We work for you not for the IRS. Many of our clients save many times the fee in reduced tax liability through careful planning and legitimate tax strategies.
Tax Preparation
Preparing your own income tax return can be a task that leaves you with more questions than answers. According to a study released by the US Government’s General Accounting Office last year, most taxpayers (77% of 71 million taxpayers) believe they benefited from using a professional tax preparer.
Whether we like it or not, today’s tax laws are so complicated that filing a relatively simple return can be confusing. It is just too easy to overlook deductions and credits to which you are entitled. Even if you use a computer software program there’s no substitute for the assistance of an experienced tax professional.
- Your tax return will be checked and rechecked by our computer software identifying potential problems the IRS may look at more closely and reviewing the math to limit IRS contacts.
- Your tax return can be filed electronically so you will get a refund back quicker.
- Our staff will show you how to adjust your payroll withholding to get more money back each week. Why give the IRS an interest free loan for up to 16 months.
- We will show you potential deductions to limit your tax liability for next year. In addition, we will give you a sheet of commonly overlooked deductions to limit the following year’s tax liability.
TAX PLANNING
Planning is the key to successfully and legally reducing your tax liability.
Planning is the key to successfully and legally reducing your tax liability. We go beyond tax compliance and proactively recommend tax saving strategies to maximize your after-tax income.
We make it a priority to enhance our mastery of the current tax law, complex tax code, and new tax regulations by attending frequent tax seminars.
Businesses and individuals pay the lowest amount of taxes allowable by law because we continually look for ways to minimize your taxes throughout the year, not just at the end of the year.
We recommend Tax Saving Strategies that help you…
- grow and preserve assets by keeping Uncle Sam out of your pockets.
- defer income so you can keep your money now and pay less taxes later.
- reduce taxes on your income so you keep more of what you make.
- reduce taxes on your estate so your family keeps more of what you’ve made.
- reduce taxes on your gifts so you can give more.
- reduce taxes on your investments so you can grow your wealth faster.
- reduce taxes on your retirement distributions so you can retire in style.
Summary Check List of what to bring
sure you have all of the paperwork and information we need.
- Wage statements/W-2s
- Self-employment business income and expenses/1099-MISC
- Commissions received/paid
- Pension, retirement income/1099-R
- Unemployment income/1099-G
- Canceled Debt Amount/1099-C
- Social Security income/SSA-1099
- IRA contributions
- Statements on the sales of stocks or bonds/1099-B
- Interest and dividend income /1099-INT/1099-DIV
- Lottery or gambling winnings/losses
- State refund amount/1099-G
- Income and expenses from rentals
- Alimony paid or received
- Record of purchase or sale of residence
- Medical and dental expenses
- Real estate and personal property taxes
Detailed Check List of what to bring
If you made money from it last year, you need to bring in a record of the income.
People listed on Tax Return
- Correct birthdays and Social Security card copies of everyone who will be listed on the return
- Childcare records (including the provider’s ID number) if applicable
- Approximate income of other adults in your home (not spouse, if you’re filing jointly)
- Form 8332, copies of your divorce decree, or other documents showing that your ex-spouse is releasing their right to claim a child to you
- Amount of any alimony paid and ex-spouse’s social security number
People listed on Tax Return
- Bills from the educational institution or anything else that itemizes what you paid or received loans for versus what was covered by scholarship or other financial aid
- Forms 1098-T and 1098-E, if you received them
- Scholarships and fellowships
Employee Information
- Forms W-2
Self-Employment Information
- Forms 1099-MISC, Schedules K-1, income records to verify amounts not reported on 1099s.
- Records of all expenses, check registers or credit card statements, and receipts
- Business-use asset information (cost, date placed in service, etc.) for depreciation
- In Home Office information, if applicable
Vehicle Information
- Total miles driven for the year (or beginning/ending odometer readings)
- Total business miles driven for the year (other than commuting)
- Amount of parking and tolls paid
- Receipts or totals for gas, oil, car washes, licenses, personal property tax, lease or interest expense, etc.
Rental Income
- Records of income and expenses
- Rental asset information (cost, date placed in service, etc.) for depreciation
Retirement Income
- Pension/IRA/annuity income (1099-R)
- Social security/RRB income (1099-SSA, RRB-1099)
Savings and Investments
- Interest, dividend income (1099-INT, 1099-OID, 1099-DIV)
- Income from sales of stock or other property (1099-B, 1099-S)
- Dates of acquisition and records of your cost or other basis in property you sold
Other Income
- Unemployment, state tax refund (1099-G)
- Gambling income (W-2G or records showing income, as well as expense records)
- Amount of any alimony received and ex-spouse’s name
- Health care reimbursements (1099-SA or 1099-LTC)
- Jury duty records
- Hobby income and expenses
- Prizes and awards
- Other 1099
Itemizing Deductions
- Forms 1098 or other mortgage statements
- Amount of state/local income tax paid (other than wage withholding), or amount of state and local sales tax paid
- Real estate and personal property tax records
- Amount of vehicle sales tax paid
- HUD statement showing closing date of home purchase
- Cash amounts donated to houses of worship, schools, other charitable organizations
- Amounts and records of non-cash charitable donations
- Amounts paid for healthcare insurance, doctors, dentists, vision, hospitals, etc.
- Amounts of miles driven for charitable or medical purposes
- Expenses related to your investments
- Amount paid for tax preparation
- Employment-related expenses (dues, publications, tools, uniform cost and cleaning, travel)
- Job-hunting expenses
IRA Information
- Amount contributed to any IRA
If you were affected by a federally declared disaster
- City/county you lived/worked/had property in
- Records to support property losses (appraisal, cleanup costs, etc.)
- Records of rebuilding/repair costs
- Insurance reimbursements/claims to be paid
- FEMA assistance information
- Check FEMA site to see if county qualifies for individual assistance
Small Business Checklist
Take some time to gather all of this information and make an appointment.
Income
- Gross receipts from sales or services
- Sales records (for accrual based taxpayers)
- Beginning inventory (if applicable)
- Ending Inventory (if applicable)
- Items removed for personal purposes (if applicable)
- Returns and allowances
- Business checking and savings account interest (1099-INT or statement)
Transportation and Travel Expenses
Local Transportation
- Business trip (mileage) log
- Contemporaneous log, pass, or receipts for public transportation, parking and tolls.
Travel away from home
- Airfare or mileage (actual expense if drove)
- Hotels and transportation e.g. Uber, Shuttle, Taxi, etc.
- Meals and tips
- Taxes and tips
- Internet and parking
Additional Expenses
- Advertising
Commissions Paid to Sub Contactors
- File Form 1099-MISC and 1096 as necessary
Depreciation
- Cost and first date of business use of assets
- Sales price and disposition date of any assets sold
Fringe Benefits
- Employer-paid pension/profit sharing contributions
- Employer-paid HSA contributions
- Employer-paid health insurance premiums
- Cost of other fringe benefits
Business insurance
- Casualty loss insurance
- Errors and omissions
- Other
Interest expense
- Mortgage interest on building owned by business
- Business loan interest
- Legal fees
Office supplies
- Pens, paper, staples, etc.
- Petty cash and other consumables
Rent expense
- Office space rent
- Business-use vehicle lease expense
- Storage and Other
In-home Office
- Square footage of office space (hours of use for daycare business)
- Total square footage of home (not applicable for daycare business)
- Repairs and utilities
- Mortgage interest or rent paid
Wages paid to employees
- Form W-2 and W-3 Federal and state payroll returns (Form 940, etc.)
Other expenses
- Repairs and maintenance of office facility, etc.