If you use a tax preparer do they...?

[Nancyg56]

Yes. Even when I used H&R Block in the past, I would sit with them. I started using an actual accountant several years ago and he was able to get me deductions that H&R didn’t. I would be looking for someone new if I were you...

I woudl as well!

OP- I work for a CPA and we now ask clients to drop their information off to us. If they are new, we begin with the previous return,and will schedule an apppointment when they have all the information for the current return. Last week we entered a return a new client brought in, along with the backup, as I requested, and when our EA was sitting with our admin as she entered it into our system, the EA almost fainted. Their "tax preparer" missed a huge item and they are due $4400. Well, that was one interesting call back to a brand new client!

We have an organizer that is based on the clients needs, but we do ask that they tell us if anything changed. If so, an appointment is scheduled. My employer encourages a visit from our clients throughout the year, however we have tried to minimize the "chats" during tax season unless there is a change. We reach out if there is any questions. So far our clients are receptive to the change, but as I have said, our doors are open all year long so if a client has any question in terms of tax planning we are alway available.

 

[wenrob]

We have a friend who is a CPA. We go in, she asks questions, we answer, she prints two copies out, we sign and she files right then. Takes maybe ten minutes unless there have been major changes. Then we sit and bs about our kids until DD arrives. Hers are even faster. We give her crap about how much she gets back and ask her where she’s taking us all for lunch. How much we’re charged varies but it’s always less than the cost of a tax program.

I have never been to a CPA where we didn’t sit and answer questions.

 

[Hook326]

We have a CPA we’ve used for years. If not for my husband’s band, I could do them myself (and used to pre-band) but depreciation & the other stuff makes me a little nervous. I sit down with him while he does it. Takes 30-40 minutes with chit chat and pics in there (I went to school with his kids and one works for Disney so I get to see the latest trip pics. Last year was Shanghai Disney! Pretty cool) My mom and sister use him too. He charges about $125 and it’s worth it to me.

 

[Nancyg56]

We have a friend who is a CPA. We go in, she asks questions, we answer, she prints two copies out, we sign and she files right then. Takes maybe ten minutes unless there have been major changes. Then we sit and bs about our kids until DD arrives. Hers are even faster. We give her crap about how much she gets back and ask her where she’s taking us all for lunch. How much we’re charged varies but it’s always less than the cost of a tax program.

I have never been to a CPA where we didn’t sit and answer questions.

We handle a lot of small businesses and for many we keep their Quickbooks. The accountants keep an eye on their numbers throughout the year. I believe we really do the same thing in terms of "questions" but my boss prefers to do this during f the year, rather than during "crunch" time. We have a personal return specialist and she manages them as their need determines. Nothing leaves our office before my employer reviews.

I think that as long as the result is a thorough and thoughtful return is completed, how every one gets there is oreference.

We have our diehards who love to sit and we honor them.

 

[tvguy]

We have a CPA we’ve used for years. If not for my husband’s band, I could do them myself (and used to pre-band) but depreciation & the other stuff makes me a little nervous. I sit down with him while he does it. Takes 30-40 minutes with chit chat and pics in there (I went to school with his kids and one works for Disney so I get to see the latest trip pics. Last year was Shanghai Disney! Pretty cool) My mom and sister use him too. He charges about $125 and it’s worth it to me.

That's a bargain. H&R block charged my my mom more than $125. I pay $800.

 

[mrsheppo]

We've been using the same CPA for the last 5 years. She mails us a planner to fill out and then we make an appointment to take them in. It takes about an hour and she e-files them for us. Cost is $125 which is less than H&R Block charges.

 

[Disney Ella]

Mine enters it all as I sit there. I dropped all the info off at the place I used before I found the current accountant.

 

[Simba's Mom]

you say "tax preparer", I think mine would better be described as a "shyster"

Not all of us are "shysters". I'm a tax preparer and we don't charge our clients ANYTHING to do their taxes. I'm paid by the United Way, and we get grants from area businesses and banks. In answer to the OP's question, we always prepare taxes in the clients' presence-I'm not even sure how drop off works-we often have questions for people as we go along. When done, we used to try to show people how we arrived at their refund, but I found that most people don't seem to care about the method, they just want to know the bottom line-"How much am I getting?"

 

[china mom]

While I think I prefer the sit down, I have no problem dropping my paperwork off and answering questions via phone or email. The reason I am quitting my former person is because I heard NOTHING from her at all during the 3 months she had my documents. Despite my phone calls, faxes and emails and even sending a friend to see her to get my stuff back (I live over and hour away), the only word I heard from her was on tax day when she emailed me that the taxes had been e-filed that day.

She is rolling in clients so there is no reason she can't hire some part time staff just to send an occasional email or other message to reassure us that she is alive and working on our taxes.

 

[nkereina]

We went to a CPA once and he had us drop off our paperwork and it took him about a week to complete everything. This was before DH and I were married so we filed separately and she charged us $150 each. We have since gone to a tax preparer and she does them while we wait and sit there in front of her answering questions. She charges us $125 total. Our taxes are very basic, however.

 

[soccerdad72]

My wife (a CPA) has her firm's tax department do our taxes. It's a perk given to partners. She has a planner to fill out and e-mails in with all of our tax forms. Any questions are e-mailed back and forth. We try to get the stuff in as soon as we can each year - as they queue up the returns in the order the info is received. It's usually April when we actually get the return, though.

 

[RedAngie]

DH and I meet with our tax preparer and discuss things for about 1/2 hour, then she prepares and files at a later date.

 

[scrapquitler]

For those who pay someone to do their taxes, does your tax preparer sit with you while they enter everything and ask questions or do you just drop off your files?

The reason I am asking is that I have used the same tax person for the past 25 or so years. She used to sit with you for about ab hour and do everything right there, asking and answering questions while doing them. She was awesome. I refer to her as a tax goddess. Until last year. Due to health concerns, she had all of her clients just drop off her taxes last year and she e-filed them and then emailed a copy to me.

She didn't get mine done until mid day the day they were due. Her communication has always been bad but last year was horrendous and I have lost all faith in her.

I am looking for someone new this year. I am trying to figure out what the standard is. Is it typical to just drop off the files or is it usually a face to face?

I use a CPA. He does our business and personal returns for both the state and the federal. I just drop the paper work off with him, he takes a quick look, and then he calls me a few days later when it's all ready. I wouldn't want to sit there while he did it.

You lost faith in your previous lady because she finished the day of the deadline, even when she was facing a health concern? It sounds like she still did her job well, and on time in spite of an obstacle. I don't think I'd be complaining about that.

 

[Nancyg56]

I use a CPA. He does our business and personal returns for both the state and the federal. I just drop the paper work off with him, he takes a quick look, and then he calls me a few days later when it's all ready. I wouldn't want to sit there while he did it.

You lost faith in your previous lady because she finished the day of the deadline, even when she was facing a health concern? It sounds like she still did her job well, and on time in spite of an obstacle. I don't think I'd be complaining about that.

Communication is key, IMO. The accountant does not need to run returns with the client sitting there or set up appointments that are really just conversations. What is essential though is that the accountant's level of communication is not "horrendous." I dumped my old accountant after his Dad passed and he stopped communicating at all with me. He was never good at returning calls, however when I was not able to get any response in regards to the status of my return after repeated attempts, and was not only late to file, but again, had no way of knowing what had happened to my documentation, or what was happening, I was pretty upset. I would have no problem allowing an accommodation for a death in the family, or any other unforeseen circumstances, but at least let me know what is going on.

The firm I work for has encountered circumstances with just about every one of us, and we manage to keep our clients up to date on what is happening with their accounts, and with us if our circumstances may affect how much interaction we can provide at a given time. It is not only common courtesy, IMO this is professional courtesy.

 

[china mom]

...You lost faith in your previous lady because she finished the day of the deadline, even when she was facing a health concern? It sounds like she still did her job well, and on time in spite of an obstacle. I don't think I'd be complaining about that.

I have lost faith in her because she is impossible to reach and I was starting to panic that I would have to find someone else or request an extension.

My friend dropped off his taxes shortly before I did and we were both in a panic. He even drove out there to repossess our paperwork.

She never asked us for clarification on anything. Never asked us any questions. Was not available if we had questions.

She charges between $150-200 a person for personal taxes and she services about 10-15 clients a day, seven days a week (more than that actually because she crams additional people in). That is between $1,500 - 3,000 per day for the three month tax season.

She pays her adult daughter to act as some sort of receptionist/food fetcher. I don't know what the daughter actually does but she does not answer the phone or respond to emails.

My issue is that with that much bank, she could afford to bring in someone, even part time, to field these calls, emails and faxes.

So, between the panic I was in not knowing if they were done and the concern I have that something was missed, I think it is time to find someone closer to my home.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I have lost faith in her because she is impossible to reach and I was starting to panic that I would have to find someone else or request an extension.

My friend dropped off his taxes shortly before I did and we were both in a panic. He even drove out there to repossess our paperwork.

She never asked us for clarification on anything. Never asked us any questions. Was not available if we had questions.

She charges between $150-200 a person for personal taxes and she services about 10-15 clients a day, seven days a week (more than that actually because she crams additional people in). That is between $1,500 - 3,000 per day for the three month tax season.

She pays her adult daughter to act as some sort of receptionist/food fetcher. I don't know what the daughter actually does but she does not answer the phone or respond to emails.

My issue is that with that much bank, she could afford to bring in someone, even part time, to field these calls, emails and faxes.

So, between the panic I was in not knowing if they were done and the concern I have that something was missed, I think it is time to find someone closer to my home.

I can't say I'd take issue with whether she needs to hire another person and the amt of money she makes over 3 months probably has to spread throughout the rest of the year BUT if you are unhappy with the level of service, change.
If nothing else I think you have learned from this thread that the level of communications varies.

 

[pigletgirl]

If you aren't comfortable, go with someone else! I would be stressed too.

 

[cayennews]

For those who pay someone to do their taxes, does your tax preparer sit with you while they enter everything and ask questions or do you just drop off your files?

The reason I am asking is that I have used the same tax person for the past 25 or so years. She used to sit with you for about ab hour and do everything right there, asking and answering questions while doing them. She was awesome. I refer to her as a tax goddess. Until last year. Due to health concerns, she had all of her clients just drop off her taxes last year and she e-filed them and then emailed a copy to me.

She didn't get mine done until mid day the day they were due. Her communication has always been bad but last year was horrendous and I have lost all faith in her.

I am looking for someone new this year. I am trying to figure out what the standard is. Is it typical to just drop off the files or is it usually a face to face?

I have had the same person doing my taxes for about 5 years. I sit with him for about 10 minutes and he asks me some questions. After that, I leave him with my files. Same with the person I used to use before him.