Cindy J Harris, CPA for Tax Returns, Audits and Financial Services










Phone: 661.253.3771 Fax: 661.254.5118 Please call for an appointment and new location information.

This tool is only to be used as an estimate.
We make our best attempt to estimate the fee online for you. However, the actual fee charged may be higher or lower depending on the time incurred to complete the return, calculations, law and other issues that may arise. You may want to submit a copy of last years return for a written estimate.

Please read our 2006 Engagement Letter and Privacy Policy Statement before continuing.

2006 PRIVACY POLICY STATEMENT AND TAX RETURN ENGAGEMENT LETTER
January 7, 2005

Privacy Policy Statement
CPAs, like all providers of personal financial services, are now required by law to inform their clients of their policies regarding privacy of client information. CPAs have been and continue to be bound by professional standards of confidentiality that are even more stringent than those required by law. Therefore, we have always protected your right to privacy.

Types of Nonpublic Personal Information We Collect 
We collect nonpublic personal information about you that is provided to us by you or obtained by us with your authorization.

Parties to Whom We Disclose Information
For current and former clients, we do not disclose any nonpublic personal information obtained in the course of our practice except as required or permitted by law. Permitted disclosures include, for instance, providing information to our employees, and in limited situations, to unrelated third parties who need to know that information to assist us in providing services to you.  In all such situations, we stress the confidential nature of information being shared.

Protecting the Confidentiality & Security of Current and Former Clients' Information
We retain records relating to professional services that we provide so that we are better able to assist you with your professional needs and, in some cases, to comply with professional guidelines.  In order to guard your nonpublic personal information, we maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards that comply with our professional standards.

Please call if you have any questions, because your privacy, our professional ethics, and the ability to provide you with quality financial services are very important to us.

Tax Return 2006 Engagement Letter 
This 2006 Engagement Letter is provided to all of my clients to ensure an understanding of our mutual responsibilities and explain the services that we provide.

We will prepare your federal and state income tax returns from the data provided to us. You are responsible for providing data that is complete and accurate. A Tax Return Organizer can be useful for this purpose, may reduce preparation fees and provide better tax savings.

Once we receive your information, we may  need to request  additional information to perform calculations or clarify data. If you need assistance in summarizing or preparing data, we are available to render accounting or bookkeeping services related to your tax return preparation.

Cindy J. Harris, CPA      Tax Return 2006 Engagement Letter      Date: 01/07/2002

We do not audit, review or otherwise verify data submitted to us. Preparation of your income tax returns does not include  procedures designed to discover fraud, defalcations or other irregularities that exist before or after the tax return filing period.

In case questions arise in the future, remember to retain all the original documents, canceled checks and other data that form the basis of your income, deductions and other information. These items may be necessary to prove the accuracy and completeness of the returns. Please remember the law requires a taxpayer to maintain detailed records for meals, entertainment, travel, gifts and vehicles expenses (including, but not limited to, dates, times, purpose, amount, reason for expenditure, place and topic).

You are responsible for knowing the due dates of your returns, filing and mailing on time, and paying the correct amount of taxes throughout the year (this includes quarterly estimated tax payments). Please note, law changes in income, deductions or credits can affect the amount of estimated taxes due each year. We recommend meeting with us after tax season to discuss changes so we can adjust your estimated taxes and/or withholding accordingly. Otherwise, you may incur penalties and interest.

The fee for our service will be estimated at the time that you provide complete and accurate data for filing your return. This estimate will include the billing rate plus out-of-pocket expenses. A 50% non-refundable deposit may be required once the engagement has been accepted. The balance due is payable upon presentation of the completed service. Any balance due that is unpaid at the completion of the engagement will be charged interest at the rate of 1 1/2% per month. A $45.00 fee will be charged for filing extensions.  A minimum fee of $95.00 will be charged for each rerun or recalculation due to the submission of additional data. A $100.00 fee will be charged for missed appointments or appointments not canceled 48 hours in advance of the appointment time.

The fee quoted for preparation of your tax returns does not include researching tax issues, audit representation, bookkeeping & accounting services or any other services. I reserve the right to raise rates and, at any time an account is overdue, to terminate services thereunder. I reserve the right to withdraw from the Engagement, without written notice, if a complete and accurate return cannot be prepared for timely mailing due to insufficient or untimely delivery of data.

The law provides various penalties that may be imposed upon taxpayers. For example, a minimum 20% penalty may be imposed when a taxpayer substantially understates a tax liability. For individual income tax returns, a substantial understatement may exist when the understatement of tax for the year exceeds the greatest of 10 percent of the tax required on the return or $5,000. Adequate disclosure of the relevant facts on Form 8275 is important in these cases and may eliminate penalties.

You agree to advise me in writing and receive my signed acceptance to prepare disclosures to be included with the returns for any material tax issues and/or if you want me to perform further research with respect to any material tax issues for the purpose of ascertaining whether, in my opinion, there is "substantial authority" or a "reasonable basis" for the position proposed to be taken on such issue in your returns.

I will use professional judgment in resolving questions where the tax law is unclear.  When conflicts between the taxing authorities' interpretations of the law and other supportable positions exist, I will resolve questions in your favor as permitted by law, unless instructed by you otherwise.

Your tax return may require processing by an outside income tax computer processing center when your return is prepared by me. All confidential software files and workpapers remain the property of my office. If there are other types of returns (i.e. gift, sales, payroll, personal property tax returns) you want prepared, list the returns in the space provided below the date line. A separate 2006 Engagement Letter signed by me is required. If a return is selected for review by a tax agency, you have certain rights and recourse. Time can be of the essence, so contact us expeditiously.

You have the final responsibility for the income tax returns. Review them carefully before signing. If you understand and agree to the aforementioned, please sign and date below. Return the executed letter to my office with your tax return data. Retain one copy for your records. Note, if only one person or other authorized entity signs the 2006 Engagement Letter, this represents to me that they have the authority to sign for any related or interested party. Therefore, in the case of a return requiring two or more signatures, one signature below legally binds the other party. Any exceptions to this must be received by me in writing and acknowledged by my signature.

I want to express my appreciation for the opportunity to be of service to you.

Sincerely,
           Cindy J. Harris, CPA

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