Minimum fee $350.00
Most industry surveys confirm that the fees we charge for our professional services are very reasonable and competitive. They are also not negotiable.

CONSULTATIONS

Tax planning, consultations or e-mail consultations that require research, document preparation, or longer exchanges, are billed at $200/hour in 15 minute increments of $50 with a one hour minimum per meeting. NOTE: Information provided to us during Tax Return Preparation is confidential but subject to subpoena, whereas Tax Planning and Business Consultations are “Privileged Communications”

TAX RETURNS
TAX RETURN PREPARATION fees are based on forms used in the return AND THE TIME AND EXPERTISE REQUIRED, include Electronic filing and any one State filing. Tax Returns will not be released to client for removal from our office (even in “draft” printed or PDF format), or e-filed until our fees are paid in full.

1. INDIVIDUAL RETURNS – the greater of schedules, or .10% of gross income (1,000 for every million)

• $100 Form 1040EZ
• $150 Form 1040/1040A (no itemized deductions)
• $100 Itemized Deductions Schedule-A, PLUS:
• $35 Form 2106 Un-reimbursed Employee Expense
• $25 Form 8829 Employee Office in the Home
• $20 Form 8863 Education Credits
• $5 Form 1095-OTR Health Insurance Coverage
• $25 Form 8962 Health Insurance Premium Tax Credit
• $25 Form 8965 Health Coverage Exemption
• $10 Form 8283 Non-Cash Donations Greater Than $500 per Recipient
• $15 Form 4952 Investment Interest Expense
• $35 Form 4684 Casualty Losses, per loss, except for Presidential Declared Disaster Losses which are free of charge.
• $15 Interest & Dividend Income Schedule-B. If you have a Foreign account or Trust, a separate form will be required and the fee is $100.

• Business Schedule-C the greater of .05% of sales or $200 or Farm Schedule-F (Minimum fee) – our Average last year was $275, including Auto Expense Worksheet (up to 3 vehicles – additional vehicles
$15 each), Depreciation Form 4562, Office in Home Form 8829, and Self-Employment Tax Schedule SE. Businesses are Audit Targets. Income verification required, bring your business bank statements, and completed bookkeeping. (IF YOU BRING ONLY RECEIPTS AND BANK STATEMENTS, YOU WILL BE CHARGED $150/HR IN ADDITION TO THE MINIMUM FEE.)
• $200 per hour Capital Gain/Loss Schedule-D per sale
• $200 per hour Capital Gain/Loss Form 4794 (business or rental) each sale
• $125 Rental Income Schedule-E (Residential and Commercial Rentals) (Minimum Fee per each property and includes Depreciation Form 4562, and Passive Loss Limitation Form 8582 and related Worksheets). Income and Depreciation on Rentals are Audit Targets. Bring your prop statements and HUD statements from purchase and Improvement Loans.
• $75 Farm Rental-Form 4835 (per each property and includes Depreciation Form 4562, and Passive Loss Limitation Form 8582 and related Worksheets)
• $20 per page Gambling Winnings Forms W2G, (up to 4 forms per page)
• $5 per Wage Income Form W2, for each in excess of 4 forms
• $5 per Retirement/Pension Income Forms 1099-R, for each in excess of 4 forms
• $5 per Miscellaneous Income Forms 1099-MISC, for each in excess of 3 forms
• $50 Extensions (pre-paid)
• $75 ($195 total) Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) (parents with children) due to new “due diligence” requirements placed by IRS on Tax Preparers we shall require the following, additional documentation to be provided by the Taxpayer: school, child care provider, landlord, medical or other records that designate the child’s place of residency as that of the Taxpayer; if child is disabled a Doctor, health care provider, or Social Services agency statement; if parent is self-employed a copy of your business license, and records of gross receipts and expenses provided by Taxpayer. NOTE: We are now required to retain these documents for 3 years.
• $100 First Time Homebuyer Tax Credits (are claimed on “paper-filed” tax returns and are different for Federal and California, require extensive documentation to be provided by the taxpayer). Fee is $50 for Federal only credit. This fee is in addition to the fees for the returns based on the above.
• $100 each for 2nd or additional State returns.
• $125 Minimum Fee Retainer for Amendments

Not all Forms/Schedules that may be needed for your return are listed above.

Prior year Non-Filers must pay a $195 per year, Non-refundable, Minimum Fee Retainer, execute an IRS Power of Attorney Form 2848, provide full relevant documentation (before our work commences), and must also agree to have no further direct contact with IRS.

2. CORPORATION (“C” or “S”), PARTNERSHIP, LLC RETURNS preparation fees are based on the time and expertise required, and the complexity and degree of organization of your data.

Corporate or LLC Minimum Fee is the greater of $1,000 or .05% of sales (plus $75 for each participant Schedule-K-1) for a Services only entity that does not require a Balance Sheet (i.e., Gross Receipts are under $250,000 and Total Corporate Assets are under $250,000, or $600,000 in Assets for Partnership/LLC). Fee charged includes electronic filing (if available) and one State Return if required.

NOTE: If the entity sells products, carries inventory, or exceeds the above amounts, the return will be required to file a Balance Sheet — that will add $175 to the Minimum Fee, making it $1,175. If additional Schedules or Forms are required there will be an additional fee for each such Schedule of Form.

3. ESTATE RETURNS (“Death Taxes”) are subject to a $1,200 Non Refundable Minimum Fee Retainer, require the execution of a Form 2848 IRS Power of Attorney by the Executor, and are based on the time and expertise required, the degree of organization of your data and supporting documents, and whether there are any challenges by the IRS to Asset Valuations reported.

4. NON-PROFIT RETURNS (for Taxable Foundations or Sec. 501(c) Tax-Exempt Organizations), Forms 990 or 990EZ, are based on the time and expertise required and the degree of organization of your data. Minimum Fee is the greater of $1,000 or .05% of contributions and there is no “Unrelated Business Income” (that is taxable and requires an additional Form 990-T filing with a Minimum Fee of $125). Fees includes electronic filing (if available) and one State.

5. TRUST RETURNS (Fiduciary Returns) are based on the time and expertise required and the degree of organization of your data. Minimum Fee is $475 (for a Simple or Grantor Living Trust), or $600 (for a Complex or Decedent’s Estate Trust), plus $15 for each Beneficiary Schedule-K-1. Fee includes electronic filing (if available) and one State. If additional Schedules or Forms are required there will be an additional fee for each.

TAX AUDIT REPRESENTATION fees are hourly based, subject to a $1,000 prepaid, non-refundable, Minimum Fee Retainer PER INCOME TAX YEAR UNDER AUDIT, and do not include any subsequent Appeals or Tax Court Hearings or related filings. Tax Audits are increasingly being conducted by correspondence (those more often than not end up in Appeals), sometimes at the IRS’ office locally, but more often are held in our office if the return involves a business.

NOTE: If you undertake the Audit yourself or our office did not prepare the original return and subsequently turn it over to us for Reconsideration (a Re-do by a different Audit Group) or Appeals, the Minimum Fee Retainer will be $1,500 PER TAX YEAR UNDER AUDIT.

If the Audit scope or complexity increase and more time is needed to be devoted than is covered by the above Retainer, you will be asked to provide additional funds.

TAX AUDIT APPEALS (or Collections) fees are hourly based, subject to a non-refundable, $600 prepaid, Minimum Fee Retainer per Income Tax Year, if we handled the underlying Audit. If we are taking over from someone else the Minimum Retainer will be $1000.

TAX REPRESENTATION (Outside of Income Tax Audit), such as Reviewing and Responding to an IRS CP-2000 “Notice of Proposed Assessment” (based on omissions on your tax return), or other tax agency matters (EDD, FTB, BOE, or other) that require written replies or telephone resolution are subject to a $125 non-refundable Minimum Fee Retainer.

$60 NO SHOW FEE. We charge a $60 NO SHOW FEE if your tax appointment is NOT canceled OR rescheduled AT LEAST 24 hours prior. This fee is payable when your return is finally done.

BOOKKEEPING

If you are in business you MUST maintain a formal set of Books of Account that will be requested if you ever have an Audit. We can help you with that (see our fees below). Be warned that IRS is now routinely requiring, during business audits, an electronic copy of Taxpayer’s self-maintained QuickBooks File if that information was used in tax return preparation.

QUICKBOOKS file setup (whether we will do the Bookkeeping or for those who want to do it themselves) is subject to a non-refundable, Minimum Fee Retainer of $150.

QUICKEN conversion (to make your file useful for tax preparation), and related QUICKBOOKS TRAINING conducted only in our office, are $75/hour subject to a one hour (non-refundable) Minimum Fee Retainer of $75.

BOOKKEEPING SERVICE fees are prepaid monthly (at the start of each month’s service), are based on the time and expertise required, completeness of your data, and timeliness in receipt of your data. Our rate is $100 an hour for bookkeeping.

“YEAR-END” BOOKKEEPING. December and January are two of our busiest months due to tax agency deadlines–if you cannot possibly bring in your records until then we cannot guarantee your return will not need to be extended, and you will be billed at the same rates above but subject to a non- refundable, Minimum Fee Retainer of $900 ($75 x 12 months). Work will begin on your “Year-End” Bookkeeping after we receive your Retainer.

BILLING POLICY. Invoiced Accounts that are not paid in full within 30-days are subject to $10/month Late Penalty Fee. Checks Returned for ANY reason, or amounts charged back Credit Card payments are subject to a $50 NSF, Returned Item, or Credit Card Charge back Penalty Fee. NOTE: Any payments received after a Penalty Fee is assessed are applied first to such Fees assessed, and the balance to the amount originally owed.

PAYROLL SERVICE is provided through affiliates in that field. Call for an estimated fee for your situation. Fees depend on services requested which may include writing checks on your account (for your signature), direct deposit, debit and payment of taxes and quarterly tax filings. Year end reporting is provided if service is uninterrupted through year-end.