Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
What's New for this year
What's New this Year? Important, please read.
Wishing you a prosperous 2024 filled with good health! As we navigate through the complex tax landscape, we're committed to making your tax filing process as seamless as possible. Here's what you need to know and do:
What Should I Know?
New Approach: This year, we're introducing a new approach. Submit all your tax documents in advance, either through our secure portal, by mail, or in person.
Data Security: With evolving data security requirements, processing data before our meeting is essential. If emailing documents, please password-protect them or go to www.maptaxes.com/submit to use our easy and secure Client Portal.
Cooperation Request: For a smooth process, kindly respond to our emails promptly and provide 100% of your Tax Support documents. This is important for having your Tax Filing on time.
What Should I Do?
Submission Deadline: The filing deadline for personal tax returns (Form 1040), gift tax returns (Form 709), and Trusts (Form 1041) is April 15th, 2024. Submit your tax information by March 25th for timely completion. Visit
www.maptaxes.com/submit
Extensions: Information received after March 25th may result in an extension. Remember, an extension defers filing, not the payment of taxes, due by April 15th.
Communication: While many queries can be addressed via email, let us know if you prefer a phone discussion for unique circumstances. Appointments leading up to the deadline are limited, so early scheduling and documents submission is encouraged.
FBARs (Foreign Bank & Financial Accounts Report): If applicable, FBARs are due on April 15th, 2024. An automatic extension until October 15th, 2024, is available. Include this information with your Tax Support documentation if needed.
Location and contact Information: We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to ensuringa smooth and accurate tax filing process for you in 2024. Contact us for any questions or concerns.
How do we work? Step by step. Please read.
Step 1
Get Ready
Make sure you have all your tax documents ready.
If you anticipate receiving additional forms in the coming days, please wait until you have all your documents.
Tax amendments incur an extra cost.
Step 2
Upload/Bring your Docs
You must send your documents to secure an appointment.
No exceptions.
Losing your appointment due to pending documents will result in a delay in your income tax preparation.
Step 3
How to...:
Upload Documents: Use our easy and secure Client Portal
Drop off: you can mail or drop off your documents any time before March 25th, please check our Contact Page
We have a dedicated support team available to assist you. Feel free to call us (También en Español).
Step 4
Get your appointment
Once we have your documents, feel free to call us to schedule your in-person or phone call appointment.
We do not schedule any appointments without your documents first.
Our over 35 years of experience have shown that clients often forget to bring some documents.
Step 5
Day of appointment
If you have scheduled an in-person appointment, it's crucial to show up on time as appointments are scheduled back-to-back.
For a scheduled phone call appointment, please be prepared. We will call you at the designated time. Alternatively, feel free to call us during your appointment time.
Please update your contact information here
Step 6
Pay Pickup and Signature
You will be notified when your tax is ready for pickup and signature.
For your convenience, we have an easy e-signature system.
You can also stop by to sign your documents (call us in advance to have your documents ready), or you can print and send your signature by mail.
Step 7
You are all set!
At this point, everything is in order.
If applicable, ensure the timely submission of your tax payment.
For any additional questions unrelated to your tax return, rest assured they will be addressed after April 15th.
How can I schedule my appointment?
For your security and ours, this year we are not giving face to face appointment, here is the way how we will be working.
• Before you can schedule an appointment, you need to sent your documents, to do so:
Drop off: Put your documents in an envelope, type your Full Name, Phone Number and E-mail Address. if you received the stimulus check (2020 or 2021) we will need the exact amount. you can drop off your documents at our office any time,.
Online: you can upload your document to our Client Portal, you can take a look to our tutorials. click here
• Once we have your documents, we will call you to schedule a phone call appointment.
• We will publish your income tax in our client portal or you can pickup your copy at our office
What is our "Due Diligence" and why you should know about it?
CHILDREN, EDUCATION CREDITS AND NOW…HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD
If you qualify for any credit related to your kids, college or even qualify for Head of Household filing status, be prepared for a more extensive questionnaire and request for documentation. If we, as tax professional, do not comply with our mandatory “due diligence”, we could be fine with thousands of dollars per return. Therefore, be ready for more questions and more documents to benefit from the various credits.
Our Services Fees will increase
This year we are implementing new features to comply with the IRS Requirements and make this tax season easier for everybody.
How do I sign my Tax Return?
• We are introducing eSignature for most of the client, if you qualify for eSignature you will get your Tax Copy by email with the instructions. This feature is powered by DocuSign.
• If you don't qualify for eSignature, you will get your tax return copy in our Client Portal at
www.maptaxes.com/login, Download, Print, Sign and send the Signature Pages using the same Client Portal.
•You can also sign your return copies the same day you pick up you tax return at our office
if you have any question in regards to the new eSignature Feature or using our Client Portal, we have assigned a support team to help you, send an email at ricardo@mapbusinessservices.com or call our office and ask for Support
There is a new way you can pay your invoice online!
Starting January 15th 2019, your invoice will be sent to your e-mail with a "Review and pay" link. Just click the "Review and pay" button, you will be redirected to our Always Secure Payment Processor.
I need to Update my Credit Card
You can update your credit card information at www.mapbusinessservices.com/updatecc
How to eSignature my tax return, (Watch Video)
Timeliness & Extension Requests
The timeliness of your cooperation is essential to our ability to complete your tax return.
Specifically, we must receive all information from which to prepare your returns within a reasonable period of time prior to the applicable filing deadline. Accordingly, if we do not receive information from you by 4/01/2019, it may be necessary for us to extend the due date of your return.
Any income tax balance due amounts must be estimated and paid by April 15, 2019 to avoid interest and penalties. All information required for us to calculate extension payment amounts must be received by April 1, 2019. If you do not notify us otherwise or if we do not receive the necessary information for your extension calculation by April 1, 2019, we will NOT automatically e-file your extension, you must send us and extension request by April 1, 2019
Please understand that we are unable to make exceptions to these deadlines.
How long I have to wait for my taxes to be done and filed?
With so many changes there are many scenarios to take into account to maximized your refund or minimized your tax liability. There also new information worksheets that we need to complete in reference with kids and college credits, and head of the household status. Thanks to government we need to do part of their job, and be a little bit invasive on people’s life to be sure that they are complying with the law. We, as preparers, are now exposed to thousands of dollars of penalties per return for not gathering the required information, this will increase the timing of process per return.
Most of the filing will take 3 days o more, we will give you an estimate returning day depending of your case, each case is different.
Keep in mind you have to help us to get all the information required as soon as you can, Don't wait for the last day!
I sent my documents, and I did not get a response, what should I do?
We get hundreds of email every day in Tax Season, some might be missed, lost, spam. if you are sending information and you don't get a response from us in the next 48 hours, please call the office.
I called your office and nobody answer
Please, if you call, leave a message and a brief description of your needs, and if you emailed and you did not get a response in 24 hours, call the office. It is tax season. We are working on improving and implementing ways to automatized certain task, but it takes time and collaboration from clients. We all get used to many things, As all of you know, we have a very personalized type of service, you always deal with pretty much the same of us, we do all the work, we don’t outsource, we keep your information safe.
How can I send my information or documents?
we provide you with any options to send your document:
- By Mail: 5212 Kester Ave, Sherman Oaks, CA 91411
- By Fax: 818 332 4167
- Using our Client Portal: This is the bes option to keep all your documents organized in a same place, please Create or Login in to you MapTaxes Account at www.maptaxes.com/login our click Login in the top menu of this page.
If you need help creating our uploading your files please contact us and we will help you.
If you cannot Login please re -active your account at www.maptaxes.com/signup or reset your password at www.maptaxes.com/getpassword
All invoices are due and payable upon presentation
Our fees for tax preparation services are based on the amount of time required at our standard billing rates plus out-of-pocket expenses. All invoices are due and payable upon presentation. Tax return will no be filed electronically until fees are paid.
Do you have kids that could be claimed in your taxes?
We need you to bring the following documentation for each child
As proof of relationship = You must bring Birth Certificate ( per each child)
As proof of living with you for more than half of 2018 in US = You need to bring at least 2 or 3 of the below documents, they must cover more than six month, and have the address where you live shown on the documents.
- School records or statement from school
- Medical Records or Health Care provider statement
- Child care Provider Records
- Court Records
- Adoption or Child Placement Documents
- Landlord or Property Manager Statement
- Social Service Record or Statements
Children age 19 but under age 24 at the end of 2018 and full-time students for any part of 5 calendar months during 2018
- School records showing child's name, dates the child attended school during 2018.
- School records showing the child was considered a full-time student for any part of five months of the year. does not to be consecutive.
Are you divorced or legally separated?
Remember to bring
- Entire divorce decree, separation agreement
If still married but no living with spouse during the last 6 months of the year
Remember to bring documents verifying your spouse did not live with you, such as lease agreement, utility bills, letter from social services, etc.
Cost of Keeping up a Home test
Rent receipts, utility bills, grocery receipts, mortgage statement, and other household bills.
If you have the American Opportunity Credit (Collage Tuitions)
Remember to bring the following documents
- Copy of Form 1098-T (Tuition Statement)
- Proof of payment copies may be required
- Proof of other expenses like books, supplies and related expenses
If you have your own business (self-employed)
Remember to bring
- Business License
- Forms 1099
- Records of Income and Expenses
- Bank Statements
- You MUST have copy of your social security card (and spouse's s.s. card if married)