As I look at my calendar, I realize there is 23 days left in tax season. Have you seen your tax professional lately? If you have, I am sure it was in their office. The crunch is on for them. I have talked to a few lately that are working 14+ hour days. I am not telling you this to make you feel bad for them or to convince you that you should bring them some home-made baked goods (although I’m sure they would be very appreciative of any food you have to offer :)) I am telling you this to give some perspective.
If your return is finished and filed, were you happy with the way the numbers turned out this year? Do you understand why your tax position is what it is this year? I am hearing many a news article of how refunds are lower this year than last. I have also seen in my practice how the new 199(a) deduction has changed the game for some small business owners. The problem is all of these changes are harder to trace this year than previous because of the implementation of new forms.
So, what are you to do as a client? When you picked up your return did you try to get some answers and either get some kind of lip service from an Administrative Assistance or did you actually get to talk to your tax preparer and get a short answer that really didn’t make sense to you?
Last summer I was with a group of friends and was listening to each of them talk about how their preparer was great but they didn’t feel that the preparer was always looking out for their best interest. Each one at the get-together had a story of a year where their return didn’t turn out the way they wanted for one reason or another. As I sat there and listened to story after story, I was impressed that each of them seemed to have a grasp of what had happened that particular year. However, a main theme I was picking up on was that none of them had worked with their professional to change it. I finally piped up and asked “Did any of you ever go in after tax season to follow up?” They all looked at me strange and I could just about read all of their minds. “I see my guy/gal once a year and that’s good enough for me.”
I took the opportunity to educate the group on something I wish everyone knew. Tax professionals do not like you paying more tax any more then you do!!!! A good tax professional takes it personally when your situation changes, but only for the amount of time your return sits on their desk. I have said more then once, during tax season, once your return is off my desk it is just numbers on a page. That is not to say that I don’t care. It is just to say that I have many other returns I have to get to and once I feel that I have done the best I could do I have to let it go and get on to the next return.
Now comes the game changer!!!! May 1st!!!! I have made it to the April 15th deadline, taken some time to reconnect with my loved ones, and got my office back in an order where I feel I know where things are at again. Now is the time as a client I beg you to come in and talk with me. Let’s look over your particular situation and make a game plan for the current year. If you are a business owner, we can discuss any changes in business that have happened or are coming. If you are a wage earner, we can talk about how the new withholding regulations have changed your refund or the up-coming retirement might affect finances. In either situation I assure you, you will have my undivided attention and devotion.
Please understand, it is not that I don’t want to help you in
the middle of March but more that I will have more time to devote to you in
May. You are valued ALL year long and because of that I want to get you the
best service I can.
Please go see your tax professional in May. We would love to
hear from you