I Got Issues: July 2017

No matter how careful you are, there is always the risk that you may over look something or make some sort of unintentional tax error whether or not you prepare your taxes yourself. Truth is your tax preparation is only as good as the person completing them. By that I mean, your refund is only as big as whatever deductions and/or credits the preparer applies. So if there are things the preparer is not aware of or if they only have limited knowledge about what deductions can be had, you might be leaving money on the table.

For the first few years of my tax filing tenure I trust a friend who worked in finance to prepare my taxes. When I relocated to the states I turned that responsibility over to the lady in HR at my job. Not sure what prompted me to start paying attention to the deductions she was allocating me but I know it lead me to inquire why she did not include my medical expenses as a deduction and her saying I did not qualify to do that because I did not own a home. A call to the IRS helpline to confirm what I was told rendered a detailed explanation which had more to do with the possibility of deducting medical expenses if the limits were met and less to do with whether or not I owned a home. Of course owning a home offered its own benefits of increasing deductions. Armed with that information I opted to do my own taxes going forward. For the most part it was a bit challenging at times but with tax preparing software, those challenges were eliminated, at least I hope I got the maximum refund owed me.

Image credit: irs.gov

However there was one time that I allowed someone to convince me that he could do a better job since he was a “professional” tax preparer. So $124 later I learned that he did not live up to “his” hype. Upon reviewing my taxes I realized that he had forgotten to include my son’s social security number, he did not apply a lot of the deductions I was entitled to including being a home owner, among other things. Of course he apologized but quickly added the he was not about to sit there and add up all my receipts. Needless-to-say, that was the last time I paid anyone to do my taxes.

Image credit: rustycrawford.com

Over the years I have had much success completing my own taxes and while I feel I did a great job there is still the possibility that I have over looked somethings as the tax laws are always changing/evolving. As luck would have it I no longer have to contend with the headache of tax preparation as I am no longer in the workforce. However I recently became aware that my son had his own challenges with filing his taxes and was dealing with a tax issue. The issue seemed innocent enough, so my first thought was to write the IRS on his behalf to see if I could help resolve it, but after speaking with a friend, she suggested that I seek professional advice because, as she put it, “you don’t want to do anything that could potentially make the situation worst.” I thought about it and it made sense. So I asked her if she knew someone I could consult. Her recommendation was Mr. Eric L. Griffin at The Tax Center in Lithonia, Georgia.

A quick phone call rendered an appointment to see Mr. Griffin but I am suspect that the ease came from the person making the referral. Since my son had to work I had to be his stand in. So armed with what little documentations my son gave me to plead his case, I made my way to the appointment. Not sure what the outcome would be I hoped for the best. When I arrived at the location I was greeted warmly by a friendly and polite receptionist who made me feel welcome. The office was spacious and clean and the atmosphere relaxing. She offered me a drink/refreshment while I waited. My wait time was very minimal as Mr. Griffin was prompt to honor my appointment time. Like his receptionist, Mr. Griffin was also warm and friendly and after exchanging pleasantries, we addressed the issue at hand. From our brief encounter I gathered that Mr. Griffin was very knowledgeable as he was able to assess my son’s situation and offered an immediate remedy which, if followed, could help reduce, if not eliminate some of the penalties/fees my son had accrued. I am very happy I consulted with Mr. Griffin.

I don’t know what tax issues you might be facing or if you just need some tax advice, but whatever it is I highly recommend Mr. Griffin and his associates. In business since 2010, The Tax Center is not a fly by night operation. They are dedicated and committed to serving the community all year round. So no matter what your needs are, you can trust the staff at The Tax Center to handle it professionally, efficiently, and discreetly. I’m Just Saying. I got issues – what about you?

Contact Information

Eric L. Griffin, President

The Tax Center, LLC

7245 Rockbridge Road

Suite 1900

Lithonia, GA 30058-8618

Tel: (770) 817-3910

Email: info@taxcenterga.com

Website: www.taxcenterga.com

The views and opinions shared here are by the Author and are the property of Todos Escribe.