Individual tax preparation

Individual tax preparation is the preparation of your federal Form 1040 and California Form 540 by a person who reads every form you hand them. It is for employees with a W-2, contractors with a stack of 1099s, retirees drawing Social Security and pension income, students with education credits, and families claiming dependents. It also covers the situations that make people nervous: a rental property, stock sales, or a move to or from another state during the year.

We prepare returns at our office on Tampa Ave in Reseda. You can drop off your documents or call (818) 401-7468 to set a time. Every return is reviewed a second time before it is filed, and you receive a complete copy for your records. The return is built from your documents, not from last year’s numbers with the dates changed. If something on a form does not match what you told us, we ask before we file.

What is included in individual tax preparation?

• Federal Form 1040 and California Form 540, filed electronically
• Filing status and dependents, including a head of household check
• Credits you may qualify for: the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, CalEITC, and education credits
• Itemized versus standard deduction, calculated both ways so you take the larger one
• Rental income on Schedule E, with depreciation tracked from year to year
• Investment income, including stock sales and dividends from a 1099-B or 1099-DIV
• Returns for more than one state when you moved or worked across state lines
• A second review of the full return before filing
• A complete copy of the filed return, on paper or as a PDF

What should I bring?

• Photo ID
• Social Security cards or ITINs for everyone on the return
• All W-2s and 1099s
• Your prior year return
• Mortgage interest and property tax statements
• Childcare provider name, address, and tax ID number
• Health coverage forms (1095-A, 1095-B, or 1095-C)
• Any IRS or Franchise Tax Board letters you have received

How do fees work?

Fees are based on the forms and schedules your return requires and the condition of your records. They are never based on the size of your refund. You get a written quote before any work begins. If we find something during preparation that changes the scope, such as a rental you forgot to mention or a second state, we tell you before continuing. The current fee structure is on our fees page.

What happens after I drop off my documents?

We enter your return, check every figure against the source document, and set anything unclear aside with a question for you. Once the return is complete it gets a second review. Then we go over the result with you, in person or by phone, before anything is filed. You sign the authorization forms, we file electronically, and you receive confirmation when the IRS and the Franchise Tax Board accept the return. If you owe, we explain the payment options and the date the payment is due.

What if I have not filed for a year or more?

Start with the current year and we will tell you what the missing years require. Unfiled years are handled through our prior year and amended returns service and filed in the right order. If your situation changed this year, a new job or a side business for example, our tax planning service can run the numbers before December 31 so next spring holds no surprises. Details and directions for the office are on our Reseda tax preparation page.