When your tax returns are finished, we will provide them to you for review and signing. If you have an account on our secure portal, we will upload your returns there. That will be our default method, and those with portal accounts will be able to access their completed returns at any time. If you prefer to work on paper, we will print the returns and either set up a time for you to pick them up, we’ll set up a Tax Return Review meeting for you, or we’ll mail them to you. In order to protect your security, we will not send tax returns via email.
Once you have received the returns,
it is imperative that you
review the returns before signing.
We recommend you pay particular attention to the following:
Your name and your spouse’s name and Social Security numbers – if any are incorrect, the IRS will reject the returns and we’ll have to contact you to clear up the problem. Save yourself a step and double-check.
Your home address: this is where they will send your refund if you opt for a check, so make certain it’s correct.
Dependent names and SSNs, and whether you are claiming them as dependents on this tax return. If you claim a dependent that someone else has already claimed, the IRS will reject your return. Check before you sign.
If you make estimated tax payments and/or made an extension payment, review Line 26 to confirm that the amount of estimated payments is correct; and/or Line 31 to confirm that the amount of your extension payment is correct.
If you’re due a refund on your return and you’ve chosen to receive it as a direct deposit, confirm the information on Lines 35a, b, c, and d. If you haven’t given us your bank information but would like to set up direct deposit of your refund, please upload a deposit slip or voided check to your portal account or bring a copy of it to our office. We can set up direct deposit after you’ve reviewed the returns, but not after you sign and we file them.
If you owe tax on your return and we have set up automatic payment of your balance, confirm the accuracy of your banking information on the page labeled “Financial Transaction Summary.” We can set up automatic payment if you give us your bank account information (as above) before you sign and we file your returns – just let us know.
If you have been given an Identity Protection PIN by the IRS, check to make sure it’s correct on Page 2 of Form 1040 (it’s to the right of the signature block of the return). If we don’t have that PIN or it’s incorrect, your returns will be rejected by the IRS.
If you make estimated payments, look for the page labeled “Record of Estimated Tax Payments.” That will show you the schedule of estimates Carrie has calculated for the upcoming tax year. Vouchers for those payments will be included in your return as well. Keep in mind that these payments are generated to help you avoid an underpayment penalty in the year to come.
Our invoice for tax preparation is always included in your paper returns, but many clients miss it and wonder why we never billed them for our services. Please check for the invoice and pay it promptly*.
If you have a portal account, your invoice will be found there and can be paid using a credit card or bank transfer.
* Starting Jan 1, 2022 we will assess a 5% per month late fee for any balance that is more than 30 days overdue.
If you have questions about your returns, don’t sign. You can call the office or send an email for help; or you can schedule a Tax Return Review appointment to go over the returns with Carrie, either in person or by phone.
Once you’ve reviewed the returns and addressed any issues, go ahead and sign. If we’ve uploaded your returns to your portal and requested signatures there, signing is pretty straightforward. If we’ve had to use DocuSign (this will likely happen for joint filers who don’t both have access to the portal), follow these directions. If you’re working on paper, you just need to sign the signature pages and either drop them off or mail them to our office. Remember, every joint return must be signed by both spouses.