The tax preparer, who had all of my paperwork in her hands, "overlooked" my biggest source of mortgage interest and told me I could not itemize. She "overlooked" my taxable state income tax refund. I caught these "oversights" before I left the office. I paid my $400 plus bill for pretty straightforward federal and state returns and went home. I reviewed my returns at my leisure and discovered she also "overlooked" half of my property tax. I returned to the office. My returns had already been transmitted electronically. As if doing me a favor, she said she would not charge for an amendment. I would hope not, since it was her error that made an amendment necessary. I looked at my returns once more before putting them away and discovered a couple of unnecessary forms had been done. I returned to the office the following weekend and asked for an itemized statement to see what each form cost. The receptionist sent me to the other side of the office, where the owner was yelling, yes yelling, at her employees. Initially, the owner told me she could not give me a breakdown. How do they arrive at a bill total, I wondered? The owner left that part of the office. The preparer finally provided an itemization. Two of the unnecessary forms were not charged; one of them was $13. I asked for a refund of the $13. She said she could not do that. She said the form was necessary. It was not, as it stated very clearly at the top of the form that it was to be used only if certain criteria were met. She steadfastly refused to refund the $13. I went into the owner's office, after knocking on the doorframe before entering. The owner was extremely rude. After finally agreeing to refund the $13, the only words from her mouth were, "Leave now."--not an apology, simply "leave now and do not return." I assure you nothing would induce me to return to the office. You don't yell at your employees in front of customers. You don't treat your customers like crap.
more