How much do you pay your CPA?
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$3-4K, including several dozen K-1s and various brokerage account 1099s. I try to make it easy on them by summarizing my trading activities and expenses, and they do a good job of reminding me about any accounts or K-1s from prior years that I might have failed to include this time around.
It that situation...
Do your taxes yourself and don't send them in. Next, hire a tax accountant to do your taxes and then compare what he/she did to what you did...
Learn from it so that you can file your own taxes the following year.
If your taxes are that simple < $250.
wrbtrader
I'd happily pay $250 a year for the rest of my natural life not to have to figure that out. Before I got into stocks, I just used TurboTax Plus because I usually get royalties income each year, and I find that annoying enough.
On my 3rd CPA over the years...I'm 65. I live in the Central Valley of California. My wife and I pay $600. per year. My CPA is fair...I really can't say great. He went to the local college...Took him two or three times to pass his state boards (California boards are very hard). He is good with numbers...Putting stuff in the computer...Spitting out the answers.
He is not good with estate planning!! He told me to take money from our ROTH IRAs first. That is the last place to take them. The money grows tax free even up to 10 years after your death! He suggested California state bonds. California is ready to go bankrupt...A very bad move. Then the other day he suggested buying some local city bonds. I own three properties in the city. Talk about all your eggs in one basket!! So he is cheap and no audits. Our return requires more than average work. I could go with my old CPA (Cal graduate...Passed his boards first time), at about $1,500. to $1,800. per years. Not worth it...Just watch my CPA closely...Read the full return, before sending it in.
The first 3 of 6 years I was audited...They only found $100. in three audits (If I had kept my big mouth shut it would be nothing...Gave away two 1099s that needed to be filed). For about 30 years no audits!! An example this year...Sold a property with a farm house on it. The property management company has to give me the full rent for October and I will prorate it with the new buyer. BUT, I will take the extra income on the 1099 they send. I ALWAYS make my 1099s line up...Even if it cost me a few bucks. No audits. The IRS computer is my friend!!
He is not good with estate planning!! He told me to take money from our ROTH IRAs first. That is the last place to take them. The money grows tax free even up to 10 years after your death! He suggested California state bonds. California is ready to go bankrupt...A very bad move. Then the other day he suggested buying some local city bonds. I own three properties in the city. Talk about all your eggs in one basket!! So he is cheap and no audits. Our return requires more than average work. I could go with my old CPA (Cal graduate...Passed his boards first time), at about $1,500. to $1,800. per years. Not worth it...Just watch my CPA closely...Read the full return, before sending it in.
The first 3 of 6 years I was audited...They only found $100. in three audits (If I had kept my big mouth shut it would be nothing...Gave away two 1099s that needed to be filed). For about 30 years no audits!! An example this year...Sold a property with a farm house on it. The property management company has to give me the full rent for October and I will prorate it with the new buyer. BUT, I will take the extra income on the 1099 they send. I ALWAYS make my 1099s line up...Even if it cost me a few bucks. No audits. The IRS computer is my friend!!