This blog explains our tax preparation process for clients who prefer to bring us
their tax file on paper and opt out of using our secure online portal.
If you want to work digitally, follow these steps.
1. In December, we’ll send out a letter prior to the beginning of the new tax season. It will point out any changes to tax law and/or our process. It will also restate parts of our process that clients tend to miss or forget. We highly recommend that you read this correspondence, carefully and thoroughly, so you know what to expect come tax season.
2. When tax season begins, we’ll mail the following:
· An engagement letter;
· A Communication Preference Organizer;
· A Service Level Organizer; and
· A condensed Tax Organizer.
3. Read and sign the engagement letter.
4. Indicate your Communication Preferences. Let us know if you want to work exclusively on paper, digitally using the online portal, or a bit of both.
5. Choose the Service Level you want for the year.
6. Complete the Tax Organizer: answer questions and update information as needed. You don’t need to fill in any amounts in the organizer that pertain to documents that are in your tax file (income documents, mortgage statements, auto registrations, etc.). Fill in the amounts for medical expenses, charity donations and other items for which we don’t need documentation.
7. Gather your tax documents in one file – if you want to get into the queue at the earliest possible opportunity, bring us the first income document you receive, whether it’s a W-2, a 1099, or a K-1. Once we have an income document, your file goes into our queue. Then you can bring the rest of your file when it’s complete. If your file is one of the first 500 into the queue, you can generally assume that we’ll be able to prepare and file your returns by the April deadline. If there are already 500 files in the queue, you can assume that we’ll file an extension for you and prepare your returns during the extended filing period between the April and October deadlines. Either way, you’ll be notified that your file has been placed in the queue. If you’re NOT in the first 500, that will be stated in the notification as well.
8. Bring (or mail) your complete file to our office. Be sure to include the signed engagement letter, the completed Communication Preference, the completed Service Level Organizer, and the completed Tax Organizer.
9. When your file reaches the top of our queue, Carrie will start your returns.
10. If she has any questions, needs more information, or needs additional documents to finish your returns, we will send an email or call (according to your preference).
11. Once you’ve answered our questions and provided the requested documents your file will be marked “ready to finish.”
12. When Carrie has finished your returns, we will print them and notify you that they are ready for your review. You may pick up the returns or request that we mail them once you’ve paid our fee for the tax preparation. If you plan to come into the office, you can pay when you’re here. Otherwise, we can send an invoice through email that can be paid online with a credit card or bank transfer.
If you provide additional information or documentation after Carrie has completed your tax returns, we reserve the right to add an additional fee (based on the amount of time required for your returns to be updated, new returns printed/uploaded, new signature requests sent, etc.) to the original tax preparation fee.
Please don’t wait until the returns are complete before you provide all your tax information.
13. PLEASE review your tax returns before you sign them!! At this point, you may schedule a Tax Return Review appointment to go over the returns with Carrie or you can use our guidelines to review them yourself. If we have the wrong bank account info, are missing an IP PIN, or missed a payment you’ve made, etc., we need you to catch that mistake BEFORE we file your returns.
14. Sign your tax returns once they’ve been reviewed and all is correct. If you’ve signed them outside our office, please drop off or mail the signature pages. Keep the actual returns for your records.
15. Once signed, Carrie will e-file your returns.
16. When your returns have been accepted by the IRS and state agency, we will let you know. Within a day or two, we will mail or email the acceptance letter. This contains the dates that your returns were accepted and the confirmation numbers.
17. We will close your file for the current year. If you receive a letter from the IRS or a state agency, or you have a question or problem relating to the tax returns, please reach out. If there is ever a problem with a tax return that is due to our error, we will correct it at no cost and we will reimburse you for any penalties and/or interest that are assessed because of our error. If you receive a letter or have a question that is not due to our error, we will be happy to answer your question or resolve the issue.
Keep in mind that unless you have selected Service Level 2 or 3,
we will charge for the time spent on your question/issue.