Frequently Asked Questions

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  • What should I bring with me to have my taxes prepared?
    It is best to bring last year’s tax return (if you have a business we need the last 3 years’ returns). We want to see everyone’s Social Security card to confirm name spellings and the Social Security numbers. We send all returns to IRS via the e-filing process and all names and Social Security numbers must be an exact match. Bring in all the year-end income statements sent to you from your employers, banks, brokerage houses, etc. If you are in business or have rentals you’ll need to bring in your income and expense records. For a more complete listing of what to bring, click here to download our Annual Letter to clients.
  • How much does an estimate cost? We do not charge for estimates. Keep in mind it will be an estimate. If, in the course of preparing your return, an additional form is required you will be charged our regular rate for the additional form(s). To get the best estimate bring in last year’s tax return, we will give you a written estimate telling you how much we would have charged for that return.
  • Why shouldn’t I do my taxes myself using a free program downloaded from the Internet? One of the biggest disadvantages with a downloaded or store bought tax program is the accuracy of the programming. Congress regularly enacts new tax law late in the year and early the new year. Store bought and downloaded programs are only current as of the date of the writing of the program. We receive daily or weekly updates to our tax program to be sure of having the latest and most accurate information. An additional disadvantage comes from terminology. Income taxes are complicated. Over the course of the year our owner, Candi, attends many classes on the latest tax law taught by both IRS and tax experts. If the terminology is not completely understood it is easy to claim a deduction or credit, which on the surface you seem qualify for, but in the interpretation of IRS you do not. It is also easy to miss a deduction or credit for which you do qualify. Additionally, when you come to an income tax office such as ours, you have the undivided attention of the trained tax preparer to answer your every question. Our motto is “let us help you understand your taxes”. In our opinion no question is a ‘dumb’ question except the one you didn’t ask. Store bought or downloaded tax programs must be written to address the most common situations, this may or may not suit your situation. In any case we can adjust our thinking to fit your situation, the purchased or free program cannot.
  • How much do you charge? We charge $70 for a 1040EZ, 1040A or 1040 income tax form. IRS e-file service is included free. We do not charge by the line on the 1040. If your return requires tax forms and schedules in addition to the proper 1040 for your situation, we charge by the ‘form’. The per form charge varies depending upon the complexity of the form or schedule required. Excessive W-2 forms (over 6 per 1040) will incur an additional charge per W-2. Bring in last year’s tax return, we will tell you, for free, how much we would have charged for that return. Preparation of partnership, corporation and estate returns starts at $125 and includes 2 K-1 statements. Additional K-1s and required forms and schedules are charged additionally based on the complexity of the form or schedule required.
  • Do I have to pay immediately? We must receive the required payment for our services when preparation of your return is complete and before we send your return to IRS via IRS e-file.
  • Do you accept VISA and personal checks? Jan 15th thru April 18th we are able to accept your VISA, Mastercard or debit card. Your personal check is welcome, however, returned checks incur a $35 returned check fee. Cash is always acceptable; all bills will be checked for the counterfeit security features.
  • Do you have any other payment options? Our only payment options are cash, check, VISA or Mastercard credit or debit cards.
  • Do you offer Refund Anticipation Loans (RALs)? We do not offer Refund Anticipation Loans, however, if you have your refund directly deposited into your checking or savings account your refund can arrive in as little as 9 to 16 days (depends upon when in the refund cycle your tax return is accepted by IRS). There is no extra charge for direct depositing your refund in as many as 3 different accounts.
  • Do you use IRS e-file? We send all our personal income tax returns to IRS via IRS e-file. There is no additional fee for this service. Occasionally, a return will not qualify for the e-file program, unfortunately that return will have to be mailed to IRS. Partnership, corporation and estate returns must be mailed at this time.
  • What services do you offer? We offer preparation of personal income tax returns (1040EZ, 1040A, 1040 and all accompanying required forms and schedules), state income tax returns as required, simple partnership, corporation, S-corporation and estate income tax returns. Our owner, Candi, is an enrolled agent, therefore she can assist with IRS correspondence. She also helps persons who have not filed income tax returns for one or more years, no questions asked as to why. Our office has computerized tax programs as far back as 1990. Since we are in good standing with the IRS we can often communicate directly with IRS via the internet to obtain missing W-2 and other income documents plus retrieve transcripts of back year tax returns. To business owners, we offer payroll services including calculation of paychecks, completion of quarterly federal and state payroll forms and preparation of year-end W-2 / W-3 forms. The W-2 / W-3 forms are prepared using Social Security Administration software and are electronically submitted directly to SSA after the business owner’s examination to ensure accuracy. We can also assist new or prospective business owners in ‘getting started right’ with state and federal requirements and bookkeeping methods consultation. In addition we can provide basic instruction in the use of spreadsheets (either handwritten or using Excel computer program), Quickbooks, and Money programs for accurate computation of income and expenses for individuals or businesses.
  • What types of returns do you prepare? We offer preparation of personal income tax returns (1040EZ, 1040A, 1040 and all accompanying required forms and schedules), state income tax returns as required, simple partnership, corporation, S-corporation and estate income tax returns.
  • Do a husband and wife have to come in together? Husband and wife do not have to come in together. However, IRS’s e-file system requires signatures from both before the return can be filed.
  • Do you speak Spanish? We do not have anyone in the office who speaks any foreign language so you will need to provide your own interpreter.
  • Can I get an estimate of my fee? Yes, simply bring in last year’s income tax return or call us. You will need to have last year’s return in front of you when you call. We will give you a written estimate if you come in, we cannot honor phone estimates. We will recalculate a phone estimate when you come into our office so be sure to bring last year’s return. Estimates are provided free of charge.
  • Help! I’ve received an IRS letter! Candi, our owner, is available year-round to assist with IRS letters. Simply call the office phone number (509-765-4388) and listen to the answering machine information on how to contact her. We have such a low error rate on our returns that the office is not kept open on a regular basis during the ‘off’ season. Usually, an appointment will be scheduled for you on the next Tuesday morning. If Tuesdays are not good for you other arrangements can be made. If the letter questions a return you have filed, bring in all the pages and envelopes contained in the IRS letter plus the tax return in question and all information and forms used to prepare the return. In some situations Candi will need to speak with an IRS agent, in that case you (and your spouse if applicable) will be asked to sign a Form 2848 ‘Power of Attorney’ for the year in question. If the letter is questioning a return you have not filed it is almost a certainty you (and your spouse if applicable) will be asked to sign a Form 2848 ‘Power of Attorney’ for the year(s) in question. Our office has the ability to prepare returns as far back as 1990.
  • It has been several years since I filed an income tax return–can you help me? Yes, we have the ability to prepare returns as far back as 1990. You (and your spouse if applicable) will be asked to sign a Form 2848 ‘Power of Attorney’ for the year(s) in question. Candi, our owner, is available year-round, however, we have such a low error rate on our returns that the office is not kept open on a regular basis during the ‘off’ season. Simply call the office phone number (509-765-4388) and listen to the answering machine information on how to contact the owner, Candi. Usually, an appointment will be scheduled for you on the next Tuesday morning. If Tuesdays are not good for you other arrangements can be made. Back year tax returns cannot be e-filed and must be mailed. A retaining fee, based on the work expected to be done, will be required before ‘back year’ return preparation will be started. When the retaining fee is exhausted, an additional deposit will be required.
  • Can you e-file my self-prepared tax return? Yes, but we must enter all your information (plus some codes not evident on self-prepared returns) into our computers in order to e-file. Therefore, the fee we must charge you will be the same as if we had prepared the original return. We must see all the source documents (see ‘What should I bring with me to have my taxes prepared?’). Taxpayer and spouse must be available to sign the IRS e-file documents.
  • When can I expect to receive my refund? This answer depends upon how your return is sent to IRS.
    1. If you mail your return to IRS you can expect to wait 4-6 weeks for your refund. If you choose to have your refund directly deposited in one or more qualifying bank accounts your refund should arrive 1 week earlier.
    2. If we prepare your return, we will e-file it to IRS, and it will take 9-16 days to receive your check when you have your refund directly deposited in one or more qualifying bank accounts. If you choose to receive a check in the mail, add one week.
  • Will you prepare just one or two specific forms for me? Unfortunately this answer is no. As professional paid preparers we are required to sign any tax return we prepare no matter if the preparation was for part or all of the return. Our office Errors and Omissions insurance and Candi’s Enrolled Agent regulations plus IRS’ standards for paid preparers all forbid the practice. Sorry.
  • Last year I worked and/or lived in a state with an income tax. Can you help me? Yes, our income tax software includes all the state income tax programs. When we prepare your Federal Income Tax return we can trigger our software to print any state return needed. There is a $50 fee for each state return. If the state(s) participates in the e-file program the state(s) return will be filed with the state(s) using the IRS e-file system.
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