Individual tax returns
A return prepared by a credentialed professional who knows your file — not a software interview you rush through in April.
What this service is — and why it matters
Tax software is built for simple returns. Once you have self-employment income, rentals, K-1s, equity compensation, or income in more than one state, the software stops asking the right questions and starts assuming. That’s where missed deductions, mismatched 1099s and IRS letters come from.
We prepare your federal and state returns from your actual documents, tie every income item to what the IRS already has on file, and have a second preparer review the return before you see it. Then we walk you through it on a short call, so you understand what you’re signing and what to expect next year.
You get the same preparer every year. They keep your depreciation schedules, carryforwards and basis records current, so nothing gets lost between filings.
Everything we handle for you
One named preparer, a second-preparer review, and year-round answers to your questions.
Federal and state preparation
Form 1040 with the schedules your situation needs — Schedule C, E, D, SE and others — plus resident, part-year and nonresident state returns.
IRS transcript match
We compare your documents to the income the IRS already has on file for you, so a missing 1099 is caught before the IRS catches it.
Second-preparer review
Every return is reviewed by a second preparer before it reaches you. Two sets of eyes on every number that matters.
Walkthrough call
A short call to walk through the return, your refund or balance due, and what changes next year. Then you sign electronically and we e-file.
Extensions done properly
If documents are late (K-1s often are), we file an extension with a realistic payment estimate, so the extension doesn’t turn into a penalty.
Next year’s estimates
If you owe, we set estimated payments for the coming year so April isn’t a surprise twice.
Want to know what this would cost for you? We’ll give you a fixed quote after a free 30-minute review.
Book a reviewThis is a good fit if…
Best for: high earners with more than a W-2, and anyone who’s outgrown tax software.
- You have 1099, K-1, rental or brokerage income on top of a W-2
- You moved states, work remotely across state lines, or earn income in several states
- You received an IRS notice about a prior return and want this year to be clean
- Your software return has a number you can’t explain
- You sold a property, a business interest or a large investment position
- You’d rather spend the hours on your practice or business
Four steps, start to finish
- Step 1
Free review
A 30-minute call about last year’s return and what’s changed. You get a fixed quote.
- Step 2
Secure upload
You upload documents to your client portal from a personalized checklist. We pull your IRS transcripts with your authorization.
- Step 3
Prepare and review
Your preparer drafts the return, a second preparer reviews it, and we send one short list of questions.
- Step 4
Walk through and file
We walk through the return together, you e-sign, and we e-file federal and state.
What we’ll ask you for
Don’t have everything? That’s normal. Bring what you have to the review and we’ll tell you what else we need — and we can pull much of it from the IRS directly.
- Last year’s federal and state returns
- W-2s, 1099s, K-1s and brokerage statements
- Business income and expense totals (or your bookkeeping file)
- Records for any property bought or sold
- Estimated tax payments you made during the year
- Any IRS or state letters you received
Flat fee, quoted up front
No hourly meter. After your free review we send a fixed quote, and we tell you before doing any work outside it.
Or compare our all-in-one plans →Federal and one state return, including Schedule C or E. Additional states and complex schedules are quoted after your review.
Book a free reviewCommon questions
When should I get my documents to you?
The earlier the better — ideally by mid-March for an April filing. If key documents like K-1s arrive late, we’ll file an extension with a payment estimate and finish the return once everything is in.
Do you prepare returns in every state?
We prepare returns for all states that have an individual income tax, including part-year and nonresident returns for people who moved or earned income across state lines.
Can you fix a return I filed myself?
Yes. We review prior returns and file amended returns when something was missed or reported incorrectly, whether it helps you or corrects an error before the IRS finds it.
Is the price fixed?
Yes. After your free review we send a flat quote based on the returns and schedules you need. It only changes if your situation changes materially, and we tell you before doing any extra work.
Read up first
Working across state lines: multi-state filing for professionals
Resident, nonresident, and the credit that keeps you from paying twice: how to think about income earned in more than one state, with a worked example.
Aug 23, 2026 · 6 min readThe home office deduction, without the red flags
Who qualifies, the two ways to calculate it (with numbers), what happens when you sell, and the records that make the deduction hold up if anyone asks.
Aug 11, 2026 · 6 min readFiling an extension: what it buys you, and the payment it doesn’t delay
An extension gives you more time to file your return, not more time to pay. Here’s how to use one well, what the penalties actually cost, and what to do as the October deadline nears.
Jul 18, 2026 · 6 min readOne firm for all of it
Talk it through with a preparer
A free 30-minute review with a CPA or enrolled agent. We look at your last return and what’s changed, answer your questions, and send a fixed quote. No obligation.