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WWYD? Tax prep way over estimated price
For years and years I worked with this woman who did my mother's taxes. She did it for $60. Awesome. But last year she didn't get back with me, so I found someone else. I sat there and watched him do my taxes and DH's taxes. It took all of 30 minutes and he charged $180.
So this year I thought I would try someone new. When I called, I gave him that story above and stated that I wanted to try to pay less, although I know it will be more complicated this year with the business and marriage, etc. He said, "no problem. sounds like it shouldn't be more than $130." Sold!
We go to meet with him. He is in a wheelchair and has some sort of disability (muscular dystrophy maybe?) I think, "whatever, his brain is normal, and I'm happy to work with someone with a disability."
However, I realize on tax day that I've not heard anything from him (it's 5 at that point) so I send several emails and calls, and show up at his home office slightly panicked, wanting to make sure it was all ok. He and his wife are very reassuring, and said that I should have been told that an extension had been filed. Um, ok, would have preferred not to, but ok. Just needed to be told.
I email him last week to follow up, and he emails back our return amount. I email him asking what we owe. Nothing. DH calls today and he tells him we owe him $489! WTF?!?
I want to call and ask, and say that it's a lot more than I had anticipated, given that he said he thought it would be closer to 25% of that amount. but also feel guilty because he has a disability.
How would you address it?
Re: WWYD? Tax prep way over estimated price
TTC #1 since February 2011
BFP #1 1/14/12 EDD 9/24/12 m/c at 8w4d on 2/20/12
March 2012- Dx with PCOS, started metformin
July 2012- SA completely normal
My Bio (wedding pics added 7/6)
My 101
I wouldn't say he is holding our stuff "hostage" per say, but he does have it all, which is a factor.
Would you recommend calling or emailing?
I'm thinking of saying (or emailing) something like this:
Dear CPA,
When I spoke with my husband last night, he indicated that the amount we owed you was $489, and I wanted to be sure that was correct. I had thought that when we spoke, I had indicated that I thought $180 was a little high, and you said you thought it wouldn't be that much. I just wanted to touch base because I was a little surprised at how much more it is.
What do you think?
this sounds a little too nice, IMO. he's not charging you $20 extra, he's basically tripling the original quote. totally NOT acceptable.
E-mail it. You want a written record. My edits are above. You need to be direct, clear, concise and tell him what you want. No whishy washy!
Your letter is too nice. I would go to his place of business rather than a letter, honestly. Tell him it's the $130 or return all documents. Also, if you don't have confirmation of the extension, I'd get it somehow.
ETA: Or email the edited letter as suggested above.
My Bio (wedding pics added 7/6)
My 101
not acceptable.
the time he's charging you probably went into filing that extention that you never gave approval for.
Tell him you'll pay him whatever he quoted you (for them to be complete and correct) or he needs to turn over the paperwork to you.
He hasn't come through with timing, customer service, or price. Not okay on any level.
"The House We Built."
A journey of building the dream.
Here is the response I got:
Can the 3 of us meet for you to pick up the return & discuss the fees. I believe that would be the most productive way to address your questions. I?m sure we can come to satisfactory resolution.
Let me know your availability.
I think I'm going to call and try to talk with him. I don't have time to go right now, and DH actually agreed to be the one to pick up the return and our stuff, so I wanted to take advantage of that. It frustrates me that we would even need to discuss this. Any other thoughts?
wowsers, we go to h&r block premium and don't even pay that much.
Hope you hubby stands his ground!
I would tell him no to that too. Tell him that you agreed to pay the $130 fee and will be glad to set up a time to get your return and give him his check. I would be firm on this. You agreed on a price and now he is trying to rip you off. I don't care how hard the tax return was. If it became difficult for him then he should have called you, expressed concerns that it would be more work than he anticipated, and given you the option to either go with someone else or agree to a higher fee.
TTC #1 since February 2011
BFP #1 1/14/12 EDD 9/24/12 m/c at 8w4d on 2/20/12
March 2012- Dx with PCOS, started metformin
July 2012- SA completely normal
yep. he should have communicated waaaaay earlier about this. So sad for him. I'd call him and tell him I dont' have time to meet and that I didn't feel like there was a whole lot to 'discuss'.
"The House We Built."
A journey of building the dream.