Services

Individual Income Tax Returns

Our base fee for preparing an individual income tax return is $155. Other schedules (such as child tax credit, rental property, stock sales, education credit, etc.) start at $15 each but can be more depending upon the complexities involved.

There are dozens of other forms/schedules that may be required to prepare your tax returns. These include forms/schedules for businesses, rental properties, sales of stocks/property/land, education credit, child tax credit, interest/dividend income, earned income credit, etc. The fee for most other forms is typically around $15, but could be more (depending upon the complexities involved). And unlike many other firms, we only prepare and charge you for forms that are required to be filed.

Have dependent children at home (or away attending college) who need to file tax returns? Bring in their W-2’s and we’ll prepare them at no charge for kids in high school and $30 per return for children in college.

Please do not bring toddlers or young children with you when you come for your appointment. Only one person needs to come in to file for a married couple.

Business & Trust Tax Returns

Fees to prepare these returns are based upon their complexity and how organized your accounting records are. They range from $350 and up. Unlike many firms, we prepare and charge you only for tax forms/schedules actually required to be filed. We are confident our fees are substantially less than those charged by other firms.

Tax Consulting

Tax consulting is charged at $200/hour. Phone calls and emails throughout the year will be added to your bill at tax time.

Approximate Time to Complete Your Returns

An in-office appointment normally will take less than 30 minutes (60 minutes with business or rentals). If you mail/fax/scan/drop off your taxes, we should be able to complete them within 2–4 weeks. NO FIRM IN THE VALLEY IS MORE EFFICIENT AT PREPARING INCOME TAX RETURNS THAN ASHWORTH TAX!

What to Bring

Click on the appropriate section below for details on what to bring to your tax preparation appointment.

  • New clients, bring a copy of your tax returns.
  • Income source statements – W-2s and 1099 forms for: retirement income, investment income, (i.e. interest and dividends earned, stocks sold), independent contract work, etc.
  • Name, date of birth, and social security number for new dependents.
  • Current drivers license

Itemized deductions: amounts paid for home interest, property taxes, contributions and medical expenses. (To “itemize” these deductions must be more than $12,000 if filing “single”, $18,000 if filing “head of household”, $24,000 if filing “joint”.)

  • Obamacare – if you paid for your own insurance at any time in 2018 through the “marketplace” (Obamacare), you must bring IRS form 1095-A to our office.
  • HSA “Health Savings Account” – Bring a 1099-SA reporting distributions from your HSA.

For each business you operate, total your income (receipts) for the year and add up your expenses by category. If you want, you can use the checklist below to report your expenses.

Home office? If you have an office in your home that is used exclusively and routinely in your business, compute its square footage. Also bring in the total square footage of your home (finished & unfinished).

Use your car for company business? Compute (or realistically estimate) how many miles you drove during the year for your business. Miles driven will be multiplied by the IRS per mile allowance to compute your vehicle deduction. (When this method is used, you do not need to add up your vehicle related expenses such as gas, oil changes, new tires, etc.).

Cell phone use? The amount claimed will be based on the percent you use your cell for business purposes. Example: you realistically estimate 40% of your cell phone usage is business related. We’ll deduct 40% of your cell phone bills.

Below is a checklist of all the information we will need for deductions on businesses you operate. Click here for a printable form you can fill out and bring to your appointment.

  • Total Income
  • Inventory
  • Insurance
  • Interest
  • Legal
  • Office
  • Repairs
  • Supplies
  • Advertising
  • Travel
  • Meals
  • Equipment
  • Cell Amount
  • Other

Please do not bring in your receipts. It is not our function to audit you. If audited by the IRS, you will need your receipts then.

For each rental property you own, total the rents received during the year and add up the expenses you paid by category. If wanted, you can use the checklist below to report your expenses. If you use a management service, bring in their year-end report.

(Please do not bring in your receipts. It is not our function to “audit” you. If you are ever audited, the IRS will want to look at your receipts. If the rental property was acquired in , bring in the “closing papers” on the purchase.)

Below is a checklist of all the information we will need for deductions on your rental properties. Click here for a printable form you can fill out and bring to your appointment.

  • Rent Received
  • Advertising
  • Cleaning
  • Insurance
  • Property Tax
  • Interest
  • HOA Fees
  • Supplies
  • Repairs
  • Utilities
  • Landscape
  • Management
  • Legal
  • Remodel
  • Cell Amount
  • Other

Stocks

To report the sale of stocks, we need to know:

  • When you purchased the stock
  • Purchase price of the stock
  • When you sold the stock
  • Selling price of the stock.

If stock was inherited, rather than using the purchase price the “market value” on the date of the person from whom you inherited to stock is used. Example: Joe’s dad purchased a share of G.E. stock in 1940 for $20. On the date Joe’s dad passed away, G.E. was trading for $100. You sell the share for $101. Your gain is $101 (selling price) minus the market value on date of death ($100) = $1.

Land or Cabin

To report the sale of land or a cabin, we need to know:

  • When you acquired the property
  • How much you paid for the property. This would include amounts paid after the initial purchase. Example: you bought a parcel of land for $25,000. You spent $2,000 to cut a road into the property and $1,000 for a fence. Your “cost” is then $28,000. (If the property was inherited, your “cost” is the market value on the date of death of the person from whom you inherited it. Example: your folks bought a piece of property in 1940 for $5,000. Your mom passed away some years ago. Your dad passed away in 2016 leaving you the property. It was then worth $80,000. Your “cost” from a tax standpoint is $80,000).

Bring in the “closing statement” on the sale.

Rental Property

To report the sale of a rental property, bring in the “closing statement” on the sale.

Your Home

As long as you had lived in your home 2 out of the 5 years leading up to the date of sale, any gain is generally not taxable. If you sold your home during the year, let us know and we’ll verify there is no tax consequence on the sale. Bring in the “closing statement” on the sale or purchase of any home.

Click here for a printable form you can bring to your appointment.

Child Care Expenses Paid

A child care credit may be allowed if you paid someone to care for your children while you either worked or because medical issues prevented you from caring for them yourself.

For each individual or company paid, we need:

  • That person’s (or company’s) name
  • Address
  • Social security number (or EIN—employer identification number, if a company)
  • Amount paid

Note: any amounts reimbursed through a company pre-tax program cannot be counted towards this credit.

Click here for a printable form you can bring to your appointment.

Education Credit

Education tax credit (post high school college/vocational training). To claim this credit you must bring IRS Form 1098-T (issued by your educational institution) to our office. Add all receipts for books, supplies, equipment, etc. that were required for your courses.

Below is an All-Inclusive Checklist for What You Need to Bring:

  • New clients: bring a copy of your tax returns.
  • Income source statements – W-2s and 1099 forms for: retirement income, investment income (i.e. interest and dividends earned, stocks sold), independent contract work, etc.
  • Name, date of birth and social security number for new dependents.
  • Mortgage interest/property taxes/mortgage insurance premiums paid. Bring IRS Forms 1098 to report this information (1st/2nd mortgages and home equity lines of credit). If you haven’t received these forms, you may be able to obtain this information online or by calling your lenders. Interest on self-contained campers, motor homes and boats are also tax deductible.
  • Closing statements for homes purchased, sold or refinanced in .
  • Sales tax paid on “big ticket” items such as automobiles, trucks, boats, etc.
  • Charitable contributions (you must have receipts). Add up amounts paid with “money” (cash, check, credit/debit card). For items donated (clothes, appliances, etc.), estimate the “market value” of such items donated.
  • Medical expenses – Only those that exceed 10% of your income are deductible (7.5% if 65 or older). If your medical expenses are significant, please have them totaled prior to your appointment.
  • Child care expenses – For each individual/company used during , provide the name, address, social security number (or federal ID number) and amount paid.
  • Education tax credit (post high school college/vocational training). To claim this credit you must bring IRS Form 1098-T (issued by your educational institution) to our office. Add all receipts for books, supplies, equipment, etc. that were required for your courses.
  • Unreimbursed job expenses – For example: union dues, professional publications, safety gear, job-related education/travel, job-related mileage. Only those that exceed 2% of your income are deductible. If your unreimbursed job expenses are significant, please have them categorized and totaled prior to your appointment.
  • Businesses & Rental Properties – Total your income and categorize your expenses by type. For example: supplies, repairs, insurance expense, office supplies, travel, etc. Automobile use: determine the miles driven during the year for your business and/or rental activities.
  • Obamacare – If you paid for your own insurance at any time in through the “marketplace” (Obamacare), you must bring IRS Form 1095-A to our office.

Click here for a printable form you can bring to your appointment.