Tax preparer mistakes

[GMN]

What do you all consider serious enough mistakesa tax preparer can make to go somewhere else?

This year I had to switch tax people, because of mistakes my old tax person made, and just the fact that we could never get a hold of her. I was nervous to switch, I went there on 2-3 and went over all the info for 4 hours and he e-filed that day. Well 2 weeks came and went, and I went on the IRS site, and they said they had not recieved the taxes, so I called the guy and he looked it up, and long behold the day I was there he hadn't e-filed it like he said. He said he had a question he was going to look up, and forgot all about it. I was kind of upset, and he did e-file them that same day, but I'm wondering is this too big of a mistake to over look, should I go somewhere else next year? My gut is telling me to take my business elsewhere, any thoughts?

GMN

 

[MistyMorning]

IMHO I would get someone new next year. :nod:

 

[1982vett]

Let's see, the way it sounds he was going to e-file before you had a chance to review his work? NO WAY JUANITA IN MY BOOK! So if you had reviewed his work, I don't totally understand why he should have a question to look up unless you brought one up.

 

[ga. prime]

The next tax preparer you get may be worse. They all make mistakes.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Word to the wise...

Use a CPA Accounting "Firm", not just a solatary person who is the only one there and/or who does it full-time "during tax season".

This also excludes all those "tax preparer services" ...

Your farm & ranch business is too important and too complicated to trust to the wannabies...

You get what you pay for...and sometimes something you don't want...

:shock:

 

[Frankie]

What do you all consider serious enough mistakesa tax preparer can make to go somewhere else?

This year I had to switch tax people, because of mistakes my old tax person made, and just the fact that we could never get a hold of her. I was nervous to switch, I went there on 2-3 and went over all the info for 4 hours and he e-filed that day. Well 2 weeks came and went, and I went on the IRS site, and they said they had not recieved the taxes, so I called the guy and he looked it up, and long behold the day I was there he hadn't e-filed it like he said. He said he had a question he was going to look up, and forgot all about it. I was kind of upset, and he did e-file them that same day, but I'm wondering is this too big of a mistake to over look, should I go somewhere else next year? My gut is telling me to take my business elsewhere, any thoughts?

GMN

I'd change. When we moved back here, we started using the tax preparation service that my mother had used for years. But he sold his business to another person and we went to her a couple of years. The last year we went to her, she had a new calculator. She made several simple math errors on our return and we wound up paying penalties and interest. So we found a CPA and have been using him for years. Hes' not cheap, but he's reliable, up to date on the tax laws, entertaining and he's there if I have questions during the year.

 

[ga. prime]

she had a new calculator. She made several simple math errors on our return and we wound up paying penalties and interest.

Hewlett-Packard Reverse Polish Notation calculator no doubt. Should'a stuck with Texas Instruments.

 

[GMN]

This is what i wonder, if I wouldn't have checked and gotten worried about it, would he have ever caught the mistake on his end? That s what scares me about him, plus now i just have to hope that what we went over is what he put in the computer, kind of why I sat there for 4 hours going over everything with him-very disappointing for sure!

GMN

 

[Lammie]

I used the same accountant for years and year before last she forgot to decuct my kids! I just trusted her. Last year we discovered the mistake, refiled, and got the money for the kids. We still use her, but out of convenience. I still need to go in and go over everything with her for this year before she efiles. I should have done it yesterday while I was off, but I just didn't have the energy. I will get in there today after school.

 

[CKC1586]

Word to the wise...

Use a CPA Accounting "Firm", not just a solatary person who is the only one there and/or who does it full-time "during tax season".

This also excludes all those "tax preparer services" ...

Your farm & ranch business is too important and too complicated to trust to the wannabies...

You get what you pay for...and sometimes something you don't want...

:shock:

Yup, best advice on here...

 

[jkwilson]

I've paid to have mine done twice, and it cost me money and aggravation both times. First time they messed up on carry over for conservation expenses when we had some ponds built, and the second time they set up the depreciation schedule for some cows at 25 years and didn't deduct my diesel receipts because they thought it was for my truck. Either go with a CPA with farm experience or do it yourself. Turbo Tax or similar programs really make it easy. I do it myself because I think you are crazy if you don't at least know how to do it. You can't understand the tax implications of things you do unless you really know how taxes work, and most people don't have any idea. First year was rough, but now it only takes me a couple of hours because I know what paperwork I need and the order I need it.

 

[1982vett]

I've paid to have mine done twice, and it cost me money and aggravation both times. First time they messed up on carry over for conservation expenses when we had some ponds built, and the second time they set up the depreciation schedule for some cows at 25 years and didn't deduct my diesel receipts because they thought it was for my truck. Either go with a CPA with farm experience or do it yourself. Turbo Tax or similar programs really make it easy. I do it myself because I think you are crazy if you don't at least know how to do it. You can't understand the tax implications of things you do unless you really know how taxes work, and most people don't have any idea. First year was rough, but now it only takes me a couple of hours because I know what paperwork I need and the order I need it.

Good post. I take the time to understand my taxes and could file them myself, but in my opinion, having a CPA's signature below yours gives you insurance when the IRS starts poking around. Well worth the cost, as long as the CPA is reliabale. Most of us wouldn't go to trial without a lawyer, I don't want to meet with the IRS without a CPA.