I've been a client of Howard for several years now, working to resolve old tax liabilities. The truth is that I've been incredibly irresponsible in handling my tax obligations. Once I failed to file one year it just snowballed, and I haven't filed in literally decades. The 2018 tax year will be the first year I file on time since something like 1997. Howard has delivered results far above my expectations. What I thought was going to be an insurmountable problem, Howard has turned into a very manageable one with pretty easy to pay monthly payments. Howard's knowledge of the inner workings of the IRS runs deep and wide. He has personal connections there. His follow up is timely and has kept me on schedule moving towards resolution. Howard's communication is crisp, pithy, and clear. He is a consummate professional. Howard's work has provided me with something invaluable; my constant fear has abated. I've been carrying this burden of constantly being afraid of being caught and arrested by the authorities, and it has affected me in a million little ways: driving around, using the internet, banking, living situation with landlords, credit availability, etc. Thank you Howard - your work is a gift. read more

I had many questions about my 2010-2011 taxes and had been in contact with the IRS but needed more professional help. I had consulted with Sara at Taxman services in Fife. I called frequently to get an update on what was being done but never got any help. As deadlines approached and passed, I asked for all my paperwork to be returned. When they were returning, there was one year of returns missing. There were errors that could not be resolved because the deadline was past. read more

I do not have words to express how wonderful it is to work with Howard and his team. I was irresponsible for many years and owed over $70k in taxes. Howard created a plan for us, was gracious, comforting, funny, and very easy to work with - he created a payment plan, and step by step instructions for us to follow. He and his team were always available, and despite the IRS taking over 2.5 years to process our paperwork there was never a time we felt alone. In the end we paid exactly what Howard said we'd pay (about $10k) and now it's over - we are paid, current, liens removed and I can not be happier we started with Howard. read more

We love this team! My wife and I have worked with Howard for years and he never disappoints. He is so responsive to questions, concerns and loves tough complex returns. He has helped a number of my friends out of some tricky tax situations with grace and no judgment about how they may have messed up. What a breath of fresh air! I actually look forward to tax season when we can connect with him and his staff. read more

I've been working with Howard and his team for years now. He is great! Anytime I have questions he always responds very quickly. Very efficient and knowledgeable! I would highly recommend. read more

WARNING - DISORGANIZED, FORGETFUL AND INCOMPETENT I made an appointment with Choder Howard to do my Corporate Taxes and was hoping to have a great experience based on the reviews but here's what happened instead.... I arrived for my appointment - Choder fumbled around (think MR. MCGOO) and had now idea who I was (we talked at length on the phone 2 days ago), or about the appointment this morning. After he finally found my appointment, we sat down and he looked over my previous year's return. He said I only have a carry forward loss of $1800 to offset the profit this year. I said actually, it's more like $11,000. He studied the return, flipping back and forth like it's the first one he's seen. After 5 minutes, he finally found it and just said "Oh, there it is" I wanted to grab my P&L and leave immediately. Taking so long to find such a simple line item on a return screams incompetence. Next he refuses to do the return since he must charge $1000 and my return is simple. The idea of adjusting his rates based on the complexity of the job is lost on him. Me: Okay, can you at least file the extension? Choder: Yes and begins to print out the form. Oh, there's no toner in the printer. Me: Can you file it electronically? Choder: It's $25, then gets half way through the process and ups the charge to $75. He finally ends up e-mailing the form to me to send myself. I don't write a ton of reviews, but I do use Yelp a lot, so I felt I owed it to the Yelp community to warn you guys of totally misleading rating. Good luck out there! read more

I needed a last minute quick consultation and Howard was very kind to give me a couple minutes from his busy schedule to answer my questions. I got exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for. Thank you, Howard! read more

I first met Howard socially and based upon the rapport built in that brief encounter, I called him the next week to discuss my business and personal taxes. His professionalism is always on point and he has never let me down. I've worked with Howard on several issues related to my Federal Income Tax filings. His previous employment at the IRS has proved invaluable in helping me resolve my issues and move forward. I now have piece of mind knowing that I can now focus on the present and future without the past continuing to haunt me. read more

Howard has done my taxes for about 6 years. He's given me sound advice and is very quick to respond to any questions I have about my taxes or accounting in general. I've referred many people to him and they all have had good experiences. He is also one of the leading accountants on filing as domestic partners. I appreciate his community and professional leadership on this issue. read more

I contacted Howard about a letter from the IRS. I met with him later that day, sent him some documents and he resolved my problem the next day. Turns out, instead of owing the IRS a lot of money, they ended up owing me a little. Will definitely use him for this year's return, and would recommend him to others. read more

Howard has been doing my taxes for ten years and every single spring I am grateful to have him in my life. He's been there through my family's significant life events to answer all of my tax questions and ease my mind. I have been able to count on not only his expertise but his compassion and kindness. He makes me think I am his only client! Thank you Howard for taking the pain out of one of life's certainties. read more

I contacted Howard with an urgent tax matter regarding a lien that was interfering with my wife and I obtaining a mortgage. Howard responded immediately, formed a plan of action, charged us a reasonable rate and got us the results we needed. We are now happy homeowners! We could not done it without his assistance. In addition, Howard is just a great person to work with: kind, friendly and caring. I will take any future tax matters to Howard and would refer him in an instant to anyone I know. read more

I've been working with Howard for the past few years, since I first moved to Seattle from New York. It started with personal taxes, and has extended to a range of business dealings. Howard doesn't flinch. He is excellent to work with, and takes on any challenge with a calm and positive outlook -- exactly the approach that I want from the person handling my accounting each year. I've recommended him to many of my colleagues, and will continue to do so. read more

Howard was incredibly helpful and really quick to respond. On top of all that he really knew his stuff. Great guy to work with. Thanks, Howard! read more

I love working with Howard and his team. They have been preparing our taxes for almost a decade now. They make the process as easy as possible for my busy husband and me. And they are super friendly and easy to work with. If you need tax help, Taxman and the team are the place to go. read more

Howard is my go to tax expert for my legal clients needs. He's always helpful. Many of the needs are urgent, and their anxiety is always urgent. Howard understands that helping them includes being thoughtful about their state of mind. I highly endorse Howard. read more

Howard is a stand up guy who is definitely looking out for your best interest. He is very quick to reply and is both thoughtful and thorough in his responses. He is my go to tax guy. Definitely recommend. read more

Howard is worth his weight in gold for anyone wrangling in their taxes. I've found him to be professional, responsive, and a pleasure to work with. I plan on using his services going forward and highly recommend him to anyone looking for a tax professional in the Seattle area. read more

Frankly, the folks at the IRS are nice, polite and civil and will smile as they work to screw the living hell out of your bank account. Howard was straight with me from day one. Sometimes bluntly so, but I always knew I'd get good information to operate off of and he wouldn't hold back just to 'be a nice guy'. After all, it was my financial life, and frankly, a lot of other things important to me at stake. In the end, he probably saved me $30-40K. And had I actually followed his advice earlier on I would have saved more. Was he cheap? No. Was he worth every penny? Hell yes. read more

Howard is the best! He has helped me so much with our business taxes and tax advice for several years now-I would go nowhere else! He answers any questions I have immediately either by phone or email which I really appreciate. Thanks again Howard for all your help! Adrienne S. Carstar Hammer Auto Rebuild read more

Howard is wonderful, hands down. He helped me through the toughest time of my life and his associate just helped me again, patiently and calmly as a letter from the IRS popped up recently. I can't recommend them enough. They are compassionate people and explain things very clearly (to this widow with three young children and the attention span of a squirrel). read more

Comforting to have peace of mind knowing that my taxes are in qualified, caring and efficient hands. Howard and staff are top notch!

Howard has been preparing my taxes since 2001 and has been there for me through several major life transitions, providing peace-of-mind, expert tax advice and stellar customer service. Even when my tax returns became much more complicated as an American expat living in France, Howard efficiently researched what I needed to do and made the process as stress-free as possible. I feel that he really looks out for me and gives me a realistic perspective that I can trust. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Howard Choder for tax advising and filing. read more

Well, one day a few months ago Mr. IRS knocked on my door and said I owed them half the national debt. Well I peed my pants right there and after I cleaned up I called a friend of mine who I knew had had some tax problems the year before and he said I NEED to call this guy and handed me Howards business card. I called Howard right there and he was very calming. This was a huge relief and Howard scheduled an appointment with me to come in. He explained to me all my options and the IRS was not just auditing me for the last four years but also my business. I had been struggling for about that long with the recession and all and hadn't filed any returns so I knew I was in deep. Suffice to say Howard handled all of the audit meetings, responded promptly with any questions I had and got a settlement for a fraction of what the IRS said I owed them. When I say fraction I don't mean half. I mean if it were a pie I wouldn't be able to taste what kind it was. Howard saved my future with his knowledge of the inside workings of the IRS tax system. I cannot recommend him enough for his hard work on my behalf. I hear he is great with simpler issues too so please use him. You NEED to call this guy. As a caveat Howard is not the cheapest in town but you really don't want the cheapest when you're dealing with the IRS. I did find his prices to be significantly lower than others I had interviewed before my friends recommendation so use him. He is worth every cent he asks for. read more

Howard dug me out of a hole with the IRS . He rocks !

On the morning of April 14, 2016, I contacted Mr. Choder. I asked him if I can make an appointment later on the day or tomorrow. He responded by saying he does not accept walk-ins. If I was going to walk-in, I would not have called him in the first place. So I responded by asking if he was booked for the rest of the week. He said no. He reiterated to me that he does not like doing tax returns last minute and he suggested I ask for a tax extension and we can work on it after he takes some time off. The only reason I wanted to work with CPA was due to my lack of knowledge on depreciation of rental homes. I was little disappointed since I saw so many great reviews. Luckily to say, my tax is done. I have contacted Chieko MacLean, CPA and she was able to get it done for me. Surprisingly she helped me amend my last 2 year returns and this year(depreciation) for the total cost of $250.00 read more

Because of fraud committed against my mother, who has dementia, by a family member, my mother owed a high five figure amount in back taxes to the IRS. So they garnished my mother's social security. I spent a couple of months trying to get the issue resolved. I was referred to Atty Howard Choder who assisted me by making direct contact with the IRS. Within 6 weeks, my mother's collection case was closed by the IRS, ending the garnishing of $300 a month. This time period beat Howard's initial conservative estimate by a good margin. I highly recommend Howard to anyone needing help with IRS collection problems. His office staff was also very helpful and courteous. read more

I am an ex-fisherman who has been through the ringer with the IRS in the past. I have used various tax attorneys in the past, none with very satisfactory results. Howard was not only extremely accessible (others always seem to put me on the back burner), but his experience and knowledge was immediately apparent. He literally took care of my situation in one morning with a phone call, a scan of documents, and a simple explanation. I think I can finally put this chapter behind me. Thank you Howard. read more

Howard Choder is my tax guy because he's resourceful, creative and collaborative, while simultaneously staying on the conservative side of risk. He's community oriented; he stays up-to-date on legal matters (both cultural and business) which affect tax payers, so that I have the information I need to plan well and make good choices; he's all business. Plus he's a decent guy who can bust out the allegories to relate to my annual tales, walk me off a ledge when necessary or usher me to a pleasant surprise-- all the while taming and making sense of my best effort tax hand-off. Get Howard on board. You'll be glad you did. read more

Great first experience working with Howard. After receiving a letter from the IRS saying I owed 2 grand, a friend of mine referred me to Howard. As a favor to her, he looked at my letter to send me down the correct path, for free. So very generous and helpful. I look forward to utilizing his expertise in the future. read more

My husband and I just started working with Howard. He is efficient, professional, kind, and to the point. He did a nice job on our filing for 2016. He also met with us for some overall planning and to answer questions about various tax implications of our finances. We'll be back again next year! read more

Howard and his team are a pleasure to work with and they processed our taxes faster than expected. I was impressed with the how quickly Howard and Ariel responded to our questions. They made this very easy for us! read more

I had a terrible experience with Howard, which eventually ended up costing me about $8000 in penalties and interest. Moreover, he totally overlooked a mistake in correspondance from the IRS, which I caught, which had me overpaying by a significant amount. Finally, there are certain measures another CPA recommended to me which Howard didn't recommend to me, which saved me from even more penalties. I would stay far, far away from Howard as he is both at times impatient and condescending and has proven to do shoddy work. read more

NEVER, NO MATTER WHAT, GO TO THIS GUY! He's a bully, overpriced, unresponsive, not thorough or complete, charges by the hour & doesn't specify what for, and I was actually afraid to post a negative review until my waiting period (an IRS thing) passed for fear he'd rat me out. This review was pulled for some reason (I'm sure he protested), but it's legit, I'm not a wacko or ultra picky, and tried to resolve things with Howard directly several times before leaving his service and was NOT nice about it. read more

My wife and I met with Howard to discuss financial planning for an upcoming family member and for general tax advice. Howard was very personable, reasonable with his prices, and able to give us clear direction where we needed it. We expect to use his services again during tax season and highly recommend him. read more

My wife and I have been using Howard for years to do our taxes. He helped us through our domestic partnership and onward. He's always been helpful and timely...even if we haven't! He's also been a great source of advice in all financial matters. We can't thank Howard enough for all of his hard work, professionalism, and his ability to look at each situation individually. He's great and I recommend him enthusiastically for any financial needs you may have. Thanks Howard!! read more

My partner and I started a small business almost three years ago. Together, we cover just about all of our bases... except for the accounting - neither of us had a clue. A friend recommended Howard. Howard took care of our personal taxes, our business taxes, and gave us truly great advice. Just one example: Recently, we received a letter from the IRS saying that we owed $8,000 in fines for filing late (our fault for not filing an extension before Howard knew us - not his) he kindly suggested that we try handling the issue ourselves and call him if we needed more help. He could have charged us a bunch of money and we would have been grateful so long as it wasn't $8,000. But he was right,we could do it, the fines were removed and we didn't need to pay the IRS or Howard. So not only do I now know a terrific accountant who really understands the IRS, an honest person who will not try to take advantage of our lack of knowledge, but also someone who is patient enough to help us continue to grow as business owners. Needless to say it is a huge relief to have someone like this in our corner and will likely make a huge difference in the overall health of our business long-run. read more