About
Reviews
Janet H.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
Make an appointment, find out their needs and desires, then go from there.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I’m and Enrolled Agent and an NTPI Fellow
Do you have a standard pricing system for your services? If so, please share the details here.
I have a fixed price system:
$100 for Basic Preparation
$160 for Itemized Deductions
$220 for Self Employed Return
$60 additional if Married filing joint
$60 additional for more than 1 Schedule C/E
other items could determine if there are additional fees
How did you get started in this business?
Started out at the age of 16 preparing my own taxes with the handwritten 1040 form. One day my girlfriend asked me to prepare her taxes and offered to pay me $10. I did it, she was happy and then referred two of her friends. Then they referred family and friends and I decided that this was a good business to start part-time since I had taken tax courses when I was going to college at Howard University. The business grew from referrals.....22 years later, here I am.
What types of customers have you worked with?
Individuals, Married, Divorced, Business Owners-all types (Corporation, S-Corporation, Partnership, Estates/Trusts, and Non-Profit).
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I recently represented a client that was a friend of my spouse in an audit. Although I was not the preparer of his tax returns, I was able to help him obtain documentation to justify expenses and income claimed on his return. I was able to organize his paperwork in a way that resulted in compliments from the state auditor without them disallowing any of his deductions that were presented to them. The client was pleased because the auditor's report came back with the estimate that I originally prepared the client for. He was happy and was pleased with my promptness and professionalism, especially considering he was a friend of my husband.
What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a pro in your area of expertise?
Educated yourself on what an Enrolled Agent (EA) is, a tax expert. Understand the difference between a CPA, a accounting expert and an EA. CPA are required to stay licensed on accounting courses. Although they prepare taxes, they are not always up to date since taxes are not required as Continuiing Education. EA's are required to take 26 hours of tax courses every year including 2 credits of Ethics, so we are focused on taxes.
What questions should customers think through before talking to pros about their needs?
Determine how complex their needs are before chosing a professional that charges really high prices. Just because the price is high does not mean you will get high value from their service.