FAQs

• The standing deadline for individual taxes is April 15. However, we need the information by April 1.

• A copy of your most recently filed tax return (For new clients only)
• Your tax forms and info (W2s, 1099s, K-1s, itemized deductions, business income and expenses, etc.)
• Your completed tax organizer (if there are any changes in information

• No. Hardly anyone does. Feel free to use it as a checklist of the different forms and info that you might need to gather for your meeting.

• The standing deadline for corporation taxes is March 15. However, we need the information by March 1.

• A copy of your most recently filed tax return (For new clients only)
• Profit & Loss Statement (Showing Income & Expenses)
• Balance Sheet (Showing Bank Balance, Furniture & Equipment, Loans)

• Yes, there is a penalty If you can’t pay it you can sign up for an installment an installment plan.

• Your mortgage company should send you Form 1098 which reports the mortgage interest you paid this may include the property tax information if you paid through your mortgage company.

• Yes, you can as long as you keep good records in case you are ever audited by the IRS. Be sure to record the name of the organization, the date and location, as well as a detailed description of what you donated. Keep notes on the amount you claimed as a deduction and how you figured the fair market value on the items you donated. In the case of a monetary donation, as long as it’s less than $250, a canceled check or even a payroll deduction can suffice for proof of the donation.

• Typically, general home repairs cannot be deducted from your taxes. Home repairs are meant to keep your home in good condition, but do not increase the value of your home. However, if you live in a “federally declared disaster area” and your home is affected, then you can claim the cost to repair the damages. If you use part of your home as a principal place of business, some repairs can be deducted, but you must itemize your deductions on Schedule A.

• You can pay your taxes through check, directly through your bank account or through credit card. If you are paying taxes through credit card the government charges a process fee of 2.3%.

• We accept all forms of payment including: Credit Card, Check, Cash, PayPal and EFT.

• No. The federal tax laws do not consider gifted money to be earned income therefore it is not taxable to you. No state has a tax law on gifted money either.

• Federal: The ‘Where’s My Refund’ tool on the IRS website provides the most up-to-date information regarding the status of your refund. This tool is updated every 24 hours.
• California: ‘Where’s My Refund’ tool on the FTB website provides the most up-to-date information regarding the status of your refund. This tool is updated every 24 hours.

• When you can check your refund status depends on how you filed. If you filed electronically, you can check your status within 24 hours of the IRS receiving your tax return. If you mailed in a paper return, you must wait 4 weeks from the date you mailed it.

• Possibly later than you’re used to. The IRS will be delaying some refunds this year in an effort to combat fraud.
• Specifically, tax returns claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit won’t have their refunds processed before February 15th, and possibly not before the week of February 27th.
• Despite the issues with those tax credits, the IRS claims that they expect to issue refunds within 21 days of your e-filed return being accepted into their system for processing at least 90% of the time.

• Not really. We can review the entire return by phone or email. We can file your tax returns all over the world. All you need to do is send your information in to us by email or mail.

• Depending on the time of year, the turnaround time can vary. For most of the year, including January, February and the first half of March, we aim for a turnaround time of 5 business days less for Individuals and 12 business days or less for Corporations.

• Many of those documents contain codes and information that are open to interpretation. While we appreciate your diligence in completing the Organizer, sometimes the information on those documents is not easily entered on the Organizer. Plus, we are able to verify your entries against that documentation and leave no stone upturned. You could say our job is to “trust but verify”.

• If we filed your return in the previous year, we don’t need your tax return. If you are new to our firm and we didn’t file your return last year, we need the copy of the tax return.

• We retain all tax returns and source documents indefinitely for your convenience. You can always reach out to our office to retrieve information.

• 3 years.

• Unfortunately, there is no way to speed up the refund process. The IRS handles thousands of tax returns a day and it is important to just be patient.

In order to file an ITIN we need:

1. Tax Return Information
2. Passport Copy
3. Visa Copy (if applicable)
4. I94 (if applicable)

• It can take between 6 – 8 weeks for the ITIN to process.

• We do not accept walk-ins you can call our office at any time to schedule an appointment.