If I could give zero stars I would. This guy is awful. Had him do the returns for my family after my accountant of 25 years retired. Both of my daughters got letters from the IRS indicating that their returns were wrong and they provided amended refunds. One daughter got the same notification from NYS. I contacted Paul numerous times via call and email and he did not reply with any information or analysis. Awful accountant--AVOID!!!!! read more

Most incompetent person I ever worked with. He neglected to file my 2021 returns on time which caused the IRS to fine me. He wrote a letter to the IRS explaining it was his fault and asked them to waive the penalty and said once they agree to waive the penalty he will refund me what I paid him. I tried emailing him and calling him several times to find out how I can receive me refund for his incompetent services and he refused to respond. I went to his office today to ask him for my refund and to show him the letter as he told me to do and he refused to pay me what he promised. I have it on video. When I wrote a review on Google, he made the claim this is all because I asked him to make up numbers on my tax return. I have several emails from him acknowledging it was his fault as well as the letter he sent to the IRS stating it was his fault and he went and slandered me on a Google review. He promised to refund me what I paid him and now he is refusing. To put this into perspective, today is 3/2/2023 and I walked into his office in the 1st week of 2/2022 to do my 2021 returns and to date, I am still waiting for my refund from the IRS and it's only because he neglected to file my returns or to take an extension. He refuses to own his mistakes and lack of professionalism. Save yourself the hassle and find someone else. read more

Avoid Paul Rafanello! After Paul bungled my 2015 tax return and missed several obvious deductions including the real estate taxes on my house four blocks from his office, I was audited by the IRS. Paul stopped taking my calls or returning my emails. I was forced to endure the audit on my own with no help or advice from my CPA, the very person whose filing I was called on to explain. Afterwards, Paul still did not return any attempts to reach him. I eventually caught him at his office after two months of silence. He said he was "very busy" and that was why he hadn't returned a single call or email in the previous months. I was heading into the IRS office later that week to resolve my audit which eventually cost me an additional $9,000 in taxes. Paul said he would call me after that meeting. He never did. Again he avoided returning my calls or emails. After a chance meeting at the local post office I told him I needed to get my 2016 tax materials back from him and went to his office the next morning. When I questioned him why he was still not returning my calls or emails he said that he thought I was angry at the IRS audit and that I had fired him even though I had not indicated anything of this nature and he was still in possession of my 2016 tax documents. When I suggested that he was incompetent for bungling my 2015 tax return he stood up from his desk, loomed over me in a threatening manner and ordered me to leave his office. Paul behaved in a most unprofessional manner and his inability to perform his duties has cost me dearly and will undoubtedly bring additional scrutiny from the IRS in the future. Find yourself another accountant that knows how to do his job! read more

Save yourself the aggravation and find another tax preparer. Paul Rafanello was good enough at tax time, used him for a few years and was generally happy, but once a problem developed he fell off the face of the earth. Received a letter from the IRS last fall regarding 2015, the issue was not that significant (about $2,000 owed) regarding alleged miss reported capital gains. That's the time you need your accountant, to help explain to the IRS our side of the story. Paul was completely unresponsive, promised and promised time and time again to look into the matter and get back to me, never heard a peep - he outright lied over and over again about when he would get back to me (he never followed up on one promis). I was not even angry with him if there was a mistake, it happens, and I would have paid the additional tax, not blamed Paul and moved on. But the non responsive and refusal to help when the going gets a little dicey is a deal breaker, be forewarned that he is not going to help when the going get tough. read more