Phones (540)342-1120  -  (540)342-1974 - (800)869-6386 - Fax (540)342-0972

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How much will you charge to prepare my tax returns?
A. The Tax Service fee amount depends on the time required to complete your return.  One fee includes your  Federal, Full Year Residence state plus Electronic Filing if you qualify. Additional charges will apply for more complex returns and multiple states. Please call for an estimate for small businesses. Our fees for tax return preparation are based on the complexity of the tax returns, without regard to the amount of your refund. This philosophy is fair to you, since your tax refund is your money. Our fees are comparable to those of the national tax firms and are lower than most CPAs. We are tax professionals and will be glad to quote an exact price without obligation after receiving your tax information. Your satisfaction is guaranteed: If you are not satisfied, you may choose not to accept or file the tax returns we prepare, and you will pay no fee!

Q. Will my personal information and tax return data be kept private?
A. Your security and confidentiality is assured. 

Q. What is the actual response time to have questions answered?
A. Within two business days, maximum. Contact W. D. Barbour  by E-mail.

Q. If I file my tax return electronically, how fast will I get my refund?
A. If you have your refund direct deposited to your personal checking or savings account, your refund should be deposited to your bank account in 10-14 days. If you have the refund mailed to you, the check should be in your mailbox in 2-3 weeks. A faster refund can be obtained through a bank Refund Anticipation Loan (1 day), however, there will be additional fees for loan processing and bank charges depending on the size of your refund. Your  tax professional can provide complete details.

Q. What are the qualifications of a tax preparer?
Our Tax Associates are required to complete annual continuing professional education in advanced income tax preparation.  Our executive Tax Associates have earned the designation of "Enrolled Agent" after passing a rigorous 3-part, two-day IRS exam (30% pass rate) and qualifying through an IRS background investigation.

Q. What happens if an error is found in my tax return?
A. All of our Income Tax prepared tax returns are checked by a  tax professional other than the preparer. Should an error be found that affects the amount of your refund or tax due, you will be notified and the correction will be explained. We guarantee the accuracy of our work. 

Q. Are my professionally prepared tax returns guaranteed to be correct?
A. Yes. 

Q. My tax return is complex. Will I be able to file electronically?
A. Most current  Federal and State tax returns can be filed electronically.  If your tax return contains a schedule that cannot be filed electronically, your tax professional will advise you.

Q. If I owe, how will the Federal and/or state get payment when I file electronically?
A. When you file electronically, you have the option of paying by bank-draft, or if you prefer, you will receive a payment voucher that can be mailed with your payment by the tax filing deadline. So there is no reason to delay filing if you owe money.  If you owe taxes, it is very important to file by the deadline to avoid a stiff late filing penalty. If you can't pay it all in one payment, ask your tax professional to help you set up an Installment Payment Agreement with the IRS.

Q. Will my data be carried forward last year's tax return?
A. Yes, and you'll see what was entered last year when entering your current data.

Q. How long will my tax return data be available with your service?
A. Three years from the tax filing deadline.

If you have a question not answered above, please contact us by E-mail and we will reply within two business days.

Thank you for visiting  Barbour Tax Services and The Tax Depot!

Telephone Support (540) 342-1120 or (540) 342-1074 or (800) 869-6386

Advantages of Electronic Filing

Electronic returns are acknowledged by the IRS, so you know that they have been received and are not lost in a post office.

Both refund and balance due refunds can be filed electronically. Because electronic returns are processed faster, filing electronically when due a refund makes sense. If the return is filed electronically, the taxpayer can expect a refund in 2-3 weeks. If the taxpayer has the refund deposited directly into a savings or checking account, the refund will arrive in as few as 10 days. Many people fail to see the value in filing electronically when they owe Uncle Sam, but electronic filing ensures the return is filed on time, so the taxpayer will not incur a late filing penalty. Also, because the taxpayer knows in advance how much is owed and does not have to pay until the due date of the return, there is ample time before April 15 to plan to pay the bill.

As with paper returns, taxpayers should be sure that names and social security numbers are correct on their returns. If the taxpayer’s name changes, the Social Security Office should be notified of that change. Because the IRS matches names and social security numbers, a refund could be delayed if they don’t match.

If you haven’t filed electronically before, consider it this year. It will save time, eliminate duplicated effort, increase accuracy and be convenient for you. And if we prepare your tax return, electronic filing is free!

Our income tax service can electronically file self-prepared tax returns for a reasonable fee.

Special Taxpayer Alerts from the IRS