Kind help from Miles. Very good advice on future tax planning has already saved us money.

Let me first say that I have never gotten a professional to do my taxes before. However, I felt the need to write this review because I have now tried to talk to the office manager and receptionist and been hung up on three times. This is unacceptable to a small business that is trying to get clients. I would stick with turbo tax, as they charge less and will explain every question you have. I will start by saying Miles was great. Helpful and, though he seemed new at what he was doing, he was friendly to work for. That's where the positivity of HDP ends. We made our appointment over the phone and I had a lot of questions, so I called about 4 times. The front desk lady was curt, even the very first time I called. I wanted to be very clear and upfront about what I would be charged. The front office seemed very unorganized and unhelpful. They gave me a "range", but said if it was an "uncomplicated" return, I wouldn't get charged more than the base charge. This uncertainty should have signaled me that I should go elsewhere. However, I decided to stick with them. I don't think knowing a price upfront is too much to ask. We showed up right on time, and were told (rudely again...) that they were having computer problems and they may be a while. After sitting in the front office for 25 minutes, Miles came to get us. He was great, but we had started so late so he seemed rushed. About 20 minutes later, the phone rang saying that his next appointment was there. Miles said he would finish our return "sometime soon" and the appointment was over. We were in there for less than 30 minutes. I didn't hear from miles for a few days, so I emailed him to check on the status of the return. He said he was working on it and we emailed a few times after that (he had asked us to clarify a few things...) and he said he didn't quite know when he would finish. A few days later, We got a call from the office and they left a message to call back because they were done with the return. I called back and Theresa was extremely rude. She was confused why I didn't understand the return options and she was extremely transparent about not wanting to explain. She then told me the fee was $100 more than I got quoted. However, she couldn't tell me why we were getting paid any more than the base rate. I asked to talk to a manager because she still couldn't explain why our return was "complicated" and when I finally talked to the office manager, she interrupted me several times, and then hung up on me. I called back and after Theresa proceeded to tell me "this is the real world and they would no longer talk to me about my charges" she then hung up on my husband. I can see why the clerk felt comfortable hanging up on me, as the manager is setting this example. Shame on them. There are more details, but this is too much to include! Please message me if you have any more questions! read more

Made an appointment with Ryan to get our taxes done at Hocking Denton & Palmquist. My husband I do not have similar work schedules and thankfully Ryan was able to fit us in on a Saturday, which was much appreciated. Making the appointment was easy and the building is very new and nice. Ryan did our taxes quickly, efficiently, asked pertinent questions, and explained everything so very well. He also explained some tax misconceptions, which was great! It was so much better than our experience last year. We learned a lot and also were informed what we could do differently this next year to save some money. We were also satisfied with the fee for service. Bonus- the building is right next door to Moo Creamery and you can get a sweet treat and some relief after you're done! Love this place and would recommend it to anyone. We'll be back next year. read more

Very poor service, charged me 230.00, no e-file. Receptionist stated that the computer didn't like my number. I was given my tax returns and just to mail them. read more

It doesn't get any better or more professional than having your taxes done at Hocking Denton & Palmquist. The services they offer are efficient, trust-worthy and reliable. Mike Mariani answered all my questions promptly and made sure my tax preparation was up to par. I have been a proud customer for over 3 years and wouldn't trust anywhere else. Thanks Hocking Denton & Palmquist for your professionalism and reliability. read more

Came on here to get your fax number and saw the previous review. Had to comment. You guys are awesome. Kim Allen is professional, detail oriented, and is the best. We drive far from home to use HDP because they are the best. Thank you for years of excellent service for both our home and business. We have worked with several accountants over the years and HDP is top notch. Debra Balke, M.D. Child Neurology of SLO read more

I have been going to HDP for 10 years. Dianna Taverner CPA always does a great job with my taxes. I have referred several friends and family to her, and they have all been pleased with the tax work she does for them. Dianna Taverner always makes you feel as a valued customer, and I always feel at ease when she is doing my taxes. She always makes sure your taxes are done correctly. read more

I had Hocking Denton and Palmquist do my taxes in 2009. I just got notice from the IRS that they were done incorrectly and I now owe $2115, including interest. When I ask for a refund from HDP, I have been ignored. I won't be back! read more

We have been clients of HDP for almost thirty years and up until now have been satisfied with their service. A few years ago we moved out of state and were assured we could continue to rely on them for our tax needs. Three and a half weeks ago their office received our tax info and to this date we have not heard a word about if or when our taxes will be completed. A call to them over a week ago and we discovered our taxes had not been started and a call yesterday got us a "in process" response and nothing more. I asked what that meant, as far as an ETA and was told, "they are in process and i can't tell you anymore". I left a message for our tax consultant, who has yet to call us back. I can only imagine how a new customer would be treated if this is what a loyal customer of almost thirty years can expect. If you don't have a month plus to wait.....I suggest you look elsewhere for your tax/CPA needs. read more

I was very satisfied with my services until I moved and had my taxes done by someone else. That's when I received a bill for "2011 Tax Planning" with no other description, no minutes, nothing! Just an amount. I hadn't been in for over a year so I wasn't clear what it was for. Matt Spencer had been doing my taxes for 4 years. I referred my parents to him and gave his information to many of my friends. He always told me and that I was welcome to go to him with any questions. He never charged me for the few times that I needed to ask him a quick question. So, Imagine my surprise when Matt told me that the bill was for when I called him and asked him a few questions. I asked him at what point did he change in his mind, from answering a few questions as a courtesy to billing me? because that would have been a good time to let me know. He said that we did have that at the beginning and all of his current clients get to have calls like that. Well, he did my 2010 taxes in 2011 and that's when I had those questions, so, to the best of my knowledge, I was a current client and had never been told of the fee schedule or that I better come back for 2012 or I will get a bill for this time we talked. Because that's the issue, I didn't realize at that time that moving to Ventura meant I wouldn't be able to return as a client. My parents went to him in April 2012 and told him I had to go some where else, that's when he decided to send me a bill. He then told me that if I had come back in 2012, he would have just added that amount to my bill. That seemed very shady to me. I didn't even know that I was being charged to begin with. read more