Your Form 1040, prepared and reviewed by a CPA.
Most people file their personal return once a year, hope it's right, and never think about it again until the next one. We'd rather you understand what you filed and why, and walk away knowing what to do differently next year.
Who we prepare individual tax returns for
We handle federal and state Form 1040 returns across a wide range of situations, from straightforward W-2 filings to returns with a dozen moving pieces. Common ones include:
- W-2 employees, including households with equity compensation, RSUs, stock options, or a second job.
- Self-employed individuals and freelancers: Schedule C, self-employment tax, home office, vehicle, and quarterly estimated payments.
- Rental property owners: Schedule E, depreciation, passive loss limits, and short-term rental treatment.
- Investors: capital gains and losses, dividend income, wash sales, crypto transactions, and K-1s from partnerships or S corps.
- Multi-state and relocation filers: people who moved, work across state lines, or earn income in more than one state.
- Business owners filing personally, where the 1040 and the business return need to be planned together.
How it works
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A real conversation first
We start by understanding what changed this year: a move, a new job, a property, a business, a marriage, a kid. The return follows from those facts.
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Document gathering
We send you a clear list of what we need based on your actual situation, so you're not hunting for forms that don't apply to you.
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Preparation and CPA review
Your return is prepared, then reviewed line by line by a CPA before anything is filed. Nothing goes out the door unreviewed.
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Walkthrough and filing
We walk you through what the return says and what drove the outcome, answer your questions, then e-file federal and state once you've approved it.
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A plan forward
Before we close the file, we flag what you could do differently: a withholding adjustment, a retirement contribution, an entity question, a record-keeping fix. That's the part software can't do.
Why work with a CPA instead of filing it yourself
Filing software is genuinely good at simple returns.
Where it breaks down is judgment. Software asks questions and fills boxes. It doesn't know that your side business should probably be structured differently, that you're overpaying estimated taxes every quarter, or that the way you're tracking rental expenses is costing you a deduction you're entitled to. A CPA looks at your return alongside everything else going on in your finances, and can flag those things before they cost you another year.
Based in Woodstock. Working with clients everywhere.
We're based in Woodstock, GA, and we work with individuals and families anywhere in the country. Everything can be handled remotely: secure document exchange, video or phone walkthroughs, and electronic signatures, so where you live doesn't limit who prepares your return.
Common questions about individual tax preparation
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When is my individual tax return due?
Individual federal returns are generally due April 15. If you filed an extension, your return is due October 15, but an extension to file is not an extension to pay, so any balance owed was still due in April. -
What do I need to send you?
At minimum: last year's return, all W-2s and 1099s, mortgage interest and property tax statements, brokerage and retirement account forms, and records of any business, rental, or self-employment income and expenses. We'll send a list tailored to your situation so you're not guessing. -
Can you file my state return too?
Yes. We prepare Georgia returns and returns for other states, including multi-state filings for people who moved during the year or earn income in more than one state. -
What if I'm behind on filing?
We work with people who have unfiled prior-year returns. It's more common than you'd think, and it's fixable. The sooner it's addressed, the smaller the penalties and interest tend to be. -
Do you handle business returns too?
Yes, and when someone owns a business, the personal and business returns really should be prepared with each other in mind. See our full range of services.
Let's talk about your return.
Send us a note or give us a call. We'll tell you honestly whether you need a CPA, and what it would look like to work together if you do.