Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/30/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We dropped off our paperwork to **** Large and Associates llc on the 16th of march,2023. Two weeks later, March 30th we stopped by and ****, the cpa, stated: I only have one ahead of yours, I'll get it done next week. I stated: you know we only have two weeks until taxes are due. I called on April 14th to see if taxes were done.**** stated, you didn't enclude the settlement. We immediately took it to her.She made acopy. I called again one the 18th, and she stated: don't worry I've filed an extension. We didn't ask her to do this. We had to pay late interest, due to her not getting it done, and we got H&R block to redue our returns, and there are multiple mistakes, costing us more money.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/15/2023

  I, Jena *********************** received your letter dated May 30, 2023, on Thursday, June 8, 2023.  I own two companies - Jena ********************** and Associates, LLC and Southeastern **********************  Jena ********************** and Associates, LLC primarily offers, bookkeeping, payroll and support services.  Southeastern ********************** primarily offers income tax return preparation services.  (Oftentimes, customers confuse the two companies because we operate out of the same building even though all of our income tax return documentation and engagement letters clearly identify the company that is performing the services.)

  **** is one of three bookkeepers in addition to myself who also prepares income tax returns for individuals.  Her responsibilities include properly processing 24 company payrolls (some are weekly, some are bi-weekly, some are monthly). Processing payrolls includes maintaining the company employee payroll records and changes; calculating and preparing weekly, bi-weekly, monthly payrolls; calculating and submitting monthly and quarterly payroll taxes by the payroll tax due dates; calculating and preparing the monthly, quarterly and annual payroll tax returns. In addition to her payroll responsibilities, **** calculates and submits monthly sales taxes and sales tax returns by the 20th of each month (which is the due date) for 4 companies. **** performs bookkeeping on a monthly or quarterly basis for ten companies most of whom have worked with her for more than 20 years.  In addition to these responsibilities **** prepares individual income tax returns for approximately 100 individuals /couples.  Most individuals/ couples have worked with her for more than 15 years.  They trust her.  She has been on our staff for 10 years and is an exceptional employee.  **** goes out of her way to assist others and to work with clients to resolve problems. **** is 70 years old and is semi-retired,  which means that she works 2 1/2 - 3 days per week (Tuesday  and Wednesday all day; Thursday 1/2 day). She does a very good job managing her time and deadlines.

  The ********* dropped off there documents per their statement on Thursday, March 16, 2023.  Our records indicate that their information was first entered into our system on Tuesday, March 21, 2023. Even though they dropped off their documents they failed to include a copy of the real estate transaction statement known as a HUD-1 Settlement Statement.  We use the information on this statement to claim deductions related to the sale of real estate.  *******, our administrative assistant, called to request the information.  Mrs. ****** interrupted ******* and stated that they did not have a HUD house.  ******* did her best to explain the information we needed.  Later a second call was made by **** to request the missing document which the Rocketts later provided. They did at some point call and stop by to check the status of their returns.  They were told the returns were in line to be prepared.  I am certain that **** believed that she would have the returns completed before April 18, 2023.  However, the Rocketts sold a rental house and had some unique steps required in the calculation.  I, Jena *********************** Registered Tax Preparer, wanted to review this calculation with **** before the returns were finalized.  This took some extra time. **** was also having to manage the payroll tax and sales tax deadlines that fell within this timeframe. I was preparing income tax returns for individuals and corporations; reviewing income tax returns prepared by both **** and ****; supervising our staff of 5 people; performing the administrative tasks that are necessary daily when you are a business owner.  During tax season I work an average of 15 hours per day. We chose to file an extension of time to file the returns to avoid any potential late filing penalties. The income tax returns were completed and submitted on April 27. 2023. 

  **** left at noon on April 27, 2023, as was her normal schedule.  The Rocketts arrived after **** left.  I, Jena *********************** was out of town.  My son, ****, who also is a Registered Tax Preparer, met with the Rocketts to review their returns with them and allow them to sign them for processing. The Rocketts were very angry that **** was gone for the day.  The Rocketts were very angry that I was out of town on vacation. Their behavior was outrageous! ****************** continued to raise his voice at **** who did all that he could to calm them and help them.  ****************** repeatedly slammed his hands on the conference room table stating he had never owed this much tax before.  He and his wife began berating **** stating that that she had done a poor job for them. (They did not want an extension. They did not understand that once an extension was filed they were still required to remit the income tax that was due.) **** explained they would pay a late payment penalty and interest from April 18, 2023 - April 27, 2023 or until the *** received their payment.  They were furious! They asked **** to calculate the estimated late payment penalty for them.  He did his best to do so.  However, with all of the chaos that the Rocketts were causing in our office he forgot to divide the 5% amount by 365 and multiply by 10 days. This mistake overstated the amount of the estimated late payment penalty substantially.  Not realizing this mistake was made, ****, at the Rocketts' request, added the estimated penalty to the payment they requested drafted by the *** at the time the return was submitted. **** did call me during this process but did not disclose how outrageously the Rocketts were behaving.

  I returned to the office on Monday, May 1, 2023. ******* described to me the hostile environment the Rocketts created on Thursday, April 27, 2023. I told **************** would tell them not to return to our office.  Since they were ****'s clients, I wanted to discuss it with her on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 before calling them.  **** did not want to continue to work with them either based upon the behavior that 3 of our staff members described to us.  I called ********************  We talked.  She continued to restate over and over how upset she was; how she did not appreciate that her return was not completed on time; how she did not believe it was fair for them to pay a late payment penalty.  I did my best to resolve the matter of the telephone.  I agreed to return the income tax preparation fee that we charged them.  However, I refused to pay her late payment penalty because their income exceeded 6 figures; they had only withheld an amount less than $200.00.  Tax code requires that 90% of your tax liability be paid by December 31st of each year with some concessions based upon the previous year.  They sold the rental house in May of 2022. They had plenty of time to remit estimated income / capital gains taxes.  I prepared a check to reimburse the Rocketts the $325.00 income tax return preparation fee. Before mailing it I realized the estimated penalty that **** calculated and added to their payment was too large.  I recalculated it.  I waited until I felt the return had processed and a refund had been issued to the Rocketts before I called ******************* again. Our conversation could not have been nicer.  During our conversation she told me that they had in fact received a refund of the overpayment.  She also told me that they had taken their returns to H & R Block.  The preparer at H & ******* told her that we had prepared the returns incorrectly; amended the 2021 and 2022 income tax returns treating the house sold as a "Flipped House" not a rental house.  There are some differences in the tax calculations between selling a rental house and selling a "flipped house".  However, when the Rocketts came to our office during 2021 they clearly stated this house was a rental house that needed repairs which were included as improvements on the 2021 income tax returns reviewed and signed by the Rocketts.  When they brought the information into our office to prepare the 2022 returns they referred to the property as a rental house.  They told **** they received an offer they could not refuse. Now, however, after all of this upset they are telling another company that it was an investment "filliped" house all along.  ******************* agreed to bring me a copy of the amended returns and forms that were different than the ones we prepared. She did not do so.  I have calculated their returns 3 times since the conversation and still do not compute the amount of refund she claims they are getting from the amended returns. I do not believe it is possible with the information that we were given. ******************* came to our office on Friday, June 9, 2023 to pick up her check.  ****************** remained in the vehicle outside.  ******************* was very pleasant even discussing their upcoming trip to watch their grandson play in various golf tournaments.  She appeared to be satisfied with the return of the $325.00 tax preparation fee.

  I believe given al of the facts and circumstances we provided a good and reasonable service to the Rocketts.  Could we have explained better they needed to remit estimated taxes when we filed the extension for time for filing on their behalf? I feel sure we could have. Hindsight is 20/20.  Being in the midst of multiple moving deadlines and work tasks is difficult under the best of circumstances. I believe our staff did the best that we could to satisfy overbearing clients.  I have been in business since July 2, 2001, providing quality service to hundreds of people every year. This is the first complaint to the Better Business Bureau. It is so disheartening.