Is my accountant following standard business procedures?
I'm working with an accountant for the first time this year. Last February, I brought the pertinent tax information to this gentleman and left expecting everything would be filed by April 15.
April 15 came around and he had not filed. After several calls which he failed to return (his assistant assured me he was very busy), the assistant finally told me that he'd filed an extension and would have them filed by August.
August has come and after several calls, which he also failed to return, the assistant has told me that he will file by October.
I have not paid this guy a dime. He told me that he'd bill me after he filed. This also means that I didn't pay any estimated tax (assuming there is estimated tax) with the extensions.
I can't help but think that I am sort of up the creek without a paddle, but I also wonder if this isn't par for the course. As I said, I've never worked with an accountant before.
So, is this common business practice for accountants?
I am a CPA/Tax Preparer, and no this is not common practice for an accountant. If you brought him your complete info by February, there should have been no reason what-so-ever that they should not have been completed by 4/15. If he did file an extension for you (which I would ask for proof from him since he does not seem very reliable at all) the extension would be valid till October 15, but only if you don't owe. Hopefully he entered your info into his tax software system and found that you don't owe, but will be owed a refund. I would contact his assistant and give him a deadline to file your taxes by, otherwise you will ask for all your papers back and find another accountant, and if there is any penalties or interest that you owe from filing and paying late, that you will consider him responsible for re-imbursing you for them. You can also report him to his state CPA society if he is one, and preparers like him give the rest of us a bad name, and a black eye. Trust me, most of us are far from him. Our office gives a deadline of around March 31 or so for people to get their tax info in, to meet the 4/15 filing deadline.
No, its not usual. I would call and set an appointment to see him.
If you don't owe any taxes, then its no big deal. But if you owe money, and you are penalized for being late, I'd be upset.
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I am a CPA/Tax Preparer, and no this is not common practice for an accountant. If you brought him your complete info by February, there should have been no reason what-so-ever that they should not have been completed by 4/15. If he did file an extension for you (which I would ask for proof from him since he does not seem very reliable at all) the extension would be valid till October 15, but only if you don't owe. Hopefully he entered your info into his tax software system and found that you don't owe, but will be owed a refund. I would contact his assistant and give him a deadline to file your taxes by, otherwise you will ask for all your papers back and find another accountant, and if there is any penalties or interest that you owe from filing and paying late, that you will consider him responsible for re-imbursing you for them. You can also report him to his state CPA society if he is one, and preparers like him give the rest of us a bad name, and a black eye. Trust me, most of us are far from him. Our office gives a deadline of around March 31 or so for people to get their tax info in, to meet the 4/15 filing deadline.
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NO get a new accoutant but make sure he pays all late fees charged by the IRS……
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