C-Corp Sch M-2

My Sch M-2 Line 8 doesn't balance to Sch L Line 25. Prior year ending balances don't match current year beginning balances. I didn't do last years.

Is ok to make an adjustment on Sch M-2 Line 3 to force balance?

What else would you do?

If the adjustment were material, I would want to understand the reason behind the adjustment I was posting. If the difference is material, I would ask for prior years' returns.

Who did current year bookkeeping and financial statements? I have clients doing their own bookkeeping through QuickBook. They will date some transactions in prior years dates, for example 11/20/2015, or 05/05/16 by mistakes or typos or adjustments. I always ask my clients to provide current year balance sheet and prior year balance sheet for tax return. I am dealing one now.

Clients did their own bookkeeping on QBO.

I was able to in and adjust the Balance Sheet and generate financial statements for 2018 going forward.

Problem is prior preparers numbers don't jive with clients books, so I assume he just did whatever and moved on. Now I'm trying to complete return but begining balances don't match prior year ending balances per the books without making huge adjustments in other areas.

Well, if your beginning balance sheet does not equal last year's ending balance sheet, then you have a decision to make: force adjustments and take on that responsibility, or tell the client that they need to fix it and the return is not going to be filed by 10/15. This will be a complete hassle for the client, but maybe he/she will begin to understand that this stuff is important.

I just had this with a client. I chose the latter option.