The clock is running out on the 2017 tax return season’s “second half,” when individuals and businesses taking advantage of a six-month extension find themselves facing the inevitability of now having to file with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
For those needing help preparing their returns, the accounting professionals at Kehoe & DeWeerd, CPA PA, located in the Cypress Glen Professional Park, just north of SR 56 in Wesley Chapel, are ready to assist.
“We’re here to help anyone who has requested an extension to file,” says David DeWeerd, CPA. “Sometimes, you need additional time to get things together or circumstances in your life prevent you from getting documents in order.”
According to the IRS website (irs.gov), about 15 million individual returns were filed with extensions last year.
The extended filing deadline for individuals is Monday, October 16. That is also the deadline for “C” corporations to file a form 1120 return.
But, the extended deadline is even earlier — Friday, September 15 — for businesses whose normal filing date was March 15 of this year. These include partnerships (form 1065 or 1065-B) and “S” corporations (form 1120S).
DeWeerd says that while people and businesses are only dealing with their tax returns between January and October, Kehoe & DeWeerd is available throughout the year to assist with decisions and situations that may affect tax liabilities, such as whether to buy or lease a car, how a change in income or revenue should be handled or whether something is deductible on a tax return. DeWeerd says clients can inquire about those types of issues with Kehoe & DeWeerd without being nickled and dimed.
“We don’t send out bills for phone calls,” he says, adding that initial consultations, whether for business or personal finance clients, are free.
According to DeWeerd, who has been with Kehoe & DeWeerd for 18 of its 32 years, the firm’s purpose is clear: “We want to make sure we do the very best we can to give you the best outcome possible on your taxes,” he says. “We prepare your tax returns so that you never hear from the IRS.”
He adds that if a client does end up getting audited, Kehoe & DeWeerd will be there when needed. “We definitely stand behind everything that we do,” he says.
Everyone’s tax situation is different and, in a service profession like accounting, meeting the needs of a variety of clients calls for an individualized approach.
“We’re a smaller firm, so we’re able to do that and look at their return on a more customized basis and be more thorough,” says DeWeerd, who has a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Business Administration and a Master of Accountancy (MAcc) degree from the University of South Florida (USF) College of Business in Tampa.
Some of the related services Kehoe & DeWeerd offers include developing tax management strategies with clients to minimize liabilities and maximize cash flow, as well as estate and trust planning, once again to minimize tax liabilities.
A Little Feedback…
Meadow Pointe resident Paul Davies, who is a professional stage technician for musical performing artists, says he finds Kehoe & DeWeerd’s personalized practices to be a good fit for his needs because his employment status varies and he incurs tax obligations in many states and foreign countries through his work.
“I’m a sole proprietor, so it means sometimes I’m on W-2 income and sometimes it means I’m on 1099 income,” says Davies. “A lot of it is out-of-state work, and international as well, and when you go into various states you get charged withholding against a local state liability.”
He adds, “Sometimes, I’ve had to file 10 state returns for my normal tax year, so it was important for me to get someone who has an understanding of not just taxes as they pertain to Florida, but taxes as they pertain to traveling all over the world.”
Accessibility is another thing Davies says he likes about Kehoe & DeWeerd.
“I know I can reach David anytime I need to talk to him, or send him an email from anywhere I’m at and ask him a question about something,” he says. “He does a fantastic job and he doesn’t send me an invoice every time I ask him a question.”
Meadow Pointe resident Heather Stamp sells real estate through Exit Prime Realty and is the founder and chief executive officer of the Wesley Chapel Network, which promotes and connects 17,000 online business professionals and service providers.
As a busy entrepreneur, she says DeWeerd has been her “go-to guy for anything financial for the last three years and will be for many more to come.”
That kind of peace of mind is invaluable. “Taxes can be very stressful and he puts me at ease,” says Stamp.
When it comes to their small business clients, the firm does more than just prepare tax returns. As any business owner knows, the compliance and reporting requirements levied upon them by government agencies and entities (such as sales and payroll taxes), are numerous and must be met. DeWeerd says his firm takes care of those requirements, and more, such as payroll processing and managing employee benefits. Kehoe & DeWeerd also is certified by Intuit, Inc., to install and manage QuickBooks accounting software for clients.
“We’re always on top of all those deadlines,’’ he says. “It’s important to have somebody you trust to look out for your business and do what’s best for you.”
That’s what Dr. Prematee Sarwan, D.D.S., owner of Mystic Oaks Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in Wesley Chapel (see story on pg. 24), says she was looking for when she hired Kehoe & DeWeerd to take care of her practice’s tax and payroll needs.
She says delegating those responsibilities allows her to concentrate on her patients.
“It means that I can take care of the other things in the office because I know David has me covered when it comes to the taxes and payroll,” Dr. Sarwan says. “And he’s so accessible. I can call him at any time with any question.”
Dr. Sarwan also expresses appreciation for the customer service she receives from the Kehoe & DeWeerd staff.
“We’ve been on the phone with Liyen (Coffey) so much, and she’s wonderful,” Dr. Sarwan says.
Coffey manages the firm’s Wesley Chapel office, and she says the client’s needs come first. When clients visit the office for the first time, especially for tax consultations, they should bring in all of the relevant documents, such as tax returns from the previous years. “We try to make them feel at ease when they come in,” Coffey says.
Kehoe & DeWeerd has successfully served the west Pasco community for more than three decades, initially in Port Richey and now in Trinity. Thomas Kehoe, who has a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Accounting from the USF College of Business Administration, founded the firm in 1985.
DeWeerd, who serves on the Board of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, says that he and Kehoe opened the Wesley Chapel office together in November of 2015 to meet the financial management needs of the growing east Pasco community.
“We have a strong client base in west Pasco and would like to build those same relationships here,” DeWeerd says.
Kehoe & DeWeerd’s Wesley Chapel office is located at 26829 Tanic Dr., Suite 102. For more info, visit KDCPA.net or call (813) 279-2977.
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