FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
If you need a tax return prepared, we will have an initial consultation, either in person or by phone, and I will give you a quote on the cost of preparing the return. Barring any significant surprises that emerge in the process of preparing the return, I will stick by that quote. If you need help resolving a tax problem - letters from the IRS or your state, an examination or audit by the tax authorities, past due tax debts - we will have an initial consultation at no charge, during which I will provide my hourly rate and we will determine an initial retainer to cover the work needed.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
We usually start with a no-charge initial consultation, either in person or by phone. We will establish either a fixed price (per return) or an hourly rate for tax problem resolution). During or after that initial session, I will ask you to either provide or gather your information documents. Some you may upload to the secure web portal. As we work through the return or problem resolution, I will upload initial and then final drafts of the tax documents I prepare to the secure portal, and you can download and review, then sign the return or other documents, and I will submit. (If you are not comfortable with the secure web portal, we can also work by exchanging paper documents). When the documents for the tax return or problem resolution response are filed or mailed, I will update you on the status of the filing. We will then be in touch as we await a response from tax authority, and if needed, determine the appropriate next step.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
In 2013 I became a Fellow of the National Tax Practice Institute, which recognizes those who completed advanced training in representing tax payers before the IRS, including the complexities of examinations and audits, collections, offers in settlement, and appeals. I am pursuing a Master of Science in Taxation (MST) to increase my understanding of tax law and tax research, at Golden Gate University of San Francisco. Finally, I attend regular CPE training sessions offered by the National Association of Enrolled Agents, the CT Sociity of Enrolled Agents, and the CT Society of CPAs. Several of these sessions include presentations by, and interaction with, staff from the IRS and the CT DRS.