Ask Emma
Frequently Asked Questions
| What should I do if I have received a notice from one of the taxing agencies (Franchise Tax Board or Internal Revenue Service)? | Please fax the notice into DRK Associates. This is the first step in our representation process. We are unable to begin to research your case until we are able to look at your notice. Once your notice reaches our office, it is assigned to one of our tax consultants, who will contact you within a few days. | ||
| How can I pay for services DRK has provided for me? | We accept cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. We are also able to accept debit payments if you are present in our office. | ||
| What do I do if I have misplaced a prior tax year return? | We can provide a copy as long as we prepared the tax return for the year in question. Just call our office, let me know what it is that you need, and I can fax, e-mail, or send the documents to you via USPS for a small fee. | ||
| Who should I talk to when I need to schedule an appointment? |
I can take care of all your scheduling needs. You do not have to go through a preparer to schedule appointments. Just call our office and I will set up your appointment. Tax preparation services can be completed wirhout an appointment. Several of our clients prefer an Express Service approach and mail-in or drop-off their tax documents rather than have an appointment. For tax consultation provide with the Elite Resource and Solutions program, most all follow-up questions and advice can be addressed via email or telephone, with signatures being handled via fax, should an appointment cannot be arranged. |
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| Where do I file my return? |
We e-file almost every type of tax return, however in special circumstances, a paper return must be filed by mail. We will provide you with the correct address, or you can go online to www.irs.gov or www.ftb.ca.gov (Internal Revenue Service/Franchise Tax Board websites) to look up the mailing address for your return. |
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| What if I am audited? | Audits can come in several forms, yet they all begin with a letter. First and foremost, we will need the letter(s) you receive from whichever governing agency is contacting you. It is VERY IMPORTANT that you provide your tax preparer with the initial contact letter as soon as you receive it, for most forms of communication will have time frames that we must respond within. At Team DRK your audit representation will be assigned to the appropriate Enrolled Agent. From that point, we will walk you through your audit process, whether it is correspondence through the mail, or an office audit or a field audit held at our office. | ||
| How do I know if an extension has been filed for me? | As a courtesy, DRK Associates automatically files extensions for our clients who do not have a return filed and accepted by April 15. | ||
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With an extension, when is my filing deadline? |
For individuals, your new deadline is October 15. There is no other extension available. |
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For corporations, S-corporations, partnerships, LLCs and trusts whose year ends on December 31, your new deadline is September 15. |
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| For exempt organizations whose year ends on December 31, your new deadline is August 15 | |||
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If your fiscal year ends on any other date, you should call our office to determine your filing deadline. |
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Any deadline that falls on a weekend or holiday will automatically be due on the next business day. |
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What is an Enrolled Agent (EA)? |
Enrolled Agents (EA) are the Tax Professional. Unlike lawyers or CPAs, Enrolled Agents (EA) specialize in taxation. EAs are federally licensed by the US Department of the Treasury. An EA can advise, represent and prepare returns for individuals, partnerships, corporations, estates, trusts and any entities with tax-reporting requirements. An EA can represent taxpayers before all administrative levels of the IRS for audits, collections and appeals. Only EAs, CPA’s and attorneys can represent taxpayers before the IRS. EAs are also experts in tax planning. Proper planning can legally reduce the amount of taxes due and proper tax preparation can help prevent an audit. Except for Enrolled Agents (EA), Certified Public Accountants (CPA) and attorneys, most tax preparers are not licensed. Any person can hang out their shingle as a seasonal part-time tax preparer from January through April 15, without any competency or background tests. EAs provide tax services year-round in the field of tax planning, preparation, and representation. EAs are required to maintain a rigorous schedule of professional education in the tax field. Although there are some very competent un-licensed preparers, you can rely on the fact that an EA, CPA or attorney has passed a rigorous set of a requirements (tests, continuing education, regulations, ethics, etc.) to get and keep their license. The US Treasury grants and can revoke the EA license and each individual state grants and can revoke the CPA and attorney licenses. In addition, the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 gave EAs and CPAs limited client privilege in certain tax related matters. This privilege allows confidentiality between the taxpayer and licensed preparers during audits or collection proceedings (providing taxpayer fraud is not involved). There is no client privilege for unlicensed preparers. |
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What qualifications are required to become an EA and maintain enrollment? |
There are only two ways to earn the Enrolled Agent designation. The first route is to take a four-part examination, one of the most difficult professional examinations in the country. This test covers all aspects of taxation, including ethics. The application process includes a thorough background investigation. The other way to become an EA is to be employed by the IRS for a minimum of five years, regularly interpreting and applying the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and regulations. |
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| How can I send an e-mail to my preparer? | Simply address your email to name@teamDRK.com. For example, to send an e-mail to me, you would address it: Emma@teamDRK.com. | ||
