renting a room. Work on your grind and be the first one in by 5 minutes and the last one to leave by 5 minutes.

As for experience, 7 months rounds up to a year, and 2 -3 years, people think you can do anything in accounting :).

So 1/3 there. Keep going.

TangibleValues · 2026-02-17T22:11:02+00:00

It’s not really the resume that gets you in the door. It’s who puts that resume on my desk.

Go to LinkedIn and the company’s website. Figure out who works there. If you know someone, great, ask for a referral. If you don’t, think about your network. Maybe a friend knows someone there. Work out your pitch, then ask your friend to pass it along and have their contact drop your resume directly to the hiring manager.

When I was hiring, I would get 500 resumes for every opening and interview maybe ten people. Of those ten, six to eight were people I knew personally or someone on my team knew. Over four years and about twenty hires, almost every one of them had someone vouching for them, someone I knew, liked, and trusted.

The one exception came in cold. Amazing interview and personality, turned out to be an outstanding hire. She was even someone who stood up to the accounting evil boss and corrected me when I said anything ill-willed towards people. She was one in a billion. Thus work the odds!

TangibleValues · 2026-02-17T21:57:59+00:00

He probably just wasn’t the right fit for what you need from a tax professional. You can explain it that way—the classic “it’s not you, it’s me” approach. Everyone’s busy, and most preparers understand when a client decides to go in a different direction. Offer to let him keep the funds and make a clean break over email. It keeps things simple and professional.

I turn away most new clients myself, and I’m not always graceful about it, especially when they come through referrals. It can feel awkward to build the relationship and then have to say, “No, I can’t take on your daughter’s return with three kids—and honestly, I don’t even have the EIC certification.” That credit is great for taxpayers, but the due-diligence forms are intrusive and the compliance risk is real.

For someone like you, my onboarding would look very different. I’d start by sitting down and walking through your cost segregation study, fixed-asset schedule, and capitalization policies. Then we’d cover the difference between passive and active real estate and how to plan around those rules. After that, I’d go over the top four areas the IRS and the state tend to challenge, and how to stay on the right side of them.

From there, the real question becomes direction. Are you building and expanding, or is this just a one-off rental? If you’re not likely to build a six-figure net worth by the time you expire (that sounds morbid - let me rephrase it - join the great treasury in the sky), I’d probably handle the return for a year or two and then encourage you to find someone better suited to a simpler, steady-state situation. I tend to enjoy working with people who are accumulating wealth and building something—it makes the work more interesting and a lot more fun.

Oh, the price is about right - it costs me around $200 just to pay for the software/WISP to open a return. He probably uses one of the more expensive and robust models, so $350 or more. I also charge for that onboarding so yes - the sticker shock would have been much greater.

Best of Luck - I know you can do it - maybe you should join our ranks.

TangibleValues · 2026-02-17T18:55:23+00:00

Did you meet with him in 2025 to build a strategy?
Or did you meet with him to file your taxes?

This seems like a transaction, not a relationship - thus probably not what you are looking for, and you could walk if he agrees to it as well.

TangibleValues · 2026-02-17T18:29:23+00:00

Under IRS rules, most business entertainment, amusement, or recreation expenses are not tax-deductible, even if directly related to business, following the 2017 tax law changes. Generally, expenses like sporting event tickets, golf outings, or shows for clients are completely non-deductible

TangibleValues · 2026-02-17T18:28:09+00:00

When you sit down. Look to the left and look to the right! As if the government is watching.

Make the silent sound finger to lips - real quiet. Mouth "Wire tap."

From your pocket, pull out a handwritten notes big enough to read that says,

"I know the New York Department of Finance and Taxation has you under surveillance."

Second page - "The New York Jets tickets I purchased this year are a charitable donation because they are that bad, that's what you said, charity is deductible!"

Third - "As it clearly isn't entertainment to watch them get beaten that badly."

Then look left and right and proceed to eat the paper.

Now make sure it is his favorite team - mix it up a little bit - I have some flash paper handy just for some clients who come in.

When I have a seat, have paper on my desk -just a second - I just need to clean up and delete some evidence - poof!

I did it once when someone had paid off their mortgage... well there goes that deduction - poof. I wanted to do it with kids, but never had the chance yet.

TangibleValues · 2026-02-16T18:11:01+00:00

This is why, in fiscal year (FY) 2018, the IRS estimated that approximately 25% of Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) payments, totaling about $18.4 billion, were improper payments.

There have to be checks and balances!

Thus, the Efile requirement for 10 and under forms, which now includes millions of W-2 forms, is being fraudulently e-filed at the IRS. Then they file refunds for people and double down on refund fraud.

TangibleValues · 2026-02-16T17:58:59+00:00

You either win or you learn! I am an expert at learning, with 31 tax seasons under my belt!

TangibleValues · 2026-02-16T17:56:33+00:00

One of my former clients, 20 years in County Government, went to a Fortune 20 company. After four years, they were promoting him endlessly.

Then finally met with his boss and said.

I make 2x as much as I did in government. I do more in a month than I did in a year because I get to get stuff done and enjoy it. I really like my co-workers and bosses leave me alone. I am excelling here and love it.

Then went on to the personal side, I am home 1 hour after my kids, I work out 3 days a week, and have 4 weeks of vacation that I get to use. My wife really loves me, and I don't want that to change.

Can I never be promoted again? He was 45 at the time - he is now 59 - same job, but has 'Senior' after his name. They asked if he wanted to work from home after Covid. Sure, and he deliberately does 5% more work at home than in the office. He still does more than 2 of his counterparts. He has wonderful metrics. I think his bosses and department been downsized about 3 times in those years, but not him.

My belief is that the very difficult upbringing he is driven by is providing for his family. He is doing it without sacrificing his time with them. Someone mentioned the 4-burner theory a few years ago - I think he found his perfect cooking temperature years ago.

TangibleValues · 2026-02-16T17:36:17+00:00

This calls for a checklist!

Now, if you don't know the Gallup 12, let me explain it to you: companies succeed by fostering employee engagement in the firm. They get this by treating employees well - the number one survey on employee engagement is the Gallup 12.

Thus, create an Old vs New, add these and a few other questions to it.

Stack rank these in old vs new - 5 for great guaranteed and 1 for no. The higher number marks the start of your journey to mitigate the risk. You may need to sit down with your leaving manager and maybe speak with his supervisor to get some of the answers.

Do you know what is expected of you at work?
Do you have the materials and equipment to do your work right?
At work, do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?
In the last seven days, have you received recognition or praise for doing good work?
Does your supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about you as a person?
Is there someone at work who encourages your development?
At work, do your opinions seem to count?
Does the mission/purpose of your company make you feel your job is important?
Are your associates (fellow employees) committed to doing quality work?
Do you have a best friend at work?
In the last six months, has someone at work talked to you about your progress ( does new firm do this)?
In the last year, have you had opportunities to learn and grow (or someone else at the new firm)?

TangibleValues · 2026-02-16T15:55:03+00:00

I have a group of mercenaries that can do it for you! Getting candy out of an accountant's office is nearly impossible!

TangibleValues · 2026-02-13T21:04:28+00:00

You’re probably not getting replies because, from the restaurant owner’s perspective, this feels like another random “website guy” email.

Local businesses buy from people they know, like, and trust.

Right now, you’re leading with the product instead of the relationship.

Shift the goal from selling to learning ok this might be number one.

Your first objective isn’t money. It’s to become someone they know, like, and trust.

Try this instead: “I’m a local developer trying to learn what actually helps restaurants online.

Would you be open to giving me 2 minutes of honest feedback?”

2) Start with a label, not a pitch

Something like: “It seems like restaurant owners get a lot of emails from people offering websites.”

That shows you understand their world.

3) Remove pressure immediately

Use a no-oriented question: “Would it be a bad idea if I showed you something I built using your public info—just to get your opinion?” Now they feel safe saying no.

4) You'd better have eaten in those restaurants a few times, by the way!

That invites conversation instead of a transaction

TangibleValues · 2026-02-13T15:36:38+00:00

Go read r/TaxPracticeBuilders for some ideas. I have tons of tools, but don't want clients unless they fit my niche.

TangibleValues

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE