Your federal and/or state income tax returns will be prepared with the information you provide. You will provide Serenity Life & Finance with complete and accurate information up front. Serenity Life & Finance will keep the information you provide confidential. Services will be provided only as needed to prepare your tax return(s). No audit or verification of the submitted data will occur. However, Serenity Life & Finance will follow up to request clarification and/or documentation of information as needed. You will also be notified should any material errors, fraud, or other illegal acts be discovered.
You are responsible for reporting any foreign activities upon signature. By signing this letter, you acknowledge that you will inform us of any income from foreign sources or if you have signatory authority over any foreign financial accounts. If you are still determining whether income/accounts are foreign, please disclose this regardless so we can review it. Failure to report these types of activities will result in severe penalties.
You will be responsible for providing all necessary documentation required by law to support your data. This includes expenses for gifts, travel, vehicle use, meals, charitable contributions, and so forth. If you need clarification on what documentation is required at any given time, please reach out to discuss further. Professional judgment will be used to resolve issues when tax law is unclear or when there is conflict among authorities. But ultimately, you, the taxpayer, have the final responsibility for your tax return(s). Therefore, it’s imperative that you carefully review all documents before signing and filing them.
Serenity Life & Finance may also provide a checklist for you to complete up front, which will ensure we collect your most up-to-date information. Completion is optional, but it can help remind you what items are needed. Nonetheless, upon signature, please provide originals/copies of originals for all government tax documents (W-2s, 1099s, 1098s, and property tax statements). All records will be returned to you after we’ve finished serving you. We recommend you store them securely, as well as supporting documents, in case they are needed later in the tax preparation process. Serenity Life & Finance will retain copies of all records, paperwork, and notes for 3 years after which these documents will be securely disposed of/destroyed.
It is important to note that when preparing the income, we can provide the tax return and copies of all supporting documents to the taxpayer or their spouse (if applicable) without requiring consent or notification from the other parties involved.
The filing deadline for tax returns is April 15th, 2025. All information must be received by April 15th, 2025 to meet the filing deadline. If additional time to file is needed, your provided information will be used to prepare the extension. Please remember that to prepare a valid and accurate extension, we will need as much information as possible. You will also need to expressly approve filing an extension before this can be done on your behalf. As a reminder, an extension only provides you with additional time to file, not to pay. Taxes paid after April 15th, 2025will result in late fees and interest.
Consent for Payment
We value our relationship with our clients. We are in the business to provide you with the best service possible. We want to remind you that you are being provided a service and not a tax refund. You as a taxpayer have the option to pay your tax preparation fees by: cash, money order, credit card, electronic payment, or directly from your refund.
If you choose to have the tax preparation fees taken from your refund and your taxes are intercepted, YOU ARE STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TAX PREPARATION FEES! By signing your return, you are agreeing to pay the tax preparation fees regardless of if your refund is released or not.
Upon our notification of your refund being intercepted, we will send you an invoice for payment. If payment is not received within 30 days of the invoice then we will proceed with ACH processing or collections if no bank account is held by the client.
NOTE: The Department of Treasury's Financial Management Services (FMS) can offset ANY UNPAID federal or government debt against your refund WITHOUT prior notice.
Most commonly, the offset is taken for: Past due child support, Debts owed to a federal/ state agency, Unemployment debts owed to state, and/or past due federal student loans.
ACH Authorization Form
I, hereby authorize Serenity Life & Finance to initiate electronic debits to my bank account for the purpose of collecting payment for the services related to the preparation of my tax return. I understand and agree to the following terms:
Payment for Tax Preparation Services: I acknowledge that I am engaging Serenity Life & Finance for the professional service of preparing my tax return. Payment is not contingent upon the approval or funding of my tax refund.
Billing Authorization: In the event that my tax refund is not approved and funded within 30 days through a bank product with a third-party bank, I authorize Serenity Life & Finance to electronically debit my bank account for the full amount of the tax preparation fees as agreed upon. This debit will be initiated as soon as practicable after the 30-day period has lapsed.
Bank Account Information: I have provided accurate and current information regarding my bank account for the purpose of this electronic debit authorization.
Right to Revoke: I understand that I may revoke this authorization at any time by providing written notice to Serenity Life & Finance such revocation will not affect any fees or charges that have already been incurred.
Record Keeping: Serenity Life & Finance will retain a copy of this authorization form, and I will receive written notice of any changes in the payment amount or schedule at least 10 days prior to the initiation of any debits.
Should the IRS or state tax authorities audit your return, please let us know immediately (as soon as letters are received from the IRS/any other tax agency), so we can react accordingly and be available to assist you. If Serenity Life & Finance is at fault, your return will be corrected for free. You will be responsible for any taxes owed in addition to any fees for correction.
This agreement will conclude at the time completed returns are delivered to you (paper-filing), or upon signature and submission of your tax return(s) (e-filing).
Under federal and Texas law, Serenity Life & Finance is required to file your returns electronically. However, you can opt out of electronic filing without explanation. If you prefer not to e-file, please contact us directly, so we can provide you with the government opt-out forms. These must then be signed and returned to Serenity Life & Finance.
To agree to this letter and its summary of our arrangement, please sign below and return it in person or electronically. Work will not begin until a signed copy of this engagement agreement is returned. Should you be filing a joint return, both spouses are required to sign.
Thank you for putting your trust in Serenity Life & Finance. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
All the best,
Serenity Life & Finance