News

During the year, I collect articles for my web-guy to post to appropriate places throughout my website.  I won't list each article here but just know that they are out there for you to find and enjoy.  Although the update process goes on year-round, it is concentrated between December and March to coincide and bring you current with the start of each new tax season.

The most significant visual change has been the addition of drop-down menus. As my website grows, navigation becomes increasingly important. Therefore, both the Top and Main menus have been fitted with drop-downs, which allow you to go directly to subcategories within a page.  Hovering your cursor over the menu items automatically displays the submenu tabs available on that page; these are clickable and will take you directly to the desired subcategory.

Other notable changes include:

• The update of old and the addition of new FAQ's. REMINDER:  FAQs are listed numerically in categories on the FAQ page and, where appropriate, cross-referenced and linked in the sidebar of other pages with related subject matter.
• Tax Ratestables for the 2019 tax year have been added.
• The Client Tax Packet has been updated for the 2019 tax year with a link on Home page.
• Tax Due Dates andState Infopages have been updated for the 2019 and 2020 tax years. .
• There are new or updated links to other websites or PDF's throughout the site which are color-labeled as either New or Updated respectively and will remain labeled for 30 days from the original posted date.
• Scheduled Presentations and other offerings  are listed in the sidebar of Teaching page.

I have introduced a new Help page which provides advice on How to file your tax returns, pay your balances due, resolve a collections issue, prepare for an audit, or hire help for any one of the myriad tasks involved in dealing with the federal and state tax authorities. It's a collection of useful links and helpful tips for all things procedural.

• A new Help item was added to the menu at the top replacing the FAQ item. FAQ's have been moved from a tab on the Tax Info. page to a tab on the Help page. Additionally, a graphic link to FAQ's has been added to the sidebar of the Home page for easy access.
• Help can also be access from the bullseye of the Pinwheel menu on the Home page replacing the Tax Info. bullseye.
• Both the Help and FAQ pages can also be accessed from the hidden side information menu:

During the year I collect articles for my web guy to post to appropriate places throughout my website. I won't itemize these here but just know that they are out there for you to find and enjoy. The update process goes on year-round but is concentrated between December and March for each new tax year. This year there are over 30 of these new posts as well as the regular updates listed below:

• Added new FAQ's and updated a few others.
• Added Tax Rates tables for the 2018 tax year.
• Client Tax Packet updated for the 2018 Tax Year (link on Home page).
• Updated Tax Due Dates andState Info page for the 2018 and 2019 tax years.
• There are new or updated links to other websites or PDF's throughout the site which are color-labeled as either New or Updated respectively and will remain labeled for 30 days from the original posted date.
• Updated Scheduled Presentations offerings in the sidebar on the Teaching page.
• I continually update the Scam page (available through the News page or the Fraud & Scams button on the sidebar of the Home page) to collect and display links, articles and warnings about fradulent activity and phone numbers.
• I maintain a database of comments and quotes received from clients and practitioners. On each page of my website, in a grey box below the main topic, I display one to three quotes which I find pertinent to the page. Quotes are changed out periodically during my update period.

I've praised my web-guru again and again in this column and elsewhere; I've sung his praises to anyone who will listen. I'll do it again now…

A while back, I added several Specialty pages to my website to take advantage of some of my areas of expertise and share that knowledge with site users in an informative and consolidated manner. Then, I added more pages. And soon it became obvious that I needed a better navigation system on the Home page to guide folks to the new content. Sure, the menu buttons atop and the site menu at the bottom of each page would do the trick. But I was spoiled. I loved the 4-blade pinwheel that my web guy had designed years ago. It was as useful as it was eye-catching. Now I just wanted a navigation fan that could accommodate another blade.

"It can't be done."

I love it when my web designer utters those words. That means that I just have to wait patiently and soon my wish – however insignificant or substantial – will be granted. Like any good fairy godmother or genie in a bottle, my guy will come through. This time was no different; just sooner. To be fair, my designer had already thought of the idea and allowed it to germinate. That's what makes him all the more valuable. He thinks.

His original design was created so that every location throughout the site could be accessed in any number of ways, without unsightly redundancy and without causing the user to lose his place. The result was a unique, functional and visually pleasing design. The new and improved version 2 is now animated, prettier, and even more useful; worthy of note!

• Two new tabs have been added to the Specialty page:
  • Seniors
  • Peer to Peer
  While these areas of specialization are not new, the Pages are. Like the other Specialty pages, information and links have been gathered, grouped and duplicated from other pages throughout my site. Links to these pages are also available from the Services page.
• The addition of new Pages also allows for the inclusion of additional client Quotes. Each page contains a section below the pages' main body used to display these communications from clients, prospects, tax professionals and general users of my website.
• Added a new IRS e-file Refund Cycle Chart for 2017 to the Due Dates page.
• Facebook buttons have been add in the left-hand margin of each page. Feel free to click these if you find something on the page to your liking.
• On the Home page in the Tax Preparation blade of the navigation fan, I've added a link on the new P2P page. It is labeled "For Tax Pros". This new page contains a login "splash"
  to allow access to the Private pages.
• The site map shown at the bottom of each page has been updated to incorporate and more accurately display the changes made to the navigation of the website.

Throughout every year, I work with my brilliant web-guru in an ongoing effort to make an already great website even better.  My goal is to provide information to casual internet browsers, fellow practitioners, taxpayers seeking specific explanations and my clients in a clear, concise and user-friendly manner.  Since I am probably the most frequent visitor to my website – often visiting the site as many as a dozen times a day, I have ample opportunity to note what works and what doesn’t.  And because I’m lucky to have the most responsive web-guy at my disposal, I have the luxury of making suggestions, asking for creative solutions and demanding immediate changes.  It is then that my guru shines!  If I so much as ask whether we might do this or include that, my designer’s immediate response is “No!”  I’ve long learned that his knee-jerk reply is merely his way of saying, “Hmm.  I’ll think about it.”  And soon my vague ideas take concrete shape as my guy rises to the challenge and inevitably turns the original “no” into “It’s done.”  Yes, it’s always done – never once has a design wish remain unfulfilled!  And so, again, this year.  There were many big and small changes; here’s a list of the most relevant:

• Clients may securely send any supporting documents or tax data to me from the Contact page by clicking the Upload Files button in the sidebar. This link will display an upload portal onto which you can drag and drop any files from your computer.
• Created a new page for diplaying Slide-show presentations from the Teaching page. Simply click on any of the links under the Lecture & Slide Presentations heading for an audio/visual recorded presentation.
• Scroll menus on FAQ's and News pages have been added to the sidebar to help with navigating to specific links in the body of the page. The scroll menu should maintain its position on the page as you navigate the page body.
• I have employed the Constant Contact email service to disseminate information about pertinent tax code changes, tax deadlines and scheduled teaching or webinar events, as well as highlight links to my website including special links that might otherwise be "hidden" on the website.
• I periodically publish articles through Facebook and LinkedIn and have received positive feedback from users of these social media purveyors, as well as Yelp, in the form of "Likes", re-posts, messages and personal notes. Please feel free to click on the links in the Copyright section at the bottom of every page of my website to participate.

Following is a summary of additional changes and updates:

• Added new FAQ's and updated a few others.
• Also note new entries on my Blog page.
• Added Tax Rates tables for the 2016 tax year.
• Client Tax Packet updated for the 2016 Tax Year (link on Home page).
• Updated Tax Due Dates page for the 2016 and 2017 tax years.
• There are new or updated links to other websites or PDF's throughout the site. As a reminder, new links are color-labeled as New and PDF's as Updated which will remain color-labeled for 30 days.
• Minor changes and updates were made to Office Policies.
• Updated Scheduled Presentations offerings in the sidebar on the Teaching page.
• Be sure to check out On the Lighter Side for funny stuff. A new “Click me” invitation was added to the happy face in the header.
• I continually update the Scam page (available through the News page or the Fraud & Scams button on the sidebar of the Home page) to collect and display links, articles and warnings about fradulent activity and phone numbers.

The user Comments feature (January 26, 2016 entry), which we'll now call the Information menu, was expanded to include other informational links: Request an appointment, Login, Inquire form, and FAQ's. Of these, only the Appointment Request is new. The other links simply provide alternative navigation to preexisting features.

Look toward the upper right of this page (or any page on this site) and notice the yellow "i" on a blue background. Placing your cursor over this image will expand the link to allow you to click and enter a comment.

Use this feature to make comments, offer suggestions, vent your frustrations, or share a friendly message. Your input will be taken to heart and your message – although subject to editorial review – will be posted. When posted, your posting will remain anonymous.

I often receive compliments regarding the depth and breadth of the tax information available on my website, while others marvel at the ease with which this material can be accessed. In an ongoing effort to maintain this paradox, I periodically make structural and navigational changes to my ever-growing site. This year is no exception. The Main and Top menus in the header of every page have changed:

• The text on the menus highlights to  yellow  for the currently displayed page making it more readily apparent where you are on the site. For example, right now it displays News.
• Hovering the cursor over a menu item (button or link) will display a drop-down list with the topics available on that page without having to physically go to that page.
• While there are still only six buttons on the Main menu, the Services button has been more appropriately moved to the Top menu where the Contact and About links reside. It has been replace with the Specialties button which used to be inconspicuously hidden on the Home and Services pages.
  • The Specialties page consolidates all topic-specific links from other pages into one place. There are currently four Specialized Areas of Practice listed:
    • Non-resident Aliens, Expatriates & Americans Abroad Foreign
    • Estate, Gift & Fiduciary Taxes Estate & Gift
    • Small Business Taxation Small Business
    • Investment related material Investments
• The Tax Info. button has been moved to a more prominent position in the second slot next to the the Home button.
• On the top menu, the Sign in link has been relegated to the sidebar on the Home page as and replaced by a Payment link.

Following is a summary of additional changes and updates:

• Added new FAQ's and updated a few others.
• Added Tax Rates tables for the 2015 tax year as well as the Federal Tax table for 2016.
• Client Tax Packet updated for the 2015 Tax Year (link on Home page).
• Updated Tax Due Dates page for the 2015 and 2016 tax years.
  Be sure to click these links after the tables for some interesting information:
       • When Age Matters
       • When to Expect Informational Returns
• There are new or updated links to other websites or PDF's throughout the site which are color-labeled as either New or Updated respectively and will remain labeled for 30 days.
• Minor changes and updates were made to Office Policies including a new section labeled "Timeliness".
• Updated Scheduled Presentations offerings in the sidebar on the Teaching page.
• Be sure to check out On the Lighter Side for funny stuff. Accessed by clicking the smiley face
  in the header.
• I continually update the Scam page (available through the News page or the Fraud & Scams button on the sidebar of the Home page) to collect and display links, articles and warnings about fradulent activity and phone numbers.

• Added Investments page to the specialty pages. This page consolidates all Investment links in one place.
• Added Travel, Dumb, Perspective and Hincklisch pages to the On the Lighter Side section with loads of new content. Rather than describing the content, just click, read and laugh.
• Can you name all 36 pages currently available on this website? Have you read all 750 thousand words? Do you know where the 500+ links go to? If you need to find something specific, use the Search page accessed from the top of every page. All words, in all the content are newly indexed and available for search. [if you want a list of all pages, simply search for "Your Taxpayer Advocate". Every page uses this phrase in the title.]
• There is one additional exciting feature added to the site. While it may be a technical marvel, it may not be all that practical for my individual clients, but I thought I'd offer it and let you be the judge. First, you've got to Login using your userID and Password to see it. When you do, a new button above the Home button will immediately become visible. This button will take you to your very own Private page. This page allows you to take links that you find useful on other pages and consolidate them on your own little corner of the site. Instructions are included on the page. Just play with it and see if you find it useful. If not, no harm done—the links will just stay there. Have fun.

With the opening of the tax season, January is of course a busy time for me.  I’m in the throes of preparing to ensure that my office is ready for you and that things go smoothly.  One of my many tasks involves updating my website:  There are new links, updated links, updated tax tables and changed forms as well as lots of new content. There are also new pages (including this one) and others that have been restructured. I ask that you please be patient during this update process. Every attempt is made to maintain or even improve site navigation so that you won't get lost and will find everything you need, want or even imagined. However, if you do find a glaring omission or lose your place, please let me know; I’ll be sure to pass your comments on to my web-guru who is the genius behind this internet masterpiece and responds promptly to my every request.

Below is a summary of the changes made:

• Added four (5) new FAQ's and updated a few others.
• Added Tax Rates tables for the 2014 tax year as well as the Federal Tax table for 2015.
• Client Tax Packet updated (link on Home page).
• Updated Tax Due Dates and Scheduled Presentations.
• Restructured the Payments page and added an introductory paragraph.
• Relabeled Registration to Sign up to more closely reflect its purpose.
• Created a new "Specialty Pages" page accessed from new links on the Services page. These pages consolidate all topic-specific links from other pages into one place. There are currently three Specialized Areas of Practice listed:
  • Non-resident Aliens, Expatriates & Americans Abroad Foreign
  • Estate, Gift & Fiduciary Taxes Estate & Gift
  • Small Business Taxation Small Business
• There are new or updated links to other websites or PDF's throughout the site which are color-labeled as either "New" or "Updated"
• Minor changes and updates were made to Office Policies.
• Updated CE course offerings in the sidebar on the Teaching page.
• Added a new section to the website called On the Lighter Side accessed by way of the smiley face in the header.
• Created a Scam page (available through the News page) to collect and display links, articles and warnings about fradulent activity.