Tax Preparation Services in Pittsburgh, PA

Start with last year's return, photo ID and Social Security numbers for everyone on the return, plus every W-2, 1099 and 1098 that arrived. Add records of estimated payments and receipts for deductions or credits you plan to claim, such as childcare, charitable gifts or education costs. If you own a business, bring a profit and loss statement, payroll reports, major asset purchases and your entity paperwork. The more complete the first batch, the fewer follow up requests you'll get.

Yes. We figure out which years are missing, pull the wage and income records the IRS already has, rebuild deductions and business expenses from what you can find, and calculate what's owed. Getting those years filed usually has to happen before the IRS will consider a payment plan or other resolution, so we keep that next step in view while preparing them.

Preparation reports what already happened in a tax year. Planning looks forward: when to take income, which deductions to bunch, whether your entity type still makes sense, how much to pay in estimates. Your return often reveals planning ideas, but most of them only work if you act before December 31.

Yes. As an IRS Enrolled Agent, the founder is licensed by the U.S. Treasury with unlimited practice rights before the IRS. If a return we prepared draws a letter, an audit or a balance, we can handle the correspondence, the examination, an appeal, a payment arrangement or a penalty relief request for you.

It depends mostly on your paperwork. A tidy return with a couple of W-2s moves quickly. Returns with several income sources, rental property, a business, multiple entities or missing prior years take longer. Getting us documents early and answering follow up questions promptly is the best way to stay ahead of the April and October deadlines.

Yes. A business return is only as good as the books behind it, so we look at income, expenses, payroll, asset activity and owner draws or distributions, and reconcile what needs reconciling. The founder's corporate finance background helps here, and if you hold government contracts or want CFO level help between filing seasons, we can provide that too.

File on time anyway. The failure to file penalty is much steeper than the failure to pay penalty, so a timely return saves money even with a balance due. Once we know the number, options include an installment agreement, penalty abatement, Currently Not Collectible status or, for those who qualify, an Offer in Compromise. Each has its own documentation and approval rules, and handling that kind of IRS resolution is core work for us.

Bring your income forms, last year's return, year end bank and brokerage tax statements, estimated payment records and support for deductions. Business owners should add current financial statements and expense detail. Jot down anything that changed this year (a move, a new job, a marriage, a business launch) and any IRS letters, so we can cover it all in one meeting.