Avoid this place like the plague it is…read more..
Here's my story:
In early March of 2021 drop-in to their tax office for information on their services, I live nearby and like supporting local businesses. I was told the starting price for basic filing would cost $45 and take roughly two months to file. All That sounding good to me, I accepted and provided them my tax documents and was told that I would be contacted soon to complete the required forms.
No contact from them for 3 weeks so I sent them an email to check-in and see if anything else was needed from me. Still no response, so I visited their office (during Covid mind you) to confirm in person, which resulted in them sending me an email asking me to resubmit identification information for my profile creation. Month one.
Weeks go by and again no follow-up, nor return calls from the messages I left with the receptionists. Again, I visited the office where after having waited at length, met Mosi (their secondary tax rep... not entirely sure what he does) who acts as if I'm wasting his time, despite my their lack of response to my emails and phone calls.
Two months go by and finally, the owner calls, Ms. Cole, who completes my 2020 tax forms with me in less than 10mins. I ask about my 2019 tax, and she being confused of course, despite having reiterated this fact to the firm on multiple occasions, tells me that she will need to call me back in order to complete my 2019 filing.
Two more weeks pass, it's now early June and I've yet to receive the follow-up call from Ms. Cole to complete my 2019 forms and submission. Despite having filed my 2020 taxes the funds can't be released until my 2019 tax docs are completed. I'm aware that these people are technically the gatekeepers to my funds, so professionalism is of the utmost importance, despite all these issues directly correlating to their lack of professionalism. Finally, she calls and we complete my 2019 taxes within another brief conversation. Their office files them shortly thereafter and now starts my wait for funds disbursement.
While awaiting my refunds I request the service invoice. To my surprise, the estimate comes out to $595.00!!! This amount was never discussed throughout the duration of their activities, despite having asked about the fees on two separate occasions. I complained stating what I was originally quoted and Mosi emphasized that those are starting prices... $45 to $595 is a huge cost difference and a detail that would've resulted in me filing elsewhere. Deceptive Advertising.
I received my 2019 Refund on June 14th and it wasn't until today (Sep 1, 2021) that my 2020 refund check was provided to me, roughly 2 1/2 months later. Supposedly the IRS had issued a notice that required me to validate my identity details which was the result of the delay. Not once did Tamptax inform me of this despite having emailed them twice inquiring about the delay. Again I had to take time out of my busy day to drive down to their office to seek answers, and again, Mosi's attitude was dismissive as he blamed the IRS for not communicating this to me directly.
To top it off, I finally have my 2020 refund check in hand and I notice that roughly $1300 is missing from the total, so I call in to understand why. The receptionist informs me that the invoice originally provided was only for filing my 2020 taxes and didn't include my 2019 fee, despite the Invoice stating "invoice 2019 ___" on it. So they charged me $1300 for a combined effort of 30mins of time considering the short conversations I had with Ms. Cole completing the forms with me over the phone.
Blatant highway robbery. Criminal. Seeking council.
I've learned a lot from this encounter and I caution all to simply avoid this place. DO NOT DO BUSINESS. Karma/God/Yahweh will have the final say. I wish them no amount of luck in their future.
