Why should I pay someone to prepare my taxes?

Believe it or not, tax preparation done right is a lot more complicated than you’d think. Tax laws change every year, even during the year. The tax code is around 4000 pages long and that doesn’t include recent rulings, guidance, etc. As a taxpayer, you save money in tax planning, not when the year is over and it’s too late to make any changes (that’s tax avoidance vs. tax evasion). A paid preparer has your back. None of us enjoy informing you of a hefty tax bill on April 15th. When you’re preparing your own taxes you could be missing out on thousands of dollars of savings that you never knew you were entitled to. It’s my job to stay on top of that.

Can you give me a quote?

Yes, I can. One of the reasons I offer a 15-minute complimentary phone consultation is to understand what your individual tax picture looks like so that I can give you an accurate quote. My minimum fee is $1000 for a 1040 and increases from there depending on the complexity of your return.

Why does it cost so much?

I understand. No one wants to pay for tax preparation…or root canals. But being able to complete that root canal in an hour means that the oral surgeon has spent thousands of dollars on education as well as all of the overhead of having an office, insurance, clean materials, and having some money left over at the end of the day to enjoy her life. Tax preparation is really no different: tax software, cyber insurance, utilities, healthcare…it all adds up. I want to see my tax clients live prosperous lives and make an excellent living at the work they’re good at, and I expect the same for myself. I consider my rates fair for the level of service I provide, and I’m proud that I can spot the opportunities to save my clients money that they may have missed if they had been doing their taxes on their own.