Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  04/23/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am requesting return of the $825 paid for 2023 tax preparation which was never received.Brugere & Co, CPA requested payment in Jan 2024. I sent a check #**** which was cashed on 1/31/2024. On 4/22/2024 I spoke with **** Brugere making an appointment to pickup my 2023 tax return. Then drive 60 miles round trip. When I arrived he refused to provide the 2023 tax return.

  Business response

  04/29/2024

  Today, April 29, 2024, I received complaint #*****/92-OAEC2 dated April 22, 2024, from the Better Business Bureau.  This is the same date as our last meeting.
  
  This is the first BBB complaint which *** had in the over thirty years Ive had my own firm.
  
  It does not sound like ******************************* and I were in the same meeting on April 22, 2024.
  
  I was engaged to prepare her 2023 federal and Missouri individual income tax returns. 
  
  We received tax documents from ********************** on February 8, 2024.  Her returns were completed with a date of April 11.
  
  Well before our meeting, I apologized to her that I took so long to prepare her tax returns.
  
  When ********************** came to pick up her income tax return on April 22, our electricity was out due to an animal shorting out a transformer for our building and at least one building next door.
  
  After she stated that she had already filed her 2023 income tax return, I specifically asked her to confirm that she already filed her return (I did not use the word confirm).  She stated that she had already filed her return. 
  
  Since she had already filed her tax returns there was no reason to give her the tax return which we prepared so I kept the returns  There was no discussion of her wanting the returns we prepared.
  
  At our meeting, I immediately returned her documents which she had loaned to us for use in preparing her income tax return.  She had not asked for them, I simply returned them.
  
  When I gave her the tax documents, I said that I cannot write a check to refund her fee since we had no electricity and I use my computer to write checks.  She did not request a refund, I volunteered to refund her money since its the right thing. 
  
  When the power was restored later that day, I printed and mailed check #***** for $825 dated April 22, 2024.
  
  As of today, I do not see that the check has cleared my bank account.  If there is a better way to refund her money, please let me know.
  
  If ********************** has not filed her 2023 income returns, she can contact me and they will be provided at the original agreed fee.

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