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Amusing post, TG. I totally relate to your comment about returning to this website occasionally hoping to find some good discussion on housing, but not finding much. There were once some great discussions here, but I recall there were plenty of liberals posting even back then. Congrats on the great timing of your home purchase. I’m jealous of all you folks who were able to buy at a reasonable price. I’m currently saving-up to buy in north county coastal in a couple years when my youngest finishes up high school.

I might scrap my two-year purchase plan and just pull the trigger on this very unique beauty in Carslbad (link below). I can fulfill my child-hood firefighter dreams while achieving homeownership.

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/Carlsbad-CA/fsba,fsbo_lt/house_type/2085620347_zpid/3975_rid/3-_beds/0-850000_price/0-3298_mp/globalrelevanceex_sort/33.181633,-117.273259,33.126446,-117.360806_rect/13_zm/

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Does Barney Frank remind anyone else of Buddy Hackett? I like Buddy much better, at least he could keep Herby well-tuned.

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Does Barney Frank remind anyone else of Buddy Hackett? I like Buddy much better, at least he could keep Herby well-tuned.

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Does Barney Frank remind anyone else of Buddy Hackett? I like Buddy much better, at least he could keep Herby well-tuned.

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Does Barney Frank remind anyone else of Buddy Hackett? I like Buddy much better, at least he could keep Herby well-tuned.

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Does Barney Frank remind anyone else of Buddy Hackett? I like Buddy much better, at least he could keep Herby well-tuned.

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The sharpest tax CPA I know is in the Vista/Oceanside area of North County. He is absolutely honest, has high intergrity, is a border-line genius, & is quick. I believe his billing rates are very fair as well. Info below:

Mascari Craig M CPA
1905 Apple St
Oceanside, CA 92054
(760) 722-3555

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The sharpest tax CPA I know is in the Vista/Oceanside area of North County. He is absolutely honest, has high intergrity, is a border-line genius, & is quick. I believe his billing rates are very fair as well. Info below:

Mascari Craig M CPA
1905 Apple St
Oceanside, CA 92054
(760) 722-3555

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The sharpest tax CPA I know is in the Vista/Oceanside area of North County. He is absolutely honest, has high intergrity, is a border-line genius, & is quick. I believe his billing rates are very fair as well. Info below:

Mascari Craig M CPA
1905 Apple St
Oceanside, CA 92054
(760) 722-3555

[renterclint]

The sharpest tax CPA I know is in the Vista/Oceanside area of North County. He is absolutely honest, has high intergrity, is a border-line genius, & is quick. I believe his billing rates are very fair as well. Info below:

Mascari Craig M CPA
1905 Apple St
Oceanside, CA 92054
(760) 722-3555

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The sharpest tax CPA I know is in the Vista/Oceanside area of North County. He is absolutely honest, has high intergrity, is a border-line genius, & is quick. I believe his billing rates are very fair as well. Info below:

Mascari Craig M CPA
1905 Apple St
Oceanside, CA 92054
(760) 722-3555

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[quote=sdduuuude]There is a distinction between a CPA and an accountant that is not a CPA. A CPA can practice in front of the IRS. An accountant who is not a CPA may not practice in front of the IRS, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t good at preparing taxes, and they are likely less expensive.
[/quote]

I am a CPA. I used to work for a big firm. I worked in tax & then moved over to audit. Now I work in private industry. You do NOT need a CPA license to represent a client in front of the IRS.

The CPA license was created to allow for independent attestation engagements. The CPA license provides an accountant with the right to audit or review a company as a certified independent party. That’s it. The CPA license itstelf has very little to do with tax preparation. There is a small portion of the CPA exam that addresses individual & corp tax prep, but the license is absolutley not required for be a recognized agent by the IRS.

For simple returns, if you have W2 wages & a schedule A a CPA will basically do the same thing you would do in preparing the return. He drops the numbers into the software & out comes a return. Granted the programs we use (like Lacerte) are very sophisticated & perform diagnostics that is well beyond the turbotax caliber software. For simple returns, you’re getting piece of mind that your return is most likely done correctly & you personally don’t have to hassle with preparing the return yourself.

Where a taxCPA really earns his keep is in the planning process – advising clients before making business decisions that have considerable tax implications. They are absolutely invaluable for planning & preparing complex returns.

But for a return like the one described at the beginning of this thread, once the year is over, we’re all just reporting on historical items. You have your pile of W2s & 1099s, the CPA will do basically the same thing you are going to do. They don’t have a magic wand.

[renterclint]

[quote=sdduuuude]There is a distinction between a CPA and an accountant that is not a CPA. A CPA can practice in front of the IRS. An accountant who is not a CPA may not practice in front of the IRS, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t good at preparing taxes, and they are likely less expensive.
[/quote]

I am a CPA. I used to work for a big firm. I worked in tax & then moved over to audit. Now I work in private industry. You do NOT need a CPA license to represent a client in front of the IRS.

The CPA license was created to allow for independent attestation engagements. The CPA license provides an accountant with the right to audit or review a company as a certified independent party. That’s it. The CPA license itstelf has very little to do with tax preparation. There is a small portion of the CPA exam that addresses individual & corp tax prep, but the license is absolutley not required for be a recognized agent by the IRS.

For simple returns, if you have W2 wages & a schedule A a CPA will basically do the same thing you would do in preparing the return. He drops the numbers into the software & out comes a return. Granted the programs we use (like Lacerte) are very sophisticated & perform diagnostics that is well beyond the turbotax caliber software. For simple returns, you’re getting piece of mind that your return is most likely done correctly & you personally don’t have to hassle with preparing the return yourself.

Where a taxCPA really earns his keep is in the planning process – advising clients before making business decisions that have considerable tax implications. They are absolutely invaluable for planning & preparing complex returns.

But for a return like the one described at the beginning of this thread, once the year is over, we’re all just reporting on historical items. You have your pile of W2s & 1099s, the CPA will do basically the same thing you are going to do. They don’t have a magic wand.

[renterclint]

[quote=sdduuuude]There is a distinction between a CPA and an accountant that is not a CPA. A CPA can practice in front of the IRS. An accountant who is not a CPA may not practice in front of the IRS, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t good at preparing taxes, and they are likely less expensive.
[/quote]

I am a CPA. I used to work for a big firm. I worked in tax & then moved over to audit. Now I work in private industry. You do NOT need a CPA license to represent a client in front of the IRS.

The CPA license was created to allow for independent attestation engagements. The CPA license provides an accountant with the right to audit or review a company as a certified independent party. That’s it. The CPA license itstelf has very little to do with tax preparation. There is a small portion of the CPA exam that addresses individual & corp tax prep, but the license is absolutley not required for be a recognized agent by the IRS.

For simple returns, if you have W2 wages & a schedule A a CPA will basically do the same thing you would do in preparing the return. He drops the numbers into the software & out comes a return. Granted the programs we use (like Lacerte) are very sophisticated & perform diagnostics that is well beyond the turbotax caliber software. For simple returns, you’re getting piece of mind that your return is most likely done correctly & you personally don’t have to hassle with preparing the return yourself.

Where a taxCPA really earns his keep is in the planning process – advising clients before making business decisions that have considerable tax implications. They are absolutely invaluable for planning & preparing complex returns.

But for a return like the one described at the beginning of this thread, once the year is over, we’re all just reporting on historical items. You have your pile of W2s & 1099s, the CPA will do basically the same thing you are going to do. They don’t have a magic wand.

[renterclint]

[quote=sdduuuude]There is a distinction between a CPA and an accountant that is not a CPA. A CPA can practice in front of the IRS. An accountant who is not a CPA may not practice in front of the IRS, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t good at preparing taxes, and they are likely less expensive.
[/quote]

I am a CPA. I used to work for a big firm. I worked in tax & then moved over to audit. Now I work in private industry. You do NOT need a CPA license to represent a client in front of the IRS.

The CPA license was created to allow for independent attestation engagements. The CPA license provides an accountant with the right to audit or review a company as a certified independent party. That’s it. The CPA license itstelf has very little to do with tax preparation. There is a small portion of the CPA exam that addresses individual & corp tax prep, but the license is absolutley not required for be a recognized agent by the IRS.

For simple returns, if you have W2 wages & a schedule A a CPA will basically do the same thing you would do in preparing the return. He drops the numbers into the software & out comes a return. Granted the programs we use (like Lacerte) are very sophisticated & perform diagnostics that is well beyond the turbotax caliber software. For simple returns, you’re getting piece of mind that your return is most likely done correctly & you personally don’t have to hassle with preparing the return yourself.

Where a taxCPA really earns his keep is in the planning process – advising clients before making business decisions that have considerable tax implications. They are absolutely invaluable for planning & preparing complex returns.

But for a return like the one described at the beginning of this thread, once the year is over, we’re all just reporting on historical items. You have your pile of W2s & 1099s, the CPA will do basically the same thing you are going to do. They don’t have a magic wand.

[Author]

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