Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  04/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I turned in my taxes to Heather Pemberton approximately March 5th, 2023. I have called a total of 6 times. The first two times I was told they would be done by the end of the week (March 20th, I called) I called again April 4th 2023 & was given the same answer as above. I have since called 4 more times & nobody answers the phone, I left voicemails each time & I have NEVER received a return call. I am concerned I will be charged a penalty due to the fact it’s past the filing date. I am concerned if they are even working on them at all & I believe they’re customer service skills are ludicrous as they are a professional business & this is regarding MY money & I was told at time I turned my taxes in there would be $*** minimum charge . I personally feel I should NOW have free service & I would appreciate any help or advice I can get in regards to help with this. Thanks so much, Mary ****** *** ********* p.s. my other phone calls were April 14th, 17th, 21st & 25th

  Business response

  05/03/2023

  The customer who filed the complaint was a new client this year.  In January 2022 I acquired the book of business of a retiring CPA which was resulted in substantial growth in the amount of work to be completed during a short period of time, with only myself being able to complete and sign tax returns.  During that tax season, and again this tax season that just wrapped up, any new client to my business was to be told by staff working the phone and front desk to understand that we also have pre-existing/return clients who have already dropped off but that we would do our best to get new client returns through the workflow as quickly as possible.  While we would set a goal date to have returns wrapped up by, clients were also told that I was working through returns as quickly as I possibly could, but that some returns take extra time which slows the process of getting less complex returns out the door.  All clients were advised when they called that just as soon as the tax return was complete and copied they would receive a phone call from us.  During the week leading up to the April 18th deadline there were many calls that unfortunately we were unable to answer as there were only two staff who could answer calls and help those who were stopping in to pick up their returns. 

  One factor that contributed to the delay with this particular client was due to the fact that we were unsure what her last name of record was with Social Security as she had gotten married in January of 2023.  My past experience with other newly married clients is that the step of formally changing the last name with the SSA is sometimes not done, even though tax forms may have the married name on them which results in rejection of the return and having to reprint and reprocess the return.  I checked with my staff person who was assisting in the initial input of some of the less complex returns and they indicated that they made an attempt to contact this client to confirm if the name had been formally changed with SSA but received no response.  We were awaiting a reply but never got a response.  As the deadline to file approached, not being able to get in contact with this client, we did what we could to essentially test the name of record prior to printing and submitted an extension in first the maiden name to see if it would be accepted or rejected.  It was only after doing that, that we were able to determine which was the correct last name with SSA so we could proceed with wrapping up her return.  

  The accusation of "if they are even working on them at all" is completely unfounded.  Any person who drives by my office location during tax season will almost always see one, if not two vehicles, parked here and the lights on well past midnight (usually until close to 2am) nearly every night as we are here working on completing tax returns, as well as our year-round payroll work that does not stop just because it is tax season.  We try our best to get back to folks when messages are left but in the process of trying to do so, sometimes it isn't possible to get back to folks.  This is why we reiterate to folks that we will reach out to them as soon as the work has been completed.  As far as penalties, extensions were filed for any folks who we still had to finish the work on so that there would be no late filing penalty, which all clients were told beginning in April that in the event that we are unable to have it wrapped up prior to the deadline we would file an extension on their behalf as a precaution.  In the event that a client owes tax and is assessed a late pay penalty or interest, every single client in that situation is compensated in the form of a reduced invoice amount equal to that late pay penalty and interest.  Additionally, I have discounted returns that we were unable to get back to clients within a few weeks.  It was a goal of mine to have all extended tax returns completed the week of April 24th, however I unfortunately found myself visiting the emergency room the evening of the 24th and was forced to slow the pace at which I had been working.  As the only person in my office who could complete tax returns and sign them, this unfortunately slowed the progress of that goal and I do believe that my staff tried to be responsive to clients as they would call.  I do know that one of the voicemails that this client left (perhaps the message she mentioned leaving on the 25th)  threatened to contact the state if their return was not completed ASAP.  I am unsure if a return call was attempted as my staff was trying to help me abide by the doctor orders, however as we had told all clients repeatedly, as soon as returns are complete they would get a call.  This client was never prohibited from picking up their documents and going elsewhere so if she was unsatisfied with the speed of the work she could have picked up her documents at any point and taken them to another tax preparer.

  In regard to the comment of the pricing, the minimum $*** charge for a basic return that we communicate to any new client I have discovered is the lowest rate in for tax service in the community, and in conversation with other tax preparers a client with the number and type of tax documents for use in preparation of a tax return would normally be charged somewhere in the realm of $***-*** in tax preparation fees.   This client was only billed the base/starting rate of $*** and I subsequently applied a $** credit on their invoice as a courtesy time delay discount.  The tax return was completed the evening of May 1st and she was notified the following morning that it was ready for pick-up.  The client picked up the completed return around noon on the 2nd and the complaint letter was received by our office later that day when the mail was pick-up.  (I make note of this to emphasize that the discount that the client received was in no way influenced by the filed complaint, but rather a courtesy that I extend to all clients that we were unable to quickly get a tax return completed for.)  

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