Services
We specialize in income tax preparation for individuals and small businesses as well as entities, such as partnerships, corporations, trusts and non-profit organizations. All preparers in our office are either enrolled agents licensed directly by the IRS or certified public accountants licensed by the State of California. Our primary focus is to provide expert tax preparation and advice at a reasonable cost while making every effort to minimize the tax burden of our clients.
Our fees vary based on the number of forms and complexity of the return, but most returns cost between $250 and $500. We would be happy to quote a fee for any prospective new client after reviewing the prior year return.
Clients can choose to schedule appointments in-person, by phone, or by sending us their tax information by mail, fax, or email. Appointments are typically scheduled for 45 minutes and allow time to review current year information, determine a client’s refund or balance due and answer any tax planning questions that clients might have.
Income Tax Preparation
Payroll
For those clients with employees we provide payroll services including preparation of employee paystubs, payroll tax deposits, quarterly payroll filings and annual W2 forms and 1099s. Our goal is to provide superior service compared to the large payroll providers such as ADP and Paychex at a more reasonable cost.
Clients typically call or email us with employee hours a few days prior to the pay date and we prepare employee paystubs that are used to produce the employees’ paychecks. We also calculate the required payroll deposits to IRS and Employment Development Department and initiate a direct debit from the client’s bank account on the due date.
Fees for these services begin at $75 per month and increase based on the number of employees and pay periods as well as the level of services provided.
To get a specific quote for payroll services, prospective clients should contact Ryan Zimmerman.
As part of our tax preparation service, we will review any notices or correspondence received by a client from the IRS, Franchise Tax Board or State Board of Equalization free of charge for a return we have prepared.
Most IRS contact is initiated when a discrepancy exists between amounts shown on a tax return and what payers have reported to the IRS on forms such as W2s, 1099s or 1098s. If we believe the notice is incorrect, we respond on behalf of our client and request a revised statement. In the event of an audit, we can assist the client in the preparation and strategy if they want to meet with the auditor. However in most cases, clients prefer to allow us to represent them during the examination process saving both the time and anxiety of handling the audit on their own.
Fees for audit representation are based on amount of time involved and typically range from $500 to $1,500.
Audit Representation
Bookkeeping
We provide bookkeeping services to those clients who want professional assistance in tracking their income and expenses or who need CPA reviewed financial statements for banks or vendors. Financial statement preparation can be done on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis depending on the needs of the client.
We also prepare sales tax returns for clients who are required to charge sales tax or who have a resale permit.
Fees for bookkeeping services vary based on the number of checks written monthly and the amount of time required. In many cases we combine payroll and bookkeeping services at a very reasonable cost to our clients. To request a quote for bookkeeping services, prospective clients should contact Ryan Zimmerman.
Reducing our clients’ tax burden is our primary focus. To that end we encourage clients to contact us whenever they have a question about a financial decision that might impact their income tax return. Through consultation by phone or in-person we can determine the tax effect of various “what if” scenarios, such as starting a business, retiring, selling stock, buying or selling rental property, selling a principal residence or drawing one’s social security benefits. Once the tax impact of any scenario is determined, we can develop strategies to reduce the liability by accelerating deductions into a year with higher income and/or deferring discretionary income to an earlier or later year when possible.
In addition we advise clients of the withholding or estimated payment requirements to allow them to prevent underpayment penalties on any balances due.
Further, we advise clients as to the most tax effective way to pay for dependent care, medical expenses, save for college, fund retirement plans and structure their small businesses.