Dear Client:

The 2023 tax season is here. As in previous years, all my engagements will be via electronic appointments. For most clients, there will be no change in the way we interact and complete your tax returns.

The electronic appointment format allows you to submit your documents on your schedule. You do not have to wait for an open appointment slot. I will begin work on a tax return on a first-come, first-served basis once all your documents are submitted to us.

Smartvault is still the main way to share documents. Please see the firm newsletter article for best practices with the use of Smartvault. Scanning your documents using .pdf files and drag/drop or loading them into your Smartvault file is still the preferred method of sharing with me.

I added a new tool this year with Liscio. Liscio allows us to send “email” type messages in a secure, encrypted environment. You can send me sensitive data such as social security numbers without the risk of using unsecure email. I will be using Liscio to send messages to clients so that the information remains safe and encrypted. If you have not registered your account, please email me so I can send you the link.

For those unable to use Smartvault, you can now use the Liscio application (you must download on your phone) and the built-in scanner (like the scanner you use on your bank app to deposit checks) to send me your tax documents.

Here is the link to the application download and a link to how to send multiple files through Liscio:

AGAIN—IF YOU CAN USE SMARTVAULT TO SEND ME YOUR DOCUMENTS, PLEASE DO THAT---LISCIO DOCUMENT SCAN IS ONLY FOR THOSE WITHOUT A SCANNER WHO NORMALLY SEND ME PHOTOS OF DOCUMENTS—I CAN’T ACCEPT PHOTOS VIA EMAIL ANY LONGER—IT IS SIMPLY TOO RISKY AND UNSECURE.

Included with the preparation fee for your tax return is email support answering questions and tax impacts of changes that occurred on your 2022 tax return. I want to make sure you are an informed client who understands where those figures are coming from. I will answer your questions.

I want to be clear however that prospective tax planning and tax advice issues not on the 2022 tax return that may impact future returns are not included in the 2022 tax preparation fee. This work will be billed separately. Such prospective planning includes but is not limited to: 

1. Upcoming marriage/divorce/separation tax implications; 

2. Future sale of rental property or primary home with capital gain and recapture issues;

3. Starting or selling a business; 

4. Future stock/crypto/asset transactions or sales; 

5. Retirement tax planning; 

6. Withholding allowance certificates with adding/changing employment; 

7. IRS audits, letters, or notices; 

8. Residency requirements/planning for moving out of state.

Please email me when these conditions arise and we will work out arrangements and terms before commencing work on the issue. As with prior years, your return cannot be efiled until you review the tax returns, sign the efile 8879 forms (giving us permission to efile your state and federal tax returns), and pay the invoice in full. Last year, we started a new program where we actively monitor your IRS account. We are again offering this tax year IRS account monitoring service at an additional cost of $199/year.

With this service, we are frequently able to detect pending audits months in advance of the issuance of any notices. We also receive duplicate notices in the mail for our clients a few days before you receive them. The first year of the program was highly successful. We were able to discover and address several AUR audits and save several hundred to several thousand dollars of penalties for our subscribed clients. Essentially, we fixed the problem before the IRS could impose any penalties. We were able to be proactive, rather than reactive.

If you are interested in this monitoring program or want more information, send me an email or Liscio message.

If you have concerns I have not addressed, please email me at kevin@timkelly.com or send me a Liscio message.

For those that wish to make an electronic appointment with me, please click here to register

Thank you and I look forward to a smooth 2023 tax season with you!

Kevin