By Brad Stager
The certainty of having to annually calculate and maybe pay more taxes is underscored by the three-month extension for filing them with the Internal Revenue Service this year. You can delay the matter, but the bill, or at least the paperwork, eventually comes due to the government.
Between changes in the tax laws that began last year and disruptions from the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s filing season may be a little more challenging than usual for many individuals and small business owners.
Theresa Turner is a certified public accountant whose business, Tax Happens, exists to ensure clients file a proper return and receive every consideration tax laws allow, whatever the complications may be.
Her guiding principle in achieving that is straightforward: “I try to do the right thing,” said Turner.
Turner opened her Riverview office six years ago after working in corporate accounting firms for more than a decade. She specializes in small business and individual accounting needs and has a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Hofstra University and a Master of Science in taxation from St. John’s University.
As for providing excellent customer service during a pandemic, Turner said she and her staff have been working remotely from clients for years because of the convenience that technology offers and have not had to change their routines much.
“Most of what we do is paperless,” said Turner. “Because we’ve been operating that way for years, it’s really paid off for us.”
Turner added that most of her communication with clients is conducted by telephone rather than Skype, which is available to use as well.
As this year’s tax filing deadline of Wednesday, July 15 gets closer, Turner is hearing from more of her longtime clients who are getting a chance to focus on their tax obligations after dealing with the consequences of restrictions and mandates arising from the public health response to the pandemic.
“We are in full swing again, it’s starting to pick back up,” said Turner, who added that she especially wants to hear from any clients she has already established a relationship with who might be putting off getting their taxes done because of difficult situations they might find themselves in.
“So many of our clients are trying to keep their businesses going,” said Turner.
To learn more about how Tax Happens can provide accounting and tax services to meet your needs, call 304-5569 or visit taxhappens.com. Tax Happens is located at 10018 Park Place Ave. in Riverview.
