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COVID-19 Update |
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Dear Valued Clients:
As many of you know, last week the Department of the Treasury announced that the tax filing deadline has been moved to July 15, 2020. Previously, they had moved the tax payment deadline to that date. The payment deadline movement did very little for you as taxpayers or us, as preparers, since they were still insisting the returns should be filed. However, now with BOTH dates moved back we can all take a deep breath and move at a more normal pace. Given this, and more importantly, the request to limit contact for 15 days, we are postponing all meetings for this week. We are already a week, 8 days into the 15, so next week will be over 15 days. We will determine next week’s plans by the end of this week. As of right now, we will plan to keep those meetings. However, understanding the deadline has been moved, if you feel more comfortable moving your appointment back, we completely understand.
Most of the clients for this week have postponed a couple of weeks, although we have offered and a few have accepted, preparation by teleconference. To do this, however, we will need you to send your files to us via our Portal, or to drop off your files at the office. If you come by when the office is closed we do have a both a drop box by the front door AND a mail slot where you can slide it through and into the office. Our office is continuing to work, though, as we have clients with needs and we intend to meet those needs. In fact, the Indiana CPA Society has sent a letter to Governor Holcomb imploring him to name Accounting Practices as Essential Services should he decide on a shelter in place order. The reasons are more than just tax filings and include clients’ needs for tax and accounting data for purposes of bank financing and/or government loan programs, as well as the fact that many firms help client’s with their payroll, just to name a few. In short, as I have told our staff….we are NOT on holiday. Moving slower does mean that we may take a little longer to complete returns since I have reduced our staff work hours from the 70 plus to something a tad more reasonable. I trust you can appreciate this.
It is important, though, that we all keep moving forward. We do NOT want this to turn into a very long tax season where clients decide to come see us the first of July. Our plans are to keep working – albeit a slightly slower pace – and get the tax filings completed no later than the end of May. PLEASE do not change your thinking and decide to contact us in June or after, we want the tax season to end as soon as possible. Remember, you can wait to pay until July 15th….we just want to have the filings already completed and we hope you can understand that.
As always, we are here to help in any way we can. Don’t hesitate to write or call.
Be smart and be safe,
God Bless,
A.L.