The Tax Lady

When a new customer reaches out to us (via our website, email, phone, or fax) we contact them via phone, zoom or meet with them in the office to discuss their primary needs and answer their questions about our services and we also provide an initial quote of the fees.

If the customer wants to proceed, we provide them an engagement letter that details the service to be provided by us, documents they must provide, our fee, payment terms, and expected completion date.

If they agree on the proposal, they sign the engagement letter, pay the initial retainer, and we start the work per the agreed upon scope. 

The client's information can be uploaded to our client portal, emailed to me, or faxed.

I have a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration and Accounting with over 30 years of experience in accounting, bookkeeping, auditing, payroll, tax, financial system implementation, strategic planning and business operations.

Financial Management experience as a Finance Manager formerly tasked with overseeing an agency's $100 million budget and supervising Certified Public Accountants, Senior Accountants, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receceviable, Payroll and IT staff in all finance and accounting functions of the department.

I am a professional consultant skilled in providing high quality tax and business services to individuals, for profit and non profit businesses.

I stay up to date in my accounting knowledge through reading, continuing education, and attending webinars or workships pertaining to the services I provide to clients.

Expertise setting up, customizing, training users, and maintaining QuickBooks, Xero, and Sage software in my own business as well as with my small business clients. I am also skilled on MS Office, outlook mail, word, excel and powerpoint as well as Google applications and social media platforms.

My billable rate is $175 - $225 per hour based on the service requested. I also offer some services with a fixed rate, however the actual rate cannot be determined until I have spoken to the customer and determined what work is required and when it is needed.

Tax preparation fees are based on the complexity of the client's tax matter as determined by the types and number of schedules and forms required.

Audit representation fees are higher because higher levels of tax expertise are required in representing a client before IRS.

A formal fee is always detailed in an engagement letter and presented to client for approval before any work is started.

I started preparing tax returns part-time for a regional finance firm while working full-time as a senior accountant. Customers requested me as their tax preparer because of my accounting knowledge, technical ability to solve problems for customers from all walks of life in the US.

After being promoted to a finance department manager for a non-profit ageny, I was selected by the Executive Director to teach a bookkeeping class to non-profit orgnizations. I was also asked by a colleague in the small business community to conduct workshops and seminars on business planning, financial management, and tax topics to startups and early stage entreprenuers.

Volunteerism led to consulting opportunities that became game changers for the clients that I served and I was hooked.

I have worked with individuals, corporate executives, independent contractors, entrepreneurs and large corporate clients from virtually every industry with budgets ranging from $25,000 to $550,000,000.

My services have been retained by startups, non-profit organizations, governmental agencies, construction trade contractors, electrical contractors, HVACs contractors, realtors, investors, truckers, doctors and nurses, convenience store owners, inventors, automotive repair companies, restaurant franchise owners, engineers and architects, security staffing firms, lawn care and retail nursery providers, machinery and fabrication shops, law firms, and many more small businesses.

I was asked to incorporate a company and form a 501 c3 non-profit tax exempt entity by 3 women in honor of a sister who died 6 months after being diagnosed with cancer. The deceased sister had never married or had children. She worked as a social worker in a hospital and every year for over 15 years she emptied her savings and bought christmas toys for children whose parents were unable to do so. Her love for children and compassion for families was continued as a result of the formation of the non profit bearing her name.

I felt honored to have played a role in keeping her vision alive and helping her family members to structure the business and guide them in developing the by laws, budgets and other documents required to operate in excellence.

I would tell them to hire a knowledgeable professional with a proven track record in the services being sought. Hire someone who is not condescending or aloof, but has empathy and genuine concern for the best interests of every one of their clients.

I would advise them to hire someone who is available year round, who is stable, reliable, convenient, personable and willing to answer your questions and to honestly inform you of what you need to know and not just what you want to hear or do.

They should know the service(s) they want and the fee they are prepared to pay.

They should ask the pro about their education, length of time in business, how they work with new customers, office hours, availability, references, guarantees, payment terms, estimated completion dates of project, cost for unforseen expenses and how they will be informed by consultant.