WTF(inancial)?!! Long story short, look at image I attached. Full story: My wife and I as…read morenewlyweds first time filing jointly, different state of residence per spouse, found Mrs. Nga Trinh of WT Financial through local Vietnamese newspaper ad. On March 28 our first meeting, she agreed to file us jointly, suggested I purchase an SEP IRA (about which I did not have any prior knowledge) for my business to help reduce my income tax repayments, said she would compile two sets of data--tax without and tax with maximum SEP IRA allowed--and send me PDF copies via email, and she quoted $250 total to be paid after finalization, took our tax documents and said she will take time later to calculate our federal, and states income tax return forms and get back to us in coming days. April 4 she emailed us PDF of one set of data without an IRA. Some numbers were incorrect, partly due to some numbers from our 2015 tax documents were needed (but she didn't ask for them initially) but not yet entered. Appointment made April 11 for me to bring that data to her to enter and recalculate. Met, provided data, I reminded her to make us two sets of info, one for with IRA and one for without IRA, as originally agreed, then please email me the updated documents when done. April 12 she emailed me new PDF with updated set information for tax including SEP IRA (but not a second set of tax without IRA that we agreed) and told me to review it then let her know if OK to print out so my wife and I can come on Friday that week to sign to finalize everything. As I opened the PDF, I saw on a summary page indicating Preparation Fee of $350.00. I emailed Mrs. Nga (as seen on my image upload) asking to please advise, as we originally agreed to $250.00 total fee. She replied: "$250 is basic fee, no question, no pdf file. If we spend more time our fee is more." I replied that none of this was explicitly indicated to us at any time during our communication, in person or by emails. This is not acceptable to me. No replies from her ever since. Friday April 14 wife and I came to WT Financial to meet Mrs. Nga once more, where she said she did not proceed any further since I said I did not accept her $350 fee. She said to us that we should have told her in advance about us wanting to make two sets of data--one for with IRA and one for without IRA--before she quoted us the original $250. HELLO?! She was the one who suggested getting an IRA in the first place! She made it appear like converting her program's data from whatever its original format into a PDF version for me was rocket science and takes her more time and effort. She even said to us that all her other clients never question her or ask for further review or redo. OK I might not be her typical client, but don't get me wrong as I might consider to pay extra for "asking questions" and for requesting PDF copies had she asked us up front in advance originally to charge extra money for additional services. The bottom line for my wife and myself comes to a simple concept summarized with two words: INFORMED CONSENT/REFUSAL. I do not know which terms amongst "hidden charges," "nickel and diming," "unethical", and "fraud" suits this situation (you decide), but for a veteran CPA affiliated with H&R Block to be in the finance business since 1965 here in the United States as she claims, Mrs. Nga Trinh's conduct towards us does not display professional, transparent, or honest American business principles. Her expertise in tax filing was never questioned. But regarding her shady business practices, in my eyes this brings shame to me and our Vietnamese American community. I hope she realizes both of our times have been wasted. She chose to make zero dollars for all this work. Since she would not honor the original professional fee quote, the wife and I exited her office in search of another tax preparer. WTF(inancial)?!!
