IMPORTANT TAX SEASON UPDATES FOR CLIENTS

BUILDING RENOVATION UPDATE

Thank you for your continued patience as building renovations progress. We wanted to share an important update regarding our entrance location. Clients will now access the building from the west side, closest to Twin Colony Diner, where parking is also available.

Our office is located on the third floor, halfway down the hall on the left. The elevator is expected to be up and running soon, but in the meantime, if you need assistance, we are happy to meet you on the first floor.

As a convenient alternative to in person visits, our TaxDome portal allows clients to securely upload and electronically sign documents, reducing the need for travel, printing, or scheduling drop offs. The system is simple, secure, and user friendly. Please let us know if you would like us to resend a link to help you set up or access your portal.



Before heading to the office, we kindly encourage you to call ahead so we can provide the most up to date parking guidance and ensure your visit is as smooth and convenient as possible while renovations continue.

CLIENTS ARE ASKING....

• Can I itemize my deductions this year? It depends on your individual circumstances. If your itemized deductions are greater than the standard deduction for your filing status, then you would itemize. Itemized deductions include out of pocket medical expenses over a certain threshold, real estate taxes, auto taxes, state income taxes, mortgage interest, charitable donations, and a few others.
• Can I claim my child? It depends on the situation. Your child must meet certain rules set by the IRS to qualify. These rules include their status as a student, who is supporting them, where they live. We have to look at all the circumstances to be able to determine if your child qualifies.
• Can I deduct business expenses my employer has not reimbursed me for? No. The deduction for Unreimbursed Employee Expenses was removed many years ago. This includes costs associated with a home office if you work remotely. Many businesses offer a reimbursement policy for employee expenses. If your employer does not have a policy like this, it may be a good time to bring up the subject.
• When will I get my refund? Unfortunately, once a return is filed and accepted, we lost the ability to track it within the internal workings of the various tax agencies. The IRS and most states, have a “Where Is My Refund” tool on their site. That is the best way to track your refund.
• Can I pay what I owe the IRS with a check? Not any longer. The IRS stopped accepted paper checks in the fall of 2025. You can either have the amount automatically withdrawn from your bank account when your return is file. Or, you can go to the IRS website and make a payment via their Direct Pay system or set up an ID.me account and make a payment.
• Can I deduct my car tax paid? Yes. You can deduct the tax on your federal return if you itemize your deductions. Remember though, taxes are deducted the year they are paid, not the year the taxes are for. For example, if you had a tax bill due 12/31/2025 but paid it 1/2/2026…it would be deductible in 2026.
• Why do you have a minimum fee for preparing tax returns? Each type of return, regardless of how much income is being reported, takes a certain amount of time to go through the process. Our process, which is like most public accounting firms, is: 
• We begin by collecting and reviewing all required information and documents from the client.
• The client’s project is entered into our system and assigned for preparation.
• The tax return is prepared based on the information provided.
• We communicate with the client as needed to resolve missing items or answer questions. This step can be streamlined when complete and accurate information is submitted upfront. The time this step takes varies depending on how organized the tax data is and how complex the return is.
• Once preparation is complete, the return undergoes a separate quality review.
• We review the results with the client. This step can also vary on how long it takes depending on the complexity of the return
• The return is processed for electronic filing and provided to the client for authorization.
• We obtain the signed authorization (Form 8879) required for e-filing.
• The return is electronically filed.
• We monitor the filing status to confirm acceptance or address any rejections.
• The client is notified once the return has been accepted.

FOR YOUR SAFETY AND SECURITY

When sending your documents:

• Do not embed your documents or attach them to an email.
• We cannot go to third party sites (i.e. Google Docs, Dropbox, etc) to access and download tax documents. This is due to our security protocols as required by the US Department of Treasury. 

Be sure your documents are clear and legible... if you can't read them, neither can we.

If you need access to our secure TaxDome portal contact our admin Hope at hzawisza@rtg.tax or call 860-283-4847.

TAX SEASON DEADLINES, DOCUMENTS & INFO

For Business Returns Due March 15th:           

The deadline for us to receive all your business tax documents was FEBRUARY 1st. 

Remember, we are not able to fix bad business books during tax season. If your business books are a mess, you will need to go on extension so that we can have ample time to prepare correct books in order to prepare a correct tax return.



For Individual Returns Due April 15th:

The deadline for us to receive all your personal tax documents is MARCH 1st

We realize some investment statements may not come in until after March 1st, but you must still provide us with all other tax documents by the March 1st deadline. This allows us to prepare the return, resolved any issues, so that when the investment statements come in, we can swiftly finish the return without delay.

These deadlines are in place to keep everything on tack and ensure we receive all necessary information in a timely manner. This allows us to complete your work thoroughly and accurately, without the need for last minute rushing.

Although the use of our new TaxDome system is not required, it will make it easier and more efficient for you to securely upload and organize your tax documents in one place. This streamlined process helps you stay on track and meet deadline by reducing delays and back-and-forth communications.

Due to increased IRS requirements to validate identities and reduce fraud, we must collect the following before preparing your return:

• Copy of current driver’s licenses (taxpayer and spouse)

• Copy of Social Security cards (taxpayers and dependents)

• Dates of birth for taxpayers and dependents (including babies born in 2025)

• Direct deposit information (bank name, routing number, account number – a voided check is preferred)

• Current phone number and email address

• Current mailing address

• All applicable tax documents

New Clients

• Prior year tax returns (Federal and State – preferably the last two years, full copies)

Additional Information

• You may submit documents once you have at least 75% of your tax information. If you are only missing one or two items that typically arrive late, feel free to send what you have.

• Tax preparation fees must be paid before the return is filed.

• Client meetings (phone, Zoom, or in person) typically occur after the return is complete and ready for review and signature.

• If you have trouble accessing the TaxDome portal, please email Hope for assistance.

TAX SEASON HOURS

THINKING OF UNSUBCRIBING?

Please think twice before unsubscribing from our weekly e-blast, it’s the primary way we send time-sensitive tax news, deadline reminders, and important client updates. We’d love to call each of you personally, but we can’t reach everyone by phone; if you opt out and later say “we didn’t know,” we can’t be responsible for missed notices, deadlines, or missed information. We only send eblasts out once a week, so please think carefully before hitting that unsubscribe button.

FEBRUARY CALENDAR