Form 1040 for less then $200 anymore?

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  • AZ-Tax
    Senior Member
    • Feb 2008
    • 2604

    #1

    Form 1040 for less then $200 anymore?

    With the rising cost of being a tax preparer, does anyone do Form 140 w/Sch A & St return for less then $200 anymore?
  • Jiggers
    Senior Member
    • Sep 2005
    • 1973

    #2
    Not me

    Originally posted by AZ-Tax
    With the rising cost of being a tax preparer, does anyone do Form 140 w/Sch A & St return for less then $200 anymore?
    Not me, and I don't do state tax returns.
    Jiggers, EA

    Comment

    • JoshinNC
      Senior Member
      • Feb 2006
      • 1180

      #3
      That's a great question.

      I had been at $195 for 1040 and Sch. A since 1/1/09, but will most likely move that up to the $210-225 range for 2010 returns.

      Comment

      • Uncle
        Senior Member
        • May 2008
        • 124

        #4
        I am less

        Originally posted by AZ-Tax
        With the rising cost of being a tax preparer, does anyone do Form 140 w/Sch A & St return for less then $200 anymore?
        My standard fee for an individual return with no C,E,F including state, efiling, and payment deducted from refund is $100. If that A is anything but dead simple, I would add $40.
        Christopher Mewhort, EA
        mewhorttax.com

        Comment

        • taxxcpa
          Senior Member
          • Nov 2007
          • 978

          #5
          Fee

          Originally posted by AZ-Tax
          With the rising cost of being a tax preparer, does anyone do Form 140 w/Sch A & St return for less then $200 anymore?
          I often do them for less than $200. Some of them only take a few minutes to enter a W-2, mortgage interest and real estate tax. I could knock out five, six or more such returns in an hour or less and make as much for my time as a doctor does.

          I do very few state returns other than corporate franchise taxes since we have no state income tax in Texas and I have only a few out-of-state clients.

          Comment

          • joanmcq
            Senior Member
            • Jun 2007
            • 1729

            #6
            I do. $175 range. w/wage, a little interest and/or div, a few charitable. goes up from there.

            Comment

            • geekgirldany
              Senior Member
              • Jul 2005
              • 2359

              #7
              I've been doing them also under $200. Range is from $125 to $150. Sometimes that also includes other forms.

              I know my fees are low and I have posted about it in the past. So I won't go into that again. But next month I am meeting with a SBA advisor that is close by to me that will hopefully help to figure out pricing and also address my marketing. This is a free service they are offering to local small business owners and I am going to take them up on it.

              Comment

              • JohnH
                Senior Member
                • Apr 2007
                • 5339

                #8
                I usually quote $220 - $260 for basic return with itemized deductions, 2 or 3 W-2 forms, including a state return. This assumes everything is fairly well in order and no research or backtracking needed. If there's a schedule B required due to some interest or dividends over the limit, I will stay in that range. Other forms (2441, D, E, multi-state, etc) start the additional-fee meter running fairly quickly.
                "The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectful" - John Kenneth Galbraith

                Comment

                • taxxcpa
                  Senior Member
                  • Nov 2007
                  • 978

                  #9
                  SBA advice

                  Originally posted by geekgirldany
                  I've been doing them also under $200. Range is from $125 to $150. Sometimes that also includes other forms.

                  I know my fees are low and I have posted about it in the past. So I won't go into that again. But next month I am meeting with a SBA advisor that is close by to me that will hopefully help to figure out pricing and also address my marketing. This is a free service they are offering to local small business owners and I am going to take them up on it.
                  Keep us posted on the kind of advice they give you.

                  Comment

                  • AJsTax
                    Senior Member
                    • Jun 2008
                    • 629

                    #10
                    Yes, Please keep up with us

                    on what you find out on this subject.
                    I know the rates vary a lot around the country and we are in a very depressed area.
                    In this office we do around 1200 1040 returns besides the businesses we do. This is a CPA office with 3 CPAs and 1 EA.
                    I have encouraged the idea of raising fees more, with no luck.
                    We quote a 1040 with A and B at 100 to 125.
                    With a D might go to 150.
                    Small C or E will get 150.
                    almost never do we go over 200 unless it is a very large and complicated D with lots of basis research or a small business with a large Sch C. Or many rentals might get to 200 to 225.
                    I had one client just rip me apart this past season because we are going to price ourselves right out of business charging so much. She was charged $100 for a 1040 with A and E(one rental). We kinda hope she does go to someone else. She can always go to the big Store and pay twice as much.
                    AJ, EA

                    Comment

                    • MLINDER42
                      Senior Member
                      • Oct 2008
                      • 277

                      #11
                      1040 Fees

                      I have 2 offices my fees with an A are $125 if they have a C $150.00.Have several clients with multiple rentals who I charge much more.Want to stay cheaper than the majors.

                      Comment

                      • Kram BergGold
                        Senior Member
                        • Jun 2006
                        • 2112

                        #12
                        $125 to $150

                        A return with 1040 and Schedule A and 1 state does not take long to prepare. However I don't do many like this becasue usually Scheudules B, D or Forms 2441 are needed.

                        Comment

                        • Lion
                          Senior Member
                          • Jun 2005
                          • 4698

                          #13
                          Over $200

                          Way over $200. I'm in Fairfield County, CT. And, I'm not trying to compete on price. I also try to have my fees high enough to cover questions throughout the year for free (want clients to call me before they do something). I think I have one continuing, long-time client, sweet little old retired man, who I charge $140 and a renter with one W-2 that ends up being $170 with her investments. Rest are more complex individual returns and small businesses. Not many returns but average around $550. Not taking new clients for less than $500. Had to fold in last year's $100 to NY and the new annual $64.25 and ever increasing education to take good care of my clients and good software to handle complex returns and....

                          Comment

                          • JohnH
                            Senior Member
                            • Apr 2007
                            • 5339

                            #14
                            I LIKE the way Lion thinks...
                            "The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectful" - John Kenneth Galbraith

                            Comment

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