Taxes, Bookkeeping & Payroll Services

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. Our most common clients are individuals needing their taxes done or small businesses needing taxes, bookkeeping, or payroll. The businesses we work for typically have 1-2 owners and 100 or less employees. We are happy to help anybody that needs our help though.

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. When looking to find a tax preparer, the single most important thing is to make sure they are Registered Return Preparers with the IRS. This means that they are honest, reliable, and up-to-date with their continuing education. Find out what associations they belong to, ask them how often they take continuing education classes, and see if they have any customer reviews. Tax law changes all the time and it's important to seek out someone who stays current.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. Just call or email us. We'd be happy to answer any questions and tell you what documents you need to bring based on your situation. Check out the Tips & Tools page of our web site for convenient checklists!

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. We take the time to look for deductions you may not have known you had. We ask questions. We don't do the taxes while you sit in front of us because we want to make sure we are thorough and not rushed.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I love the clients. I love building that relationship. Dealing with finances is a very personal field to get into and so we learn a lot about our clients. I love recognizing people and seeing smiling faces once a year. It's a lot of fun.

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. "Can I file without my W-2?" No. You must make every attempt you can to get a copy of your W-2 before filing your return with a substitute W-2. You especially cannot file using a substitute W-2 until you have allowed your employer to mail it out by January 31st.

"We didn't get married until the end of the year. Should we file as single?" No. If you were married as of December 31st, then you must file either Married Filing Jointly or Married Filing Separately. If you were single or divorced as of December 31st, then you must file either Single or Head of Household if you have dependents. There are always exceptions, but they are few and far between.

I don't trust computers. What happens when I e-file? E-filing is safe and secure. The information from your tax return goes directly from the preparer's computer to the IRS database. Many errors are caused when data entry personnel hand enter paper returns into the IRS database. E-filing avoids this. You can also get your refund back quicker or have more options available to you for paying.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. Clients need to know that ultimately they are responsible for what goes on their tax returns. So they need to be as accurate as possible with the information they give their preparers and they need to be sure to review the tax return before they sign it.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. Our firm is family-owned and operated. I began working for my parents part-time during high school and just progressed from there. The business originally started as side work my mother could do from home while raising me. It eventually grew and she couldn't do it from home any more.

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. We maintain a minimum of 15 hours per person of continuing education each year as mandated by the IRS. We typically end up with at least double that by the end of the year.

Q. What are the latest developments in your field? Are there any exciting things coming in the next few years or decade that will change your line of business?

A. The IRS is trying to implement a new system where you will be able to go online and see if your preparer has been registered with them.

The IRS is also working on a system that will allow past returns to be electronically filed.

Q. If you have a complicated pricing system for your service, please give all the details here.

A. We charge by the form for taxes. Call us for an estimate!

Bookkeeping is an hourly charge starting at $60 per hour.

Payroll starts at $75 per month and goes up depending on number of employees and services needed.

Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?

A. Definitely join some associations. Get into the routine of doing continuing education. Network with peers because it's great to have a support system.