Hello wonderful tax clients!
I hope you had a great 2022. I am looking forward to the first normal tax season in 4 years, as there are almost no special covid provisions or stimulus or extended seasons or mid-year unemployment tax changes! I am changing up a number of things this year so read this carefully!
1. Big change to online appt system! The past 3 seasons I have been running online appts just like in person, and I finally realized that doesn't make a lot of sense! So this year, things are gonna go a bit differently. Full details are on the website here, but TLDR you will upload all your stuff first, I will punch it in, and then send you a link to schedule your appt. You will not be scheduling online appts for tax prep through the website anymore, you'll get the link directly from me. Appts will be shorter since I won't be doing document input during, it will be already done beforehand, and we will also be sure nothing is missing! Just be proactive about sending in all your stuff and letting me know its all there, since you won't have an appointment deadline to work. And be sure to email me when everything is there and you are ready to go in the queue!
2. Free 15-min Pre-Tax Consults! To help us use tax prep time more efficiently, I am offering 15 min appts from now until Feb 15 to cover any questions you have about spreadsheets, deductions, etc! Sign up on the scheduling page on the website! And if it's before Jan 17, we can talk about making a 4th quarter estimated payment! Speaking of which...
3. 4th Quarter Estimated Payments are due Jan 17! If you have a lot of 1099/self-employment income, you have a lot of investment or other income with no withholding, or your are an NYC resident who got a lot of unemployment in 2022, you might need to pay a payment now to avoid underpayment penalties! Set up a consult to discuss if you need!
4. The Health Insurance Marketplace closes Jan 15! If you need any help signing up for health insurance through the marketplace, sign up for a free 30 min consult before Jan 15!
5. You will be getting an Engagement Letter to sign! In the past I usually had you sign your Engagement Letter along with everything else when your return is done, but it is industry best practice to get them signed in advance, and now that I have TaxDome I can do that, so I am switching things up! If I did your 2021 return, expect to get a request to sign your Engagement Letter through TaxDome next week. (I'll be going alphabetically by last name) If you aren't planning on using me this year, let me know and I will remove the signature request.
6. New Deadlines to avoid needing an extension! I love you all, but there are a lot of you! So I am moving my hard deadline for being finished by April 18th up to March 15. If you get your stuff to me between March 15 and Apr 1, then I will do my level best to get you finished, but if I can't I will give you a personalized estimate of what you may owe so you can make a payment with extension. After Apr 1, you are definitely getting an extension, and will need to use my Rule of Thumb guidelines to estimate your payment. Details here!
7. New (and 100% different) Payment Options! I am finally practicing what I preach and separating my business and personal accounts. This means that I am no longer accepting Venmo or Paypal! I am still accepting Zelle, but to a different account than before. So bottom line, however you paid me last year, it's different this year. I will be accepting Zelle to my new account, or you can pay by e-check or debit/credit through a service called CPACharge, you will get a link when we do your return. There will be a $5 charge for using debit/credit, Zelle or E-check are free!
8. Speaking of payments, I have changed some prices. I hate to have to increase prices, I know everything is going up in price for all of you, but everything I use from software to online services to of course my own personal expenses is going up so I just can't keep prices static. I have increased the base price of a state to $15 (from $10), limited the sliding scale to be from $5 to $20 off, and I will be charging more for more complex returns that take a lot of time. Also, people who have been with me more than 5 years have a lower legacy price, those will be increasing by $10. You can get an updated Price Quote here. As always, be as early as possible for the early bird discount, that hasn't changed! I also still give $5 off for every year after the first one you are with me, up to $50.
9. The Intake Form is now online! I am no longer using the New or Returning Client forms that were downloadable from the site in previous years, now I am using Zoho Forms online! What's so great about this (to me anyway!) is that I can make the forms responsive based on your answers, so if a section doesn't apply to you, you won't be asked further questions about it. I am working on videos going through filling things out, but they should be pretty straightforward. But since this is the first year I am fully using these, if you are an early bird be sure and let me know about any issues you encounter! Check it out here.
10. I made a PA W2 specific spreadsheet! No major changes to any of the other spreadsheets, but feel free to also download the latest version.
11. Returning Clients can start uploading whenever you want! If I did your 2021 return, you have a TaxDome account, you can upload without needing a link from me. Check out this video for further instructions! Or just email me for a link :)
12. Are you sure you uploaded everything? Check out my Readiness Check or the List of Documents I need!
13. In person Appts in NYC! I am tentatively planning on coming to NYC to do appts from Mar 10-Mar 15, keep an eye on the website for more details later this month. And of course, if you are in the ATL area during tax season you are welcome to come by for an in-person appt at my place, just shoot me an email!
14. Stick to emailing me! As always, please use email to jentaxprep@gmail.com as the way you communicate with me. Please do not text, call, DM or use the TaxDome messaging system to get in touch unless otherwise specified!
15. Check the Blog for any mid-season announcements!
16. I am working on making some more videos, more for spreadsheets and forms, and a couple on specific tax topics that come up a lot, like types of deductions and car deductions, so keep an eye out on the website for those if you are interested!
Ok, I think that's enough for now! As always, check the website first if you have any questions, and email me if the answer cannot be found! Or set up a 15 min consult! I look forward to speaking with you all soon!!!
Your friendly neighborhood tax preparer,
Jennifer
I hope you had a great 2022. I am looking forward to the first normal tax season in 4 years, as there are almost no special covid provisions or stimulus or extended seasons or mid-year unemployment tax changes! I am changing up a number of things this year so read this carefully!
1. Big change to online appt system! The past 3 seasons I have been running online appts just like in person, and I finally realized that doesn't make a lot of sense! So this year, things are gonna go a bit differently. Full details are on the website here, but TLDR you will upload all your stuff first, I will punch it in, and then send you a link to schedule your appt. You will not be scheduling online appts for tax prep through the website anymore, you'll get the link directly from me. Appts will be shorter since I won't be doing document input during, it will be already done beforehand, and we will also be sure nothing is missing! Just be proactive about sending in all your stuff and letting me know its all there, since you won't have an appointment deadline to work. And be sure to email me when everything is there and you are ready to go in the queue!
2. Free 15-min Pre-Tax Consults! To help us use tax prep time more efficiently, I am offering 15 min appts from now until Feb 15 to cover any questions you have about spreadsheets, deductions, etc! Sign up on the scheduling page on the website! And if it's before Jan 17, we can talk about making a 4th quarter estimated payment! Speaking of which...
3. 4th Quarter Estimated Payments are due Jan 17! If you have a lot of 1099/self-employment income, you have a lot of investment or other income with no withholding, or your are an NYC resident who got a lot of unemployment in 2022, you might need to pay a payment now to avoid underpayment penalties! Set up a consult to discuss if you need!
4. The Health Insurance Marketplace closes Jan 15! If you need any help signing up for health insurance through the marketplace, sign up for a free 30 min consult before Jan 15!
5. You will be getting an Engagement Letter to sign! In the past I usually had you sign your Engagement Letter along with everything else when your return is done, but it is industry best practice to get them signed in advance, and now that I have TaxDome I can do that, so I am switching things up! If I did your 2021 return, expect to get a request to sign your Engagement Letter through TaxDome next week. (I'll be going alphabetically by last name) If you aren't planning on using me this year, let me know and I will remove the signature request.
6. New Deadlines to avoid needing an extension! I love you all, but there are a lot of you! So I am moving my hard deadline for being finished by April 18th up to March 15. If you get your stuff to me between March 15 and Apr 1, then I will do my level best to get you finished, but if I can't I will give you a personalized estimate of what you may owe so you can make a payment with extension. After Apr 1, you are definitely getting an extension, and will need to use my Rule of Thumb guidelines to estimate your payment. Details here!
7. New (and 100% different) Payment Options! I am finally practicing what I preach and separating my business and personal accounts. This means that I am no longer accepting Venmo or Paypal! I am still accepting Zelle, but to a different account than before. So bottom line, however you paid me last year, it's different this year. I will be accepting Zelle to my new account, or you can pay by e-check or debit/credit through a service called CPACharge, you will get a link when we do your return. There will be a $5 charge for using debit/credit, Zelle or E-check are free!
8. Speaking of payments, I have changed some prices. I hate to have to increase prices, I know everything is going up in price for all of you, but everything I use from software to online services to of course my own personal expenses is going up so I just can't keep prices static. I have increased the base price of a state to $15 (from $10), limited the sliding scale to be from $5 to $20 off, and I will be charging more for more complex returns that take a lot of time. Also, people who have been with me more than 5 years have a lower legacy price, those will be increasing by $10. You can get an updated Price Quote here. As always, be as early as possible for the early bird discount, that hasn't changed! I also still give $5 off for every year after the first one you are with me, up to $50.
9. The Intake Form is now online! I am no longer using the New or Returning Client forms that were downloadable from the site in previous years, now I am using Zoho Forms online! What's so great about this (to me anyway!) is that I can make the forms responsive based on your answers, so if a section doesn't apply to you, you won't be asked further questions about it. I am working on videos going through filling things out, but they should be pretty straightforward. But since this is the first year I am fully using these, if you are an early bird be sure and let me know about any issues you encounter! Check it out here.
10. I made a PA W2 specific spreadsheet! No major changes to any of the other spreadsheets, but feel free to also download the latest version.
11. Returning Clients can start uploading whenever you want! If I did your 2021 return, you have a TaxDome account, you can upload without needing a link from me. Check out this video for further instructions! Or just email me for a link :)
12. Are you sure you uploaded everything? Check out my Readiness Check or the List of Documents I need!
13. In person Appts in NYC! I am tentatively planning on coming to NYC to do appts from Mar 10-Mar 15, keep an eye on the website for more details later this month. And of course, if you are in the ATL area during tax season you are welcome to come by for an in-person appt at my place, just shoot me an email!
14. Stick to emailing me! As always, please use email to jentaxprep@gmail.com as the way you communicate with me. Please do not text, call, DM or use the TaxDome messaging system to get in touch unless otherwise specified!
15. Check the Blog for any mid-season announcements!
16. I am working on making some more videos, more for spreadsheets and forms, and a couple on specific tax topics that come up a lot, like types of deductions and car deductions, so keep an eye out on the website for those if you are interested!
Ok, I think that's enough for now! As always, check the website first if you have any questions, and email me if the answer cannot be found! Or set up a 15 min consult! I look forward to speaking with you all soon!!!
Your friendly neighborhood tax preparer,
Jennifer
