Income Tax Preparation & Payroll Services

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

A. About 85% of my business consists of preparing individual tax returns for my clients. The other 15% of my business would be tax preparation, payroll and bookkeeping services I provide for small business's, including LLC's, Partnerships and Corporations.

I also offer consultations, and tax planning.

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. Have you passed the IRS test required to become a Registered Tax Return Preparer?
What is your professional designation?
How long have you been in business?
Do you have any experience dealing with my type of tax problems or issues?
How do you determine your rates? Are they based on an hourly rate, are they based on the complexity of the return or are they based on the forms prepared?

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

A. I offer my clients personal appointments and treat every client like they are family. Every client has has the privacy which they deserve unlike at some of the national franchises where taxes are prepared in a bullpen setting with no privacy whatsoever. I use professional and customized tax software, not over the counter software. Even the simplest returns that are dropped off and prepared by my associates are reviewed for accuracy by me, the owner of the business, before they are picked up and leave my office.

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

A. Why should I pay a professional tax preparer when I can prepare my own return for free?

My answer to that is: Many people probably can do their own return if they are single and have only wages to report. After that the tax laws get complicated and a professional tax preparer should be contacted. A professional tax preparer will make sure your claiming every deduction you are entitled to and getting every credit you should be. In other words, when you use a professional tax preparer you can be assured that you are not paying any more tax than you are legally required to pay. In many cases, a professional tax preparer can find you deductions or credits you did not know about that will more than cover the cost of preparing your return and actually save you money.

When you are sick, you go to a doctor. When your car doesn't run, you take it to a mechanic. When your drains don't drain, you call a plumber. When you need your house remodeled, you call a carpenter.

It only makes sense then that when you are making decisions about one of your largest financial obligations, your taxes, that you call a professional tax preparer.

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. Starting in 2012, all Tax Return Preparers will have to pass a competency test put together by the IRS and must be a Registered Tax Return Preparer to prepare a tax return. They will have to complete 15 hours of continuing education every year and will also be required by the IRS to e-file tax returns if they prepare 10 or more tax returns. CPA's, Enrolled Agents and Attorneys are exempt of this requirement. I think this is great for the industry and it will weed out the fly by night preparers that give the professional preparers a bad rap. It will be great for taxpayers because they will know the preparer they have chosen has the qualifications and knowledge to prepare their return.