After 34 years of doing business with Scott and Kim, I have to say that I never thought I would be…read morewriting this review. When I started with Wilson's, dad and his wife were running things. They did payroll for up to 55 people and all my taxes for 10 years. Then I sold out of that business and bought a new, smaller company. Still, I had them do my taxes up until about 5 years ago, when I decided my returns were so simple, I would just do them myself for $100 to $150. I gave their company a lot of business over decades and during the past 5 years, when I've had a question, Scott answered it. He's always given me good advice.
This year, I decided to give him my business return. I gave him my documents on February 15th, but emailed about a week later to ask when he thought my return would be done. He indicated probably the week ending Mar. 2nd. I waited and waited, but no word. I was preparing for SURGERY and started to PANIC. THEY HAD MY DOCUMENTS FOR AN UNREASONABLE WHOLE MONTH! Four days before the tax return was due, I emailed and said that if no one had started my return, I would do it myself. I got no response, until the day before the return was due. This caused a problem, because it was at the last minute, and the tax preparer told me she had no time to research an item. The return may have been e-filed with a $25,000 error, which seemed to the case according to the IRS website. This would make my personal return wrong, and I would be subject to penalties. I asked Scott if I needed an amended return and if so, would he go ahead and file it. I also asked Kim to refund a charge for a service I specifically asked them not to do, but which was CLEARLY indicated on the bill. I added that this process had been a fiasco, because I was really getting upset. I could have filed my own return on Feb. 15th. Instead, Kim replied that she had not charged me for that service and that she was refunding my entire fee.
At first, I was confused about why she would do that. Then I realized it was her totally CHILDISH and UNPROFESSIONAL way of kicking me to the curb after 34 years, when a simple five minute phone call from Scott would have resolved the whole issue. Well, the good news is that I got back their exorbitant fee of $900, which I actually would have gladly paid, if I didn't realize they have an UNETHICAL WAY OF BILLING. They remove the individual prices for each form from the final bill and then tack on "administrative and other fees" without listing a line item for it, so that the client doesn't really know what they are being billed for. The last time I had an accountant file my business return, it cost $275, very clear billing. And since that accountant made a mistake, he still filed the necessary paperwork and refunded his fee as well.
My take on the whole thing is that if you think you have been done wrong, and nobody is answering your questions, emails or phone messages, express it relentlessly if necessary. Bombard them with emails and phone calls. In my case, it did not take bombardment. Since they seem to be really THIN-SKINNED, make sure you tell them how bad you think the service is. They will refund your fee, so you can extrapolate that that means, "Go away; you're bothering me." Get yourself out unscathed, and go elsewhere. I'm sure dear old DAD is proud.
UPDATE: I did my own research which took about 5 minutes, and just as I told the tax preparer, it was taxable. I did my own Amended Return for $100! I so appreciate getting my $900 back.
