Discussion:Civil and respectful responses
From TaxAlmanac
Discussion Forum Index --> Tax Questions --> Civil and respectful responses
| October 7, 2007 | |
| There has been a lot of discussion about DIYs, students, etc., how their posts can be controlled and whether they should even be allowed to post here. Some people have very strong feelings that they should not be allowed to even ask questions, and their responses to those posters get that message across very clearly. See Employee or Subcontractor. In my opinion, it does no one any good to be sarcastic or treat the OP the way Jazz was treated in that discussion. If you don't want that kind of post on the forum, then please just pass it by. | |
TheTinCook (talk|edits) said: | 7 October 2007 |
| Very good points Natalie.
The lay questions are almost recreational. I like the interesting ones, like the pilot taxation thread from the other day. It looks like it is the "fast elephants"/Pub 17 questions that are getting to members. My one concern involves the DIY's that are just in over there head. This thread for example. The poster had no clue about what was going on. I was afraid that providing more then cursory answers would encourage the OP to try and DIY it in a half-assed way. It would be tragic if the OP got into trouble because she wouldn't consult face to face with a local professional. Besides, I don't think that anybody here has the time to teach what amounts to be a course on partnerships for free. Nor should they be expected to. I don't mind students and there homework as long as they aren't lazy or dishonest. Anyone else getting worried about accountant's karma? | |
| 7 October 2007 | |
| Jazzbo01 starts his post by saying he would like a holiday bonus like last year. Sounds like he still works there. Later on says he no longer works there after using the F & S word numerous times. He cleans home toilets with a college background in astrophysics. I think that post should be removed. Was it a joke?? | |
| 7 October 2007 | |
| Natalie, I am in complete agreement with your basic premise. However, I think if you will read over Jazz's posts very carefully, you will see inconsistencies everywhere. Frankly, I still think he's playing games. First he's a student, then he's already graduated as an astro-physics major. He gives a huge fact pattern, and only much later brings in the (new?) fact that there is an independent contractor agreement. All the signs of someone with no respect for the board, and most likely trying to make fools of everyone who responds to him. I think it was a joke, and meant to be a joke from the beginning. | |
| 7 October 2007 | |
| I wondered the same thing. If one person can have multiple logins, as has been suggested before, then these posts might be the work of some poor sap with too much time on his hands. | |
| 7 October 2007 | |
| Why are you all focusing on only 1 poster?
You've got the guy who wants to fudge the number on his tax return so he could get the maximum Form 2555 exclusion while also getting the EIC - and expects us to give him the ok, a real estate person coming to us for advice on a minor child's scholarship when he consults with CPAs for real estate transactions, a complainer complaining about paying his former accountant $ 9500 for an S Corp return with tax payment issues, and a whole host of others that last week Philly Tax posted about that didn't seem to matter to most of you (except to tell him to "see ya" or "lighten up"). It's been TWO WEEKS since we last heard from Tim Doyle (who was SUPPOSED TO HAVE toyed with some templates over that weekend) in changing things. Another few months will go by and he'll come up with another idea for us to give him suggestions - and when we do - he'll conveniently walk away without making a decision about changing the posting and responding policies on this board. Don't you realize by this time that these DIY's don't tell you all the facts on the first post and expect the responder to know what's in the back of their minds? So if Jazzoo's post is fake (which it PROBABLY IS) until things get changed on this board, posts like his will most likely continue. | |
Death&Taxes (talk|edits) said: | 7 October 2007 |
| Sam: I was surprised to see you respond to him, and with the best and most accurate answer that was given. Yet I wonder why few get upset when supposed professionals ask fairly simple questions like some I see today. | |
| October 8, 2007 | |
| I didn't mean to stir up the hornets nest, and maybe I missed a couple of inconsistencies in the Jazz post. When I read it, I could empathize with him because I've had people come to me with this very question, and they don't realize they're getting the short end of the stick. Going through that discussion, however, was like witnessing a school-yard fight, and I just think it could have been handled differently. | |
Bottom Line (talk|edits) said: | 8 October 2007 |
| Natalie, I had the same reaction you did. | |
| 8 October 2007 | |
| Natalie, I was referring to D&T's remark about people getting upset at so-called-professionals who ask the simplist of questions that anyone taking the basic H&R Block Intro to Tax course could answer. You've got to wonder about the value of their credentials - and if I had the same credentials I'd be worried that the public would think mine to be worthless too. | |
