Hi to anyone who remembers me from a couple of years ago. In 2001 to 2003 I wondered if I would ever be able to work again. (Didn't work from start of of 1997 to late 2004) Thanks to the program, friends on this forum, and effort I reentered the work force in late 2004 fulltime. For about six months I didn't miss any work except for illness such as a virus. Then in mid 2005 I began missing an average of a day a month, sometimes two days a month of work.

I was and still am working as an accountant/bookkeeper for a sole proprietor. The missing work has never threatened my position. I'm not totally in touch with the reason why the thinking comes up which causes me to miss work, but a large part of the reason is due to what I have discovered about the bookkeeping before I arrived and how it continues to impact the present day accounting materially. Although my what-ifs are more grounded in reality, i.e. what if we don't get the 1099s out at the end of the year like last year, what if the IRS comes as a result of the poor accounting in prior years, what if my boss doesn't heed my warnings about the law and what it requires, they are still what-ifs. I also think that worry was a problem at times and the missing work makes that obvious. I've always been able to work through it, although not as fast as I would have liked to.

The reality of the situation is that the person in charge of the accounting, that is the person who says yay or nay to my advice, knows nothing about it, has no training in it. I've told my boss that we need to go back three years to correct overstatement of expenses which occurred before I came, adjust the books, and he is required by law to file amended tax returns for those years. His response is it doesn't benefit him. After threatening to leave he agreed to have a CPA come in and we discussed it with him and he affirmed what I had already advised. But the boss refuses to take his or my advice. There are a multitude of other items which impact the books, a few which are illegal, but only slightly material. I have advised my boss and the office manager of these things, but they choose to filter out what they don't want to hear.

Today I told them they had thirty days to replace me, that I was done with it. They just don't get it and probably never will, unless the IRS does come and I think there is a very good chance they will in the next 10 months.

I am okay with my decision and am very relieved that I won't be having to live with the "mess" their books are in and won't have to concern myself with trying to talk sense into them anymore.

I am very confident in my abilities and know fully what I am speaking of in regards to the work siutaion I am leaving. It is my hope and belief there are people in the business world who want to do things right, in general, who I won't have near as much conflict with. I don't feel like a failure here. It was a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a business as the head accountant and grow with it, but that really never materialzed. I was never really in control of the accounting.

I think I have become considerable more negative as a result of this job experience and that is another reason I decided to leave. It seemed impossible to maintain a positive attitude with the person I worked for, her personality, and the control she and the owner (her brother) exerted over the employees. The lady has a 47 year old daughter who is totally dependent on her for support due to her controlling behavior.

So, most of this sounds negative, but I don't know how to express it any other way. I know that I have anger issues I still need to work on and I questioned myself if this was much of my problem with this job. I honestly don't believe it was and my wife confirms that.

Sorry for the long post. I am fully confident in my abilities, as I said, and dont' fear either looking for another job or going into the accounting/tax business on my own. I also don't have much anger or resentment towards these folks. I'm simply trying to succeed and seeking the most diect path I know of to achieve success. If anyone has any comments, feel free to post. Thanks.

Don

Hi, I am new to this so I don't remember you however, it sounds like you've made a right choice with changing jobs. It is really a positive that you are going to find something that will make you feel better professionally and with your spirit. Sometimes a situation is really negative, it doesn't make you negative to realize that is what is really going on. Best of luck in finding new employment.

Don, I have been a bookkeeper for a sole proprietor CPA for 22 years. I know how stressful the job is because it is so deadline driven and the consequences always cost $$$$$$.

I too have experienced the same type problems you experienced. It makes me crazy when a client is outright lying and I know it. It's amazing how I do their tax return based on the information they provide me, and then when they don't like the amount they owe, they miraculously "find" thousands more in expenses to wipe out the tax.

The good thing about my work though, is that it is made very clear, up front, that any work I do is strictly based on the information they give me. The ultimate responsibility is in THEIR hands. It's not quite like that when you work directly for the company.

I think you did the right thing. You know the principles and laws. You would be much happier, I think, starting your own business or at least working for a CPA. That way you can do an engagement letter with each client making it clear that you are doing the work based on the information THEY provide. This will protect you.

The CPA I work for only does compilation financial statements. (Well, I am actually the one doing all the work ) If you decided to work for one that does Reviews and Audits, you will find yourself in that same stressful situation you just got out of. I would just stick with write up, tax returns and maybe payroll. (I hate payroll.)

I know from experience when you have a client that is pushing you to go against the laws and principles, you can't sleep well and there's this underlying anxiety in all that you do. It's just not worth it.

I know there's plenty of work out there for you and there are plenty of people who will be thrilled to know you stand by your principles. You're the one they will trust to handle their books and tax matters.

I wish you all the best

KJC
Thank you for your kind post. It was very thoughtful of you to say what you did. I appreciate it. I hope the program and forum will be of significant benefit to you in your journey. They both helped me a great deal in understanding myself a lot better and learning to accept myself as I am. Learning to love myself for who I am, with my strengths and my weaknesses, was key to me getting better and remains key to my staying functional. I wish you the best.

skippy,

I am pleasantly surprised to find someone in my field post a reply. It's great that you have worked for the same person/business for so many years. I envy that.

What I find to be so "crazy" or "insane" about this position and the people I work for is that I am viewed as the person with the "problems" not them. It's all "my thing". True, I do have problems. But, when you have overstated expenses by a quarter million dollars on only $700,000 of income over two years, I think they have a serious problem as well. One they choose to "filter" out because the IRS hasn't come knockin' yet. However, this problem and others as well which either violate IRS code or Generally Accepted Accounting Principles is the primary reason for my missing the work that I have. I simply don't operate at my best and sometimes not well at all when I feel I am being coerced to violate my own ethical and moral standards of conduct.

I understand why the daughter is so messed up. I think she's been manipulated like I think I am being manipulated. It's very strange how "nice" these folks are when I am ready to walk, even going so far as bringing in a CPA to discuss things. It was a very strange meeting with the CPA. Only myself and the CPA talked. The boss and office manager were totally silent. But, nothing has changed. And ofcourse, it is "all my problem". lol. I knew what the CPA would say.

I am very confident in my abilities and one benefit of this job has been that it has been a confidence builder.

At the same time, I know we all have blind areas and I would like to see things as objectively as possible. I don't see these folks as bad people, but there are issues with the law and GAAP which they refuse to address.

Thank you for your post and the encouragement. I wish you the best also.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Don57,