Tax Season Appointments Information

 

Dear Clients and Friends,

 

On behalf of my entire staff, we wish you and your loved ones a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year! We hope this message finds you safe and well, especially during the ongoing fires in Southern California. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by these challenging circumstances, and we encourage you to prioritize your safety above all else.

 

As you may know, the tax deadline for most Los Angeles County residents has been extended to October 15th due to the fires. However, unless you have been directly impacted by the fires, we would still like to encourage all of our clients to complete and submit their tax returns by the original deadline of April 15th.

With everyone’s health in mind, we will continue last year's virtual meetings throughout the 2024 tax season, available via Zoom or FaceTime—whichever method is most convenient for you. If you are facing any challenges or need additional assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are here to support you in every way possible.

 

We thank you for selecting Bartmasser & Company, CPAs, to assist you with your tax preparation. This email confirms the terms of our engagement with you, including the nature and extent of the services we will provide.

 

Scope of Work:

We will prepare your 2024 federal and state income tax returns as requested, using the information you provide. While we may ask for clarification of some items, please note that we will not audit or verify the data you submit.

 

We are also happy to assist you with organizing and preparing your documents. If you would like a personal tax organizer, please email Sheila Martinez, our Office Manager (sheila@bartmassercpa.com). She will be happy to assist you. You can also download a blank organizer on the Client Center. Please keep all original documents, canceled checks, and other records that support your reported income and deductions, as these may be necessary to prove the accuracy and completeness of the returns. You are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the tax returns, so we encourage you to review them carefully before signing.

 

Our work will not include procedures to detect defalcations or other irregularities. The only accounting or analysis work we will perform is that necessary for the preparation of your income tax returns.

 

Fees:

Our fees are based on the time required at our regular rates for the type of services and personnel assigned, as well as any out-of-pocket costs. We also consider factors such as the difficulty and size of the assignment, the skill required, and the value of the services to the client. All invoices are due and payable upon presentation. A fee of $25.00 may be charged for additional copies of tax returns, if requested. We accept payment via debit, credit card, check, and cash. All outstanding balances must be paid to render services. To the extent permitted by state law, an interest charge may be added to all accounts not paid within thirty (30) days.

 

Source Documentation & Records:

Please send in your signed General Terms + Condition notice along with your source documentation. Please send all source documentation at one time. You may send documents by mail, email, or fax. If you mail your documents, we strongly recommend obtaining signature confirmation and tracking information. Please be sure to keep copies for your records.

 

We will retain copies of the records you provide, along with our work papers, for a period of five years. After five years, our work papers and engagement files will be destroyed. We recommend keeping the original records in a secure location.

Your tax return will be emailed to you in a secure PDF format. Please make sure we have a valid email address on file. If you would like a paper copy of your return mailed to you, please let us know before your return is finalized, and we will send it via USPS mail for an additional fee. All tax returns will be filed electronically unless otherwise required by the taxing authorities. Signed e-file forms must be returned to us for both federal and state filings. No return will be electronically filed without an authorized signature (Form 8879).

 

Virtual Appointments:

Please call or email our office to schedule a virtual appointment for your 2024 income tax return. Virtual appointments are available from January 30th to March 31st, between 10:00 AM and 4:30 PM, Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday only. We will no longer accept appointments outside of this time frame to ensure timely processing for all our clients.

 

To confirm that this letter correctly summarizes your understanding of the terms and arrangements for our work, please review the general terms and conditions and return a signed copy via fax or email as soon as convenient.

 

We greatly appreciate your trust in us and your continued relationship with Bartmasser & Company. Please feel free to call us if you have any questions regarding this engagement or the upcoming tax season. Again, we wish you and your loved ones all the best in 2025.