Perspective on Pricing of a 2025 Individual Tax Return

[taxmcp]

I am seeking your professional opinion on whether $500 is a reasonable fee for preparing a 2025 Individual Tax Return given the following complexities:

- Filing Status: Self-employed, Head of Household with three dependent children under age 17.
- Timing and Delays: The taxpayer did not provide documentation until the week of April 12th, necessitating a filing extension.
- Revisions: Multiple updates were required for business income and expenses.
- E-filing Issues: We had to wait for the taxpayer to obtain a dependent IP PIN to allow for electronic filing.
- State Requirements: The Oklahoma state return required the preparation of three additional PDF documents.

I would appreciate your perspective on this pricing.

[Anarchrist]

Good god, that's nowhere near reasonable. I can't imagine self-employed returns under $1k.

[Rapid Robert]

Depends a lot on your market. I can't imagine that fees in Oklahoma are generally comparable to NYC or Los Angeles, for example. Did the Schedule C involve depreciation, vehicle expenses, COGS, or OIH (no safe harbor)? Was the paid preparer due diligence form relatively straight-forward?

You should definitely charge a separate fee up front for the extension. And $500 for the return itself isn't hard to justify. If the client is balking at that, fire them, either now or before next year.

[FEDUKE404]

You did not really address anything as to the complexity of the return, especially the Sch C. That would be a major determining factor. Schedule A / Investment income?
The other things you mentioned fall into the general catergory of "annoyances." When such becomes excessive, I list a separate invoice line for "time charges" re whatever.
FWIW, I do feel the darn Form 8867 is worthy of a substantial charge of its own. . .