My Services

Income Tax Preparation

The same two factors exist in any tax return preparation. One is the tax law and the other is the client’s particular set of circumstances. BOTH are highly nuanced and often changing.

MY SERVICES COVER BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

Sole Proprietorships and Partnerships (including LLC’s or LLP’s);
Rental Income & 1031 Exchanges (including DST’s);
IRS-defined “Qualified Real Estate Professionals”;
S-Corps and C-Corps;
Stock Options (NQSOs, ISOs, RSUs);
K-1 Income (from Trusts, Estates, Partnerships or S-Corps);
Foreign Income – Earned, Investment, Retirement and Rental;
Resident Aliens, including Dual Status Year;
5500-Series Informational Returns for solo 401(k) plans;
F-BAR Informational Returns (foreign bank & financial accounts);
Simple Trusts;
Gift Tax Returns;
All States

NOTE: While I can advise on the subjects of payroll taxes or sales taxes, presently I do not offer these filing services. I work with others who do, and who also provide bookkeeping services. I am happy to refer.

Restless Sky by Angelo Franco

I provide Tax Preparation and Consulting Services to clients in the USA and Abroad.

INCLUDED IN TAX PREPARATION

E-filing – both fed and state filings. I am an authorized IRS E-file provider.
Explanation and Guidance – An important aspect of my job is to educate and inform clients, who themselves must be willing participants in this process.
Consultation – For current tax-preparation clients, the first hour of consultation is free. For consulting rates see engagement letter sample for consulting services.

CHOICE AND CONVENIENCE

For clients who live down the street to those across the state, country or world, you have a choice, to:

a) come to my office
b) work remotely
c) receive a house call or
d) a combination.

These options are made possible by using a web-based tax preparation application and a linked, secure file-exchange web portal. This applies to tax consultation as well as tax preparation.

TAX PREPARATION PRICING

A rigid manner of pricing (by hour or tax form) can sometimes result in a price that is unreasonably high for the client or unreasonably low for the preparer. Therefore, I do not have a published tax preparation price schedule. Several considerations go into pricing:

the average rate of Enrolled Agents in the area;
my particularly personal quality of service;
my own experience per the particular tax issues;
the complexity of the return;
extra research hours needed;
how well a client has his/her/their information prepared
an “urgency factor”

Price estimates are given in writing, or for clients with no email, a call back. I do not give off-the-cuff price quotes over the phone. Prices are subject to change in function of new information or unforeseen complexity that may require more time. I do my best to keep clients informed of any possible price increase and the reason for it. I do not finance tax preparation fees and I do not accept payments via credit cards.

ENGAGEMENT LETTER FOR TAX PREPARATION SERVICES

All clients are given a Client Consent & Agreement Letter that must be read thoroughly and signed every year before tax preparation services begin.

Consulting & Planning Services

The issues that prompt clients to seek consultation are infinite in depth and nature. “Consulting” is a broad umbrella term that covers anything not tax prep. People who seek consultation are either in planning mode or reaction mode. We always hope it’s the former, but I’m here for both. My consulting practice is not focused on any one section of the tax code and I rely on a network of professional colleagues with whom to consult and confer when necessary. On occasion I refer clients to others whose practices are ultra-specialized. Many times, what is easily asked is not easily answered, requiring research and applied analysis. There are often peripheral issues that need addressing of which the client is initially unaware. Education is a big part of any consultation. Furthermore, it is my practice to provide clients with careful and thorough written explanation and guidance; if you don’t have something in writing, to keep as a reference, then sooner rather than later, your memory will short-change you and you will have paid for nothing.

CONSULTATION PRICING

My consulting rate is $175/hour for the first two hours and $150/hour after that. I charge in prorated fifteen-minute blocks of time. For current tax preparation clients, the first hour of consultation is free, except for in-depth tax analysis. For non-tax-prep clients, the first fifteen minutes is free.

Because consultations are often on-going in nature, it cannot always be known before-hand exactly how much a consultation will cost until it is clear that the subject is closed. Thus, while a price estimate is given, it should not be taken as a price cap. Lastly, while the goal of any consultation is to leave clients with a clear and confident decision path, this cannot always be the case due to various circumstances. None-the-less, my time will be billed. Similarly, if a client should decide to cut the consultation short before I’m able to deliver adequate information, analysis and direction, my time up to that point will be billed. I accept payments via check, cash, Venmo, Zelle or PayPal. I do not accept credit card payments.

ENGAGEMENT LETTER FOR CONSULTING SERVICES

All clients are given a Client Consent & Agreement Letter that must be read thoroughly and signed before consulting services can begin.