Below are some of the most Frequently Asked Questions that we receive. If you do not find the answers to your questions,
please call us at (325) 646-0466, or send us your question using the form on the Contact Us page.
“Where's my refund?” – For individuals looking for their current tax year's refund, you can look here
Where's my refund to find when it will be or was issued.
“When will my return be ready?” – We here at Julia A. Taylor,
CPA work on a deadline basis, which means that the closer deadlines get the priority.
So, once your return is logged in and in “line” to be worked, it will be worked as soon
as possible, keeping in mind the deadline date.
“What about ‘reserving a spot’ for my return to be worked?” – We’ll be glad
to hold a spot open for you for the April 15th deadline worklist. However, you will still need to get
your information in to us by March 1st for the spot to continue to be held for you. There is just no
possible way that we can get your information by April 1st and have your return completed by April 15th.
You need to keep in mind that everyone is just like you and wants their return processed as quickly as possible.
Also, once an extension is filed for your return, the extension deadline is October 15th. There are many deadlines
between April 15th and October 15th, therefore, your return will be worked as soon as possible, but keep in mind,
other deadlines take precedent.
“What are the mileage reimbursement rates for 2010?” – For business mileage, the reimbursement
rate is 50 cents per mile. For medical and moving mileage, the reimbursement rate is 16.5 cents per mile. Charitable
mileage is reimbursed at the rate of 14 cents per mile.
“What are the dollar amount rules for filing form 1099s and other forms?” – These can be found at the IRS website
A Guide to Information Returns @ IRS.gov.
“What should I do if I haven’t been filing tax returns?” – The problem with never filing a tax return is that
the statute of limitations has never started, therefore will never end. This means that the IRS will forever be able to come back
against you if you never file a tax return. The best thing to do is file all tax returns that are due. This will begin the statute
of limitations period and will limit the IRS on being able to come back and make changes to your return. Now, owing for a tax return
can be another subject. Remember, there is an Installment Agreement Request (IRS form 9465) that you can complete and send to the IRS.
This establishes a payment plan with the IRS. Penalties and Interest do continue to accrue, but as long as you keep up with your end
of the bargain, the IRS won’t come in and levy your bank account, your wages or seize assets. If you have no way of paying the IRS
what is owed to them, you can file additional forms with the IRS and you can make an Offer In Compromise. If any of these scenarios
are your situation, give our office a call and we’ll be glad to set up an appointment with you to discuss your options.
“What do you charge for services?” – For Federal Income Tax return preparation, we generally bill on a per hour
basis. But, this works out best for you, the client. If you do some of the work in sorting out expenses, detailing your itemized
deductions (such as medical expenses, charitable contributions, etc), this helps on your bill. Sometimes a client doesn’t have time
to do some of the work or isn’t sure what is needed, then they are welcome to bring in their bank statements. However, sorting through
all of your transactions is very time consuming, and therefore can lead to a much larger tax return bill. So, the more work you do in
preparation of the items I need, the less your bill will be for our services.
For Financial Statement Preparation on a monthly or quarterly basis, we generally bill on a fixed rate. This give you the
freedom to call and discuss operating questions that you may have from time to time. So, if you’re in need of an accountant
for your small business or entity, give us a call. We can discuss the services you may need and a fee range that can fit your needs.
Outsourcing of accounting and payroll services is becoming a needed service for many small business owners. You as the small
business owner are busy working in the business. You may not have time to stop and prepare payroll checks for your employees, or
file those state and federal documents that are required on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis. Give us a call. That’s what
we’re here to help you with.
“How do I go about making you my CPA?” – If you currently use a CPA for your income tax preparation,
I will need a copy of your last filed income tax return, a copy of your detailed depreciation schedule for that return,
and a copy of any supporting schedules that were used in preparing the income tax return. Sometimes those are given to the
client for their records and sometimes they are not. If you do not have a copy of these items, you will need to contact your
prior CPA and request copies of those forms. Or, I will be glad to submit a letter for you with your signature to your former
CPA requesting the necessary items. It can be very simple to change accountants.
While changing CPAs can seem stressful, it more times than not is not stressful at all. However, you may have built a trusting
relationship with your accountant that can be the hardest to leave behind. We build those trusting relationships all the time with
our clients. We understand just how much you trust your accountant to be there for you in your time of need.
“What do you need from me to prepare my tax return?” – We have an interview kit that may help you gather your
information in a logical form for your income tax return. If you are a new client and would like an interview kit, give our
office a call. We’ll be glad to send you one. If you organize your information in categories (business, personal, etc) and
if you identify the categories for me (such as supplies, repairs and maintenance, inventory purchases, payroll, etc.), then this
is most helpful for me. If you use QuickBooks or another kind of financial software, your annual balance sheet and income statement
will be very beneficial to me.