After using this group for 3 years I have been removed as a client. End of 2022, I closed my business, beginning of 2023 moved and had a child before corporate taxes were due and missed some emails from them due to the hecticness of moving, buying a house and having a child. I understand I was late on my corporate taxes but was told by the firm that they would submit "to stop the penalty from starting". This obviously led me to believe that the penalty would not occur and due to my first CPA submitting a form my first year in business when I did not know the due date, a form was submitted and the IRS waived the penalty. While filing taxes Tom never mentioned that a penalty would occur or be likely to be submitted. In June of 2024, the IRS assessed the penalty, sent to collections, and hit with interest. Tom did not respond to my emails for over a month and took multiple phone calls to get a response. His response was that "did not know I was a client because I never respond to emails". Mind you he did my 2023 taxes as well. Upon further discussion and providing the emails where someone from his firm said the penalty would not start, he stated that his administrative assistant made a mistake and should not have said that; that I should have known that I would be assessed a penalty as I knew I was late. When I asked why was I not informed, he stated "Yopu were told that it was late", disregarding the fact that his firm stated the penalty would not start. When I asked why the penalty cost was not included in the filing he stated "I typically let the IRS access" (I'm assuming assess?) "their penalty in hopes that they don't" He insists he has no liablity because HIS admin communicated incorrectly; that I should know a penalty is coming because I was late.
He then stated that I should remove my documents from the portal and the portal would be deleted within a week and the reason I am being dropped as a client is because they prefer to work in partnership with clients and that it will not be possible based on our emails.
I was not rude in our exchanges, I merely asked questions and questioned why due to the language used by his firm stating that I would not be assessed a penalty. I sent 3 emails and multiple phone calls before receiving a response, Tom is refusing to take any sort of ownership due to his employees error. I am aware I filed late and would have been ok paying the penalty in 2023 when filing for 2022 had Tom and his firm made me aware that a penalty would be assessed, I would have insisted on paying it upfront but there was no communication about a penalty being assessed, in fact the opposite was communicated. Now the business is no longer active and has no revenue but still have to pay the penalty with added interest
I have sung the praises of this firm for years, recommended them to every financial advisor, individual, and business I know but now a clerical mistake with his firm and me questioning why and how led to him forcibly removing me as a client. I can no longer, in good conscious recommend them anymore, if another clerical error happens, based on this exchange, it seems he will refuse ownership and drop a client read more
