Frequently Asked Questions

What is an enrolled agent? 

Enrolled Agents are individuals licensed by the federal government to represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service. Unlike lawyers or CPAs, Enrolled Agents specialize in taxation. Enrolled Agents' expertise is in the constantly changing field of tax law, and only Enrolled Agents are required to demonstrate competence in matters of taxation before they may represent a taxpayer. Additionally, they are the only representatives for taxpayers who receive that right from the U. S. government. (CPAs and attorneys are licensed by the states.)

Why should I choose an Enrolled Agent vs. a CPA? 

As described above, Enrolled Agents specialize in taxes, and taxes only. Therefore, they are experts in tax. A CPA offers a full range of accounting functions from auditing & attestation, accounting systems, business valuation, management consulting, forensic accounting, information systems consulting, and information systems on top of taxation.

What if I just use a software program I can buy from a computer store? 

If you are knowledgeable with the most recent tax laws and have a fairly simple return, this can be a good option for you. However, if your tax situation has changed recently, or if you aren't familiar with tax law, you may be missing deductions and possibly spending more time and money than if you hired an Enrolled Agent. I have had savvy clients use these programs and then have me prepare the return. I have saved clients up to $10,000 in taxes due! Is it worth it? 

What do you charge for preparing taxes? 

Our fees are based on the complexity of the return. This means that if you have a simple return, you are charged less than someone with a more complicated return. Fees start at $125 and increase as the difficulty and time involved to prepare the return increases. Our average client charge is between $225 and $275. If you call the office at (661) 324-2694 and provide more information, we can give you a price estimate for your particular situation. 

Do you offer E-filing? 

Yes! We offer E-filing for both Federal and State (all-states) returns at no additional charge.

How do I make an appointment? 

Call the office at (661) 324-2694. We can answer any remaining questions you may have, and assess your individual tax situation. We will then find an appointment time that works for the both of us. You will receive (via e-mail, fax, or US mail) a pre-appointment checklist/questionnaire with information you will need to bring with you to the appointment. During the appointment, we will go over the information you bring, making sure we have all the pertinent information to complete your tax return. That is all you need to do! We will then complete your tax return for your review and upon your approval and signature, e-file the return, or you can mail it directly to the IRS.

How long does this take? 

At your appointment, we will meet for 45-60 minutes, so we can fully understand your tax situation and gather your information. During this time we can normally complete your return and file immediately for you, but with more complicated returns it can sometimes take up to 1 week to finish the return.