FAQs

General Office Information

Do I need an appointment? Or should I schedule a brief phone call?

It depends. If things are fairly consistent from one year to the next, you may simply upload your documents to the portal or drop them off at the office.  If you need to ask a question or two, then scheduling a phone call is the best way to make sure someone is available (and not in a client meeting or working on returns) to answer your questions.  If things have changed dramatically from the previous year, then an in-person interview might be best.

I’m a new client. What do I need to bring to our meeting?

Please bring a copy of your prior year return, the dates of birth, complete social security numbers, and names of everyone listed on your return, along with your documents for this tax year.  If you own rental property or your own business, please bring a federal and state depreciation schedule.  If you provide us an email address when you call, we will set up a client portal for you and make an organizer available to you to facilitate gathering your information. 

Tax Return Preparation Process

Who will be working on my return?

See our About Us page, too.  Your return will be reviewed by either Rodney or Stephanie before it is finalized.

What’s the typical turnaround?

Usually two weeks. The closer we get to the filing deadline, and the more returns that come in, the longer it might take.

Is there a deadline to have my information to you to in order for it to be ready by the filing deadline?

For individual returns, that date is on or about March 20th to ensure that your return is completed by the filing deadline.

What if I owe money?

By default, we prepare payment vouchers for you to mail in along with your payment. Your payment for the balance due (along with your estimates, if you choose) can be drafted from a checking or savings account.  If you want to pay electronically, you must tell us BEFORE we e-file your return.  We cannot make changes to payment methods after your returns have been submitted.

What if I can’t pay the entire balance due right now?

You may request an installment agreement with both the IRS and Kentucky by visiting their websites.  You will need to set up an account with the IRS to complete the online payment agreement application.  The online application is the fastest and best way to request an installment plan with the IRS.  Kentucky’s installment agreement form may be found on their website at revenue.ky.gov and searching “installment agreement.”

Do you have to have my e-file signature forms back?

We are prohibited by the IRS from e-filing your returns unless and until we receive your signed e-file authorization forms.

What if I have local returns?

We can upload them to your portal for you to print or we can print them here for you to pick up

What if there is a mistake?

Let us know immediately! We will make the necessary corrections and get a new copy to you as quickly as possible.

What is the best way to get my information to you?

Uploading your information to the portal is ideal. It saves you a trip here, plus you have access to those documents 24/7! If you are unable to upload your documents, you may leave them in our drop box at the office or mail them to us.

I forgot to make an estimate payment. What should I do?

Make it as soon as you can.  It is better to pay it late than not at all.  If you haven’t made any at all, and it’s before January 15th, you should make the payments.  If it’s past January 15th, wait and pay the balance due when your return is prepared.  Know there could be penalties for failure to make proper estimate payments.

What if I receive a new or corrected document after my return has been e-filed?

You may need to file an amended return. Contact us as soon as you receive the document.  We will need to wait a few weeks between filing your original return and filing the amended return to avoid any confusion.

I have an ID theft PIN from the IRS. Do you need it?

Yes, we cannot e-file your return without it.  New PINs are issued each year by the IRS.

Do you need all of my various receipts?

In most cases, no, we do not need them, especially if you’ve already summarized the information or listed it on your organizer. There are a handful of exceptions (like if you gave an extremely large gift) but we will contact you if we need the receipt.  You can obtain a yearly print-out of your prescriptions from most pharmacies that shows your total out-of-pocket cost for the year.

What to do when your return is complete

How will my returns be delivered?

Your returns, along with any actionable items, will be uploaded to your portal.

What is my fee going to be/how do you bill? How/when do I pay you?

Most tax return fees are based on the amount of time spent and other costs, like software.  Being organized helps keep the overall cost of your return down.  You may pay through the client portal with a credit/debit card or ACH or mail a check to us.  We still accept cash if you are picking up in person.

Refund Status and Notices

What happens if I receive a tax notice from the IRS?

Don’t panic! Upload the complete notice to your portal and call or email and let us know you received a letter.  We’ll look at it and get back with you as to how we should proceed.

How do I check the status of my refund?

The quickest way to do that is by visiting the IRS’ Where’s my refund tool (Kentucky has a similar feature on their website). From any page on our website, under Helpful Links, click the “Where is my refund?” link.