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Business Profile

Tax Return Preparation

Mt Top Income Tax Service Inc

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

Find BBB Accredited Businesses in Tax Return Preparation.

Complaints

Customer Complaints Summary

  • 2 total complaints in the last 3 years.
  • 0 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

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The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

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Complaint status

Complaint type

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:07/11/2024

    Type:Service or Repair Issues
    Status:
    ResolvedMore 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.
    Improper handling of personal taxes
    -Used Mt Top to prepare my personal taxes for 2023
    -Attempting to pay taxes with the IRS I was informed that are taxes that were submitted by Mt Top had been rejected on 4-15-24
    -I was not informed that the taxes were rejected or that changes were going to have to be made
    -Made numerous attempts (messages left each time) over several weeks to reach Mt Top on both business and cell lines. They never returned the calls

    Business Response

    Date: 07/19/2024

    Consumer called 1 time on July 8, 2024.  I had to fly out of town for a family emergency.  I returned on July 12, 2024 and am trying to locate all of the communication logs that I keep when trying to contact a client.

    My office shows that a voice-mail was left on 4/16/2024 to inform them that their tax return was rejected.  There is a staff note that as of May 1, 2024 there had been no response.

    Currently, I am the only one working with over 700 clients, and I am doing all that I can to get to everyone.  **** ******** **** *** ****** ***** ** ** ** **** *** ******* ******** and I am caring for my mother with end stage dementia around 25 hours per week.  All I ask is continued patience.  I searched my business phone and see no messages from the Healey's.  She called one time on July 8th and left a voice-mail which I received after returning home, and the same day, read this complaint.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:04/16/2024

    Type:Customer Service Issues
    Status:
    ResolvedMore 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.
    I HAVE BEEN TRYING AND TRYING TO GET MT TOP INCOME TAX AND ACCOUNTING TO DO AND FILE MY TAXES FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. I HAVE TRIES CALLING, TEXTING, OFFICE VISITS AND HAVE GOT NO RESPONSE. I OWN A BUSINESS ****** **** **** IN OAKLAND MD AND MRS KITZMILLER HAS ALL MY PAPERWORK THAT I NEED TO FILE MY TAXES. I HAVE TRIED FOR WEEKS AND WEEKS AND WEEKS AND NOW THE APRIL 15TH DEADLINE IS PAST AND I KNOW I WILL BE PENALIZED FOR FILING LATE, WHICH I SHOULD NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. THE IRS IS NOBODY TO PLAY WITH. I HAVE TRIED TO GET AHOLD OF THIS BUSINESS SO I CAN GET ALL MY PAPERWORK TO POSSIBLY FIND ANOTHER ACCOUNTANT TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THIS MESS, BUT I FEEL SHE IS RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE I HAVE PAID HER LOTS OF MONEY TO DO THIS. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO GET YOUR HELP IN RESOLVING THIS MATTER

    Business Response

    Date: 04/29/2024

    I have prepared both monthly and yearly taxes for Mr. ****** for many years.  In 2021, **** ******'s wife asked me if I would do all of the bookkeeping and tax filings for his business, ****** **** ****. I had to sort, add and enter all of the individual receipts for income and expenses and file the sales tax reports as well as their employee filings with the federal and state government on a monthly basis. I only ever had to meet with his wife Amber up until an invoice from my business, Mt. Top Tax & Accounting was emailed directly to Mr. **** ****** by my associate in the office that was doing my monthly billing for me.  When Mr. ****** saw the large fee, he became angry and inquired as to why it was so high.  My associate, Ryan, explained that the fees for monthly accounting, as well as the quarterly reports filing fees and even their annual tax preparation for 4 separate tax returns, had not been paid for a year.  Once again, Mr. ****** became angry and wanted answers.  He had received a late penalty for some of the monthly sales tax filings, from the state of Maryland.  I explained that his wife told me not to have any money deducted from the account, until she made sure that funds were available.  Weeks turned into months, and the sales tax debt was getting larger.  At this time, before **** ****** had received the invoice from me, I was unaware that he thought that his wife was still preparing the monthly totals, and he thought that all I did was file the prepared totals online.  After he realized that the reports were late, he blew up in anger, yelling at his wife to the point that she came by my personal home and told me everything, including the fact that **** knew nothing about her deceit.  She informed me that Mr. ****** was waiting at my office and wanted to speak to me.  I quickly rushed to my office that is 7 miles awy, and sat down and had an informal meeting regarding everything with the business and its financial state.

    He requested that the unfiled months be returned to him, in the form of all of the individual receipts of income and expenses.  And these were the months of July, August, and September 2023.  I told him that I did not have any of his documents past June of 2023, he became angry and was using foul language regarding his wife.  I tried to get him to calm down, and then his wife entered my office, informing him that those months of missing documents, were "somewhere in her vehicle".

    He then left my office and returned later with the "missing months" and asked me to file them as soon as possible, which I did.

    Beginning in 2024, Maryland state website for sales tax underwent an overhaul and no one was able to file monthly tax reports until the end of March.  They stated on their website that NO PENALTIES, INTEREST, or LATE FEES would be imposed due to the website errors.

    As for the annual filings, on March 7, 2024 I informed Mr. ****** that his partnership tax return for ***** **** was due by March 15, 2024.  He replied with the fact that "***** **** only sold only sold 1 car and that it should be easy".  

    Needless , he did not drop off the information until after the March 15th deadline.  The final push for tax season came with a rush of of my over 500 client base, I am the only tax preparer and have explained this to my monthly clients.  I filed timely extensions for each one that would have to wait until after the 15th of April.  **** ****** was one of these individuals.  I have spent countless hours on his taxes and I never billed him for that.  He has paid me a total of $1552 for 12 months of monthly accounting, an annual full service tax preparation, including electronic filing for his partnership, as well as his Auto Body business, his personal tax preparation including his wife and children, and his stepson's tax preparation.  I have also spent 112 hours on an audit with the state of Maryland, which I am still answering their inquiries sometimes daily.  

    The reason I feel that this has came this far is he tried reaching me by phone on March 17, 2024, and I had to urgently leave town that day to drive 2 hours to assist my family grieving the death of their ** **** *** daughter **** *** **** *******.  She was my great-niece. I had explained that there was a tragic death in my family and that I had to leave town.

    Honestly, I don't feel I should have had to do this type of explaining, but my great-niece **** ******* **** **** ***, and I am having a hard time dealing with it.  His taxes are completed, and after he picks up, I will not be accepting any more work from him and I will not be responding to the state of Maryland on his behalf regarding 2020.  Also, not 1 time has Mr. **** ****** received a penalty because of my services.  It was all while he did his own work as well as his wife.  He told me he had NO idea that I was even doing his accounting monthly because he was deceived by his wife.

    I have numerous papers and documents that support my statements.  I will upload as needed.  Just let me know what you need to prove that I do have excellent customer service skills, especially to the individuals that have respect for me, my business, and my current grief.

    Thank you

    Customer Answer

    Date: 04/30/2024



    Complaint: 21583169



    I am rejecting this response because:



    Sincerely,



    **** ******

    How can Mt top income tax refuse to help me with my audit. Every year it seems like we are filing for an extension. This is why we pay to get a job complete. As a business I understand you had a mad rush but that’s simply not my fault I’m a paying customer. This could have all been avoided if you simply return calls and messages. Yes you are returning them now but not before 

    Business Response

    Date: 04/30/2024

    1.  It did not take several months to reach me, it was a matter of 2 days.

    2.  We live in a small town and reputation is everything.  I would never post such a thing to draw attention from the public's viewpoint. This is something that the public can see. The honest truth would be appreciated.  I recall a ******** post regarding my whereabouts posted by another client on April 16, 2024, that turned into a "bandwagon" with Mr. ******'s wife adding a comment, proving that it was not just Mr. ****** that I did not reply to, a few other clients were trying to reach me as well.  However, I was in a state of shock and could not answer ANYONE'S calls and messages for 2 full days.

    3.  The reason I was unable to be reached stems from an urgent family phone call from 2 hours away, informing me that my ** **** *** niece, had taken her own life tragically and brutally, and so far there is no real reason or answers for my family, and I do realize that this matter is none of Mr. ******'s concern, I am just asking to give me a minute to catch my breath per se.

    4.  I have been ****** **** ****'s monthly accountant for over 5 years at least.  A little faith that the job will get completed one way or another, should be enough to NOT get hostile when one does not get their way.  I am currently managing around 500 clients on my own, and each person deserves my time and it is unfair if I were to pick and choose who gets extra attention, and who does not.

    5.  I feel that I have went "above and beyond" what is normally expected of an accountant, I have spent countless, sleepless nights, and sometimes working through the night to make deadlines for the ******'s and I feel that it has not been appreciated in any way after I informed Mr. ****** of the death in my family and see that his reply was unsympathetic and made me feel that I am not allowed to grieve because his taxes are more important.

    In closing, I will say that I am just a human, with feelings and a strong sense of Ethics.  I do not have a social life due to the nature of my dedication to my work to ensure that EVERYONE is treated equally, with honesty and respect. I will not beg to keep a client, nor compromise my feelings or my dignity just to please someone.

    The ******'s are free to take all of their paperwork to another accountant.  If Mr. ****** expects me to finish any of his extensive, ongoing tax submissions, as well as continuing communication regarding his audit with the state, I feel a heartfelt apology is in order.  I did apologize to him for not replying immediately to his requests. 

    If this is the decision he makes, I will reconsider finalizing his taxes and continuing my involvement in his business taxes without delay, and I also agree to weekly messages, calls, and/or emails. I will also ask that a client engagement form be utilized so future expectations do not go unfulfilled.  This way Mr. ****** will not feel ignored, and I won't feel overworked.  Either way, there should be no public involvement such as the "bandwagon" reference I mentioned earlier.  I do believe we can reach an agreement on this matter.  

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