Returns done right the first time. Two preparers on every return. No April panic.
Most firms run a one-preparer pipeline and hope nobody catches the mistakes. We run two-preparer review on every return. Federal, state, multi-state. W-2, S-corp, partnership, C-corp. Free extensions for active clients so the deadline never forces a rush.
Your last return shouldn't be your best return. You want it done right.
- $250K+ household tired of TurboTax mistakes you only catch in May
- S-corp owner who needs Form 1120-S filed and reasonable comp tied out
- Partnership / multi-member LLC with K-1s that need to actually balance
- C-corp owner dealing with 1120 and book-to-tax adjustments
- Multi-state filer with W-2 in one state and rentals in three more
- Just left your previous preparer and want the new one to actually answer the phone
- Owner / contractor with Schedule C, vehicle, home office, and depreciation
- Real estate operator with rentals, cost seg, depreciation recapture, 1031s
Five steps from intake to filed. Same process every return.
Returns aren't a creative exercise. They're a system. Here's the system we run. Same one every time, which is why nothing falls through the cracks.
- Step 01
Intake into your private Basecamp portal
Document upload, prior return review, identity verification. Everything lives in one place from day one. Permanent. Yours forever.
- Step 02
IRS Power of Attorney + transcript pull
POA filed at intake (Form 2848). Wage and income transcripts pulled. We confirm what's already reported under your SSN before we file so nothing missing turns into an IRS notice next year.
- Step 03
Prep + first-pass review
Return entered in ProConnect by one preparer, with notes on flagged items and judgment calls. We surface every position before it's locked in.
- Step 04
Round N preparer-review by a senior
Every return gets a second pass by a senior preparer. Two sets of eyes. We catch transposed SSNs, wrong elections, misapplied basis, and the soft errors most one-person shops miss.
- Step 05
Client review + e-file
You see the return before we file. Walk through every flagged item in Basecamp or on a call. You sign Form 8879. We e-file federal and every state. Confirmation lands in your portal same day.
The thing that costs us margin. The thing that saves your return.
Most firms can't afford to run every return through two preparers. We made the math work because we don't compete on volume. The cost of one missed item dwarfs the cost of the second review.
One preparer. One pass.
A single CPA or EA enters the return, reviews their own work, and files. Self-review is the worst kind of review. The eye that made the mistake is the same eye looking for it.
Result: transposed SSNs that survive years of returns. Wrong elections. Missed deductions. Notices the IRS sends six months later.
Two preparers. Independent passes.
Preparer #1 enters and flags. Preparer #2 reviews independently against the source docs. Disagreements get resolved before filing. Two sets of eyes on every page.
Real example: caught a transposed SSN on a 2024 return that had survived three prior years of single-preparer review. Two-digit error. Would have caused an IRS rejection or worse.
Every common return type. Pricing is transparent.
Most firms quote on the call. We publish the price. Complexity adjustments are explicit and explained before any work starts.
Form 1040 · W-2 only
Simple household, W-2 income, no business or rentals.
Form 1040 + Schedule C
1099 contractor or sole prop. Vehicle, home office, depreciation included.
Form 1040 + Schedule E
Rental property owners. Cost seg coordination + 1031 reporting.
Form 1120-S · S-corp
S-corporation return + K-1s + officer reasonable comp tie-out.
Form 1065 · Partnership
Multi-member LLC or partnership + K-1 issuance + capital account tracking.
Form 1120 · C-corp
C-corporation return + book-to-tax M-1 reconciliation + officer comp.
Multi-state allocation
Add-on for households or businesses with income across multiple states.
Amended return (1040X / others)
Refile a prior return when the original was wrong or missed a position.
Things you should be able to expect from any tax firm.
Free extension if you're a client and we need it
If your engagement runs near April 15 or October 15 and we can't responsibly file in time, we file your extension at no charge. The deadline never forces a rush.
You see the return before we file
Every return gets a client-review window. You walk through every flagged item with us before Form 8879 gets signed. No surprise filings, no "trust us, it's done."
The portal is permanent
Every return, every working paper, every recap lives in your Basecamp portal forever. If you stop being a client tomorrow, you keep the full history.
What clients actually ask before signing.
Do I have to be on a retainer to use you for returns?
No. Returns are available as standalone engagements. That said, the deeper value shows up when returns are bundled with Advisory and Bookkeeping — the work coordinates and the savings stack. We'll explain the bundle math on the Discovery call without pushing it.
How long does it take?
W-2 returns: 1–2 weeks from intake. Business returns: 2–4 weeks depending on complexity. Multi-entity or multi-state cases: 3–6 weeks. We file extensions free for any client mid-engagement so the calendar never forces a corner-cut.
What if I have prior-year returns that are wrong?
We file amended returns (Form 1040X for individuals, equivalents for entities) when the math justifies it. The Tax Analysis often surfaces amendment opportunities — missed elections, wrong basis, miscategorized income. We model the recovery before we file.
How does multi-state work?
Each additional state is $300 to file. Source-state allocation, residency analysis, throwback rule navigation, and credits for tax paid to other states all handled in-house. We've filed returns across all 50 states plus Puerto Rico.
What if I'm behind on prior years?
That's the catch-up path. We typically run a Tax Analysis first to assess the scope of the back-filing work, then quote the catch-up engagement separately. Three years back is standard; six years if the IRS is asking. See our catch-up segment page for the full process.
One 15-minute call. We confirm scope and quote.
The Discovery call is where we ask the few questions that determine return complexity. Entity count, state count, dependents, side income. You leave the call with a real quote and a real timeline.
Book the 15-min Discovery →