Frequently Asked Questions

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We are a proactive, planning firm.  That means we go above and beyond preparing a tax return.  Our hope is that you have a good idea of what your tax liability is BEFORE we even start working on it.  We also hope you learn a thing or two from us about how to improve your financial situation.  

The tax laws are numerous and confusing, but they also provide some support for you if you know where to look.  To that end, we encourage you to contact us before year-end with questions, concerns, and changes in your life that may alter your expectations.  (See Tax Calendar below)  Most planning is only effective if done prior to 12/31.

Lastly, we are willing to work with paper for you; but the vast majority of our clients work with us electronically.  We provide a Client Portal through our TaxDome software.  The Portal serves as an electronic filing cabinet for us and our clients.  You will be able to find your source documents like W2s, etc. as well as emails between us and your final tax documents.  That way, you can always pull what you need in the future.  NEVER SEND US ACCOUNT INFORMATION OR OTHER SENSITIVE PERSONAL DATA OVER EMAIL.

Maybe.  In most cases, your tax documents speak for themselves; but we may need to speak with you via email, over the phone, or in-person depending on the complexity of your situation and our familiarity with it.  We try to be as efficient as possible by covering as much as we can in a short amount of time.  That serves two purposes: 1) it reduces our invoice to you; and 2) it means we aren't redoing your return or plan, which results in confusion and additional cost.  With that said, we will always take the time to explain what is reflected in your documents. 

You can find a short list of forms and agreements for your review and completion here.  All clients must complete a new Client Agreement each year.

We encourage you to print out the documents that apply to you (or we can mail you hard copies) and fill them out to the best of your ability.  It's not a test, so don't stress over sections that you may not understand or do not apply to you.  We will let you know if we need more information.

After we get your file (including all tax documents that you believe we need), we will send you questions to help us fill in the blanks.  At that time, we will request any documentation that may be missing.

 It depends on the following factors:

• When you receive your tax documents from the various reporting agencies. If you have no investment accounts or K-1s, we may be able to complete your return in February.  The longer it takes to receive all needed documentation, the later in the season it will be before your return is completed.
• When you send us your information.  We typically complete returns on a first come first serve basis.  If we do not have everything we need to complete your return by 3/23, then we may file an extension.  
• How complex your return really is.  There are a lot of moving parts in many returns, and a taxpayer's return can vary greatly from one year to the next.  If we do not feel that we have a good grasp on the numbers in the return, we will not rush it.
• How many times we need to return to you for answers.  The more time we spend on a return, the more opportunity for errors.  We prefer to extend returns that are vulnerable to mistakes or where the taxpayer has made more than a few updates to their information.
• Whether or not you are getting a refund.  We do our best to give clients expecting a refund some priority in the finalization of their documents, but a refund alone will not move you ahead in the queue.
• Whether or not you need the return promptly for some purpose.  Sometimes a taxpayer needs a return for a loan or the like.  We will do our best to get a return done in those cases, but keep in mind that many banks and institutions will accept a draft or estimate signed by your CPA.  It's no reason to rush a return and potentially create an issue with the IRS.

 We will efile your return upon receipt of your signed forms 8879 (we need those for our files to confirm that you approved us to efile your return) and a paid invoice. 

The cost of return preparation varies greatly as all of our clients have very different needs.  The following are things that will increase the complexity of your return:

•   Multiple jobs whether W-2, 1099, or self-employed;
•   Children;
•   Paying Tuition;
•   Charitable donations;
•   Owning a small business;
•   Reportable investment activity;
•   And just about anything else you can think of.

There are things you can do to reduce the time it takes to complete your return and thus, how much we charge:

•  Tax planning during the calendar year;
•  Sending all of your documents electronically;
•  Promptly answering our questions; and
•  Being organized.

Extensions receive a bad rap in some circles, but they are really pretty great.  Tax returns are complex, and you are not the only client we work for.  If a return is becoming more complex than expected, if you are missing a document that you need, or if it's getting later in the season and we are just plain tired, it makes sense to file an extension after coming up with a reasonable estimate.  You should always make an estimated payment with your extension if we believe you will owe tax. 

Yes! We understand that it's easy to get overwhelmed and behind on filing. But, it will be less painful to deal with any known issues now than waiting until you start receiving IRS notices. 

If you are already receiving IRS notices we encourage you to contact us ASAP. You may have more options than you think!