Discrimination lawsuits

[Arthur Rubin]

I was just wondering if any tax preparers who have "difficult client" fees have been sued under antidiscrimination laws, the client claiming the fee increase being due to membership in a protected class, rather than for just being a pain in the ass.

[The Observer]

Wouldn't it be easier to get rid of said clients by simply completing their return and showing that they owe several hundred million in taxes? At that point they may simply conclude that the preparer is incompetent and take their business elsewhere.

[Judge Roy Bean]

I was just wondering if any tax preparers who have "difficult client" fees have been sued under antidiscrimination laws, the client claiming the fee increase being due to membership in a protected class, rather than for just being a pain in the ass.

Why even itemize them?

[notorial dissent]

Yeah, just double the fee and then not accept them back.

[webhick]

We just used to not return their calls for future work.

[webhick]

I was just wondering if any tax preparers who have "difficult client" fees have been sued under antidiscrimination laws, the client claiming the fee increase being due to membership in a protected class, rather than for just being a pain in the ass.

Is being "difficult" a protected class? Is it because of a mental illness or something?

[rogfulton]

About 12 years ago, I had a woman come in wanting to file as head of household. The software we were using required entering the social security number of the primary taxpayer to begin the process and it brought up an existing return that had already been submitted.

It turns out that her husband had already filed as head of household through our same office and had listed her (with ssn) as someone who could also claim the children listed on his return. When I asked her about it she said yeah, that's how they had been filing for a number of years - he claims two of the kids, she claims the other two. She also added that they didn't file jointly because they attended different universities and lived apart for the school year.

When I told I would not be able to file her return that way, she got a bit abusive. I told her I would be happy to amend her husband's return at no charge (he was sitting there next to her), they both started getting loud. As we were in a kiosk inside a WalMart, this caught the attention of store security. After I returned her paperwork, they were escorted from the store and told they were banned from returning.

As they were leaving, the husband turned back to me and threatened a discrimination lawsuit. I handed him one of my cards and told him "please do". As soon as they were gone, I gave their information to my manager and she notified the IRS. Needless to say, I never heard anything more about it but I have no idea if the company did.