Fifth Day of Work

My post titles could use some zazz...

I've begun to realize that I work on some really strange clients. I worked yesterday, Valentine's Day, for 8 hours. I did what I usually do, which was work on tax returns. I learn so much each day, though, because every person's situation is different.

Last week I worked on a return for someone who had 5 mortgages. To college students, getting a single mortgage in several years from now is enough to think about. But five mortgages--is that not a bit excessive?

Strangely enough, the next day of work brought a case which was just the opposite. The excessive-income client submitted documentation showing 8 (eight) sources of income. I wrote the word after the number to show you that "8" is no typo. I once had 2 sources of income... and I thought I had it good. When your two sources of income pay you $9 and $10 per hour, though, some of the magic gets lost. This client, assuredly, was no wage worker. In that "8" figure I haven't included income sources for interest, dividend, or other investment income, either.

I wonder if it's because clients like these have very strange financial situations that they employ the help of some seriously qualified accountants. I'm not referring to myself, yet. Some day, though...

I took Managerial Accounting (ACCT-241) at American University in Spring 2008 with Professor Sue Marcum. On the first day of class, she gave each student a mechanical pencil because a lot of students normally use pens for all their writing. She required the use of pencil on all tests and quizzes. As she was handing me a green pencil (I told her that pink was not my color), she noticed that the eraser had fallen out of said pencil. She quickly retreated her arm and said, "Oh, that one doesn't have an eraser. You're a future CPA- you need an eraser." It's true that I do a lot of erasing working in the accounting field.

That comment, though, made an impression on me. I'd thought about accounting as a profession at that point already, but this comment got me thinking, "yeah- maybe I can actually do this for a living."

I declared my Accounting specialization shortly thereafter. Thanks Prof. : )