Take charge of tax returns

Dear Amy: My boyfriend’s dad is a CPA, with decades of experience. A few years ago he offered to do my taxes, due to the sudden complexity because of an inheritance. I was using cheap software for very basic returns.

He has consistently made mistakes that have cost me quite a bit. He left off a major account distribution one year; this should have been easily caught by him.

When I discussed the mistake with him, he never acknowledged it was due to his error, nor did he offer to pay the interest I owed.

This year, I decided to start filing my taxes again on my own. I found out he had given me incorrect advice for all of these years regarding paying my estimated taxes.

He told me it was a suggestion to pay the estimated taxes, but it’s actually required! Again, the software would have told him this and also would have given him the penalty amount I owed.

Not once did he mention the penalty I owed and it’s not on any of the returns he gave me, after filing.

I am upset and feel that he should reimburse me for these mistakes. He offered to do my taxes, he gave me incorrect advice and he never mentioned the penalties I was charged.

When I contacted him to tell him I didn’t realize I was being charged penalties, I heard nothing back.

My boyfriend believes I should not ask to be reimbursed because although his dad offered to do my taxes, he never charged me for the services rendered. What is your opinion?

Taxed

Dear Taxed: You get what you pay for.

In my opinion, your boyfriend’s father does not owe you for mistakes he made.

These tax returns are filed under your name, with information you supply. You should review them and do your due diligence on taxes and penalties before signing and submitting the returns.

The IRS requirements on estimated taxes are clear and readily available.

Penalties should show up on a line on your return, but when reviewing your return, you might have looked only at the “bottom line.”

If you had hired this CPA and signed a contract, he also would have signed your returns, and the IRS could penalize him for making avoidable mistakes, but you are still on the hook.

Dear Amy: My wife of 30plus years won’t stop flirting with a man who works for her. He is also married and flirts back.

What bothers me is he has slept with at least one other woman in her office.

He told her that his wife refused to have sex with him.

I have seen texts from both of them, by accident.

They do dinners and meetings outside work when spouses are “unavailable.”

I told her this needs to stop. She claims he’s a friend and she needs his help.

She refuses marriage counseling. I recently learned that she had an affair with another co-worker. She refuses to talk about that as it was over 20 years.

I love her but can’t take this disrespect any longer.

In reality, as I near retirement, I feel I have wasted the best years of my life.

Any suggestions?

Dear Distraught:

The best years of your life could be ahead.

You will feel better if you take some of your power back. See a lawyer, commit to counseling and start making choices that are in your best interests.