Pricing & Service Policies

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Our flat-rate package prices for tax preparation are a good deal that cover the needs of over 80% of our clients. But the packages don’t include everything. Some forms cost more, and some services are not included. Some issues come up that require exceptional amounts of time, and in those cases we bill by the hour. Representation to taxing authorities is also extra. We’ve tried to cover most such situations with the materials below.

• We require a $250 to $1,000 retainer on all multi-year tax return preparation and accounting. We require $500 to $2,000 retainer for representation (e.g, for audits).
• We generally require $125 to $250 retainer for new clients with one year of tax returns to be done; retainer varies depending on the kind of return anticipated..
• Completed tax returns are not released without full payment.
• Retainers are “rolled over” to the last work we do. For example, a $250 retainer for three years of returns would be applied to the third and final return we completed. The first two would need to be paid in full prior to release.
• Extensions: $50, which will be applied to the final cost of the return for that year.
• Accounting and bookkeeping services: varies from $60 to $90 per hour.
• Tax work, including representation, telephone consults over 10 minutes, extensive email exchanges, and in-house meetings: $90/hour. In-house meetings have a 30 minute minimum charge, and 6-minute increments.
• Our flat-rate tax preparation packages include the initial 50-minute meeting, and full preparation of the return if documentation you provide is in good order. We also include some routine research, including calls to obtain city business license numbers and so on. However, extensive calls – to government agencies or private parties on your behalf – are billed at our normal hourly rates.
• Tax consultations, even if we can’t help you, still take our time and therefore must be billed at our hourly rate. Payment is due at time of service.
• We don’t charge for explaining our prices or policies, or for short conversations (including drop-ins to our office) to determine if you need or want our services.
• Appointments are assumed to be for the purpose of tax prep, planning, representation, or accounting issues, and will be charged $90/hour (30 minute minimum) even if you decide to go elsewhere. Obviously, we make exceptions for good faith errors. If the meeting lasts less than 15 minutes, and we determine you are below the filing requirement, there will be no charge.

Other stuff: Our flat-rate tax prep packages include 50 minutes for consultation for each tax year being prepared. Consults exceeding these times are billed at our hourly rate of $90, in 6-minute increments. Telephone and email consults you initiate, if extensive, may be included in our billing, but email is the easiest way to share information with us at no cost. If we call you for additional information, there is usually no charge unless we previously requested that same information. There is no charge for questions posed at pick-up of completed returns, but if new information provided at that or any subsequent time requires revision of the return prior to filing, then time billing resumes.

If you fail to provide requested information so that we cannot complete your return(s), we will charge the lessor of the hours worked (at $90/hour), or the flat-rate cost of the return. If we did work that would normally not be covered by our flat-rate pricing, that will an additional charge on the bill. If you cancel an engagement with us, we will refund your retainer less our billings for work already completed.

Generally – but especially with business returns – we expect materials you provide to us will be in “ready to use” form. If significant time is required to derive necessary figures from the source documents (for example, if we are required to sort, categorize and add up large numbers of receipts), charges above the tax return package prices will be added at $90/hour.

Except for very simple returns, our review process makes “while you wait” tax work impossible. Please expect to leave materials, and receive your return later. (Generally, a single return will be ready three business days after all required source documents and materials are received by us. Multiple year return preparation, or situations requiring extensive research, may take longer).