Accountants Revenue and Covid.

In sole practice here.

On Revenue, resolutions to queries have never been faster. I've had MyEnquiries sometimes answered within hours, usually within a day or two. Also I feel Revenue had stepped up to the mark here. The getting of money to people via the TWSS, EWSS & now CRSS has been greatly enabled by their tech. I wonder what would have happened had PMOD not happened when it did as that system enabled a lot to be done.

On clients I have some that were not affected other than changes to comply with Covid regulations and are trading away ok through it all, a lot were hit by lockdown one but bounced back in the summer and while restricted now again seem to be managing and feel confident enough. Some though who've had to remain closed are a worry. I have had more conversations with people about early retirement than ever. Those that could never take a day off suddenly found in lockdown that they quite enjoyed the time off and have not reverted to 24/7/365.

On records, we've done ok in fact some are never so up to date as they've had the time to do stuff that might have been left slide in an ordinary year. Waiting for a couple to come back for filing and we're done with 2019. Companies all up to date with next ARDS not 'til the spring. A lot of work has gone into the various relief packages. Payroll & support for the TWSS/EWSS has been time consuming enough and also the compliance checks but they got done. Managed with almost no in-person discussions. Email/phone/Zoom sorted most of it. It was only recently I realised that a lot of it is because I didn’t get the usual holidays. Since Covid hit have had 8 workdays off and in fairness am feeling weary now.

On money well ok it's been slow but we're managing and not having to beg. Many of these people have kept us in business for 30 years so leeway is needed and to be fair I feel we got info to people as soon as possible on what was available to them and have kept the phone open throughout for support and I feel that has been reciprocated.

My story may or not be typical, will be interesting to see others experience. Thanks for starting this thread.

Sorry lads but I kinda have to disagree (I work in practice).

Yes, we clean up everything for Revenue, but we wouldn’t have a job without Revenue or the Companies Act. Yes, they are a pain, but its also a revenue stream.

Direct phone line is a great shout. Sure you can speak to someone in the PAYE section.

Generally, accountants need to improve their billing and actually charge client's for what we do. we don’t charge enough for all the little things we do. Solicitors would go to town and charge an arm and a leg.

They drive our business!!! People wouldn’t file tax returns or prepare financial statements without them. They do it because it’s law.

Mechanic’s give out about NCT’s but again NCT’s helps to generate income for them.

berettaman wrote: »

Also received a CV where fortnite is listed as both a hobby and an IT skill.:D

Is Super Mario no longer a thing so under IT skills ? Looks like I may need some upskilling

fortnite probably more believable than our current work loads.

PPA agreements for companies who are closed due to Covid are now taking up my time. How can Revenue and the client agree on a payment scheme, when the company has zero income (apart from CRSS). Never mind the impossible VAT questions and that fact everyone wants their audits done ASAP but using covid as an excuse for not providing information. Interesting times.

Found a receipt for sexy lingerie about 15 years ago which was a hot topic of conversation in the office for a while.

Found maggots in another box of records. Partner in charge threw the records straight in the bin!!!

Stratvs wrote: »

What are the strangest things you found in a box/bag of records that came in?

Here
1) part eaten bacon sandwich
2) draft of a love letter from an elderly bachelor farmer to ...?
3) not strange but certainly happens often - unopened Revenue letters

berettaman wrote: »

4. Shopping lists with money-returned.

You don't do click and collect so

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

This would actually be a good topic for a thread of it’s own!

One client (sole trader) used to send us in receipts for EVERYTHING. They were frugal enough with money but receipts for grocery shopping, buying clothes in Dunnes, a loaf of bread and litre of milk in the petrol station - kept everything!

I sometimes think it's better to have more than needed and discard the rest than be missing stuff that's needed. But it can be a pain. They probably use the FID system of filing which is still quite common among older folk. We also get biscuit tins with the receipts in. No biscuits, just receipts. Although usually they are Afternoon Tea tins, not those cheap ones:D

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

For preparing VAT returns I get people chancing their arm - personal hotel stays, household appliances, gardening and power tools, electronic devices in Aug (school/college) and Dec (Christmas).

Receipts/invoices with dates around Christmas week are often great fun to whittle out. Jewellers, off-licences, Smyths Toys, Curry's etc. Multiple PCs and iPads each year. How many of those does a carpenter really need !!


(FID = Fired Into a Drawer )

berettaman wrote: »

I have been thinking about this post.
There is a tonne of stuff that we do for clients as accountants in practice that we don't charge for.
Met an accountant a few years ago that mapped everything he did for clients in a year on an excel sheet and he used to have a menu of fees for clients. CSO survey form €30, salary cert for employee, €30 etc
It all adds up!

Menu of fee’s is a good idea, especially for the smaller stuff. I might borrow that idea. Thanks

Do think, the younger generation will force accountants to be more transparent on fees. Bookkeeping can be done cheaper and cheaper. Clients don't see value and it’s up to us to justify our fees.

On the plus side, audit fees should increase.