FAQ

Appointments

I would like to make an appointment with a consultant. Who should I contact?
Please call +1 (703) 549-5276.

How do I know with which consultant I ought to make an appointment?
Generally, that decision will be made for you. Each consultant at Ross & Moncure has a specialty, and you will be assigned to an expert based on your specific needs. However, if you would like to request a particular consultant, please read the biographies on this website. When you call to make an appointment, simply voice your request.

What should I do if I cannot make my appointment?
If your appointment is scheduled for the slow season, this isn’t an issue. Simply call us at +1 (703) 549-5276 at any time to reschedule. On the other hand, if the appointment is scheduled for December 15th to April 15th or September 15th to October 15th, you must call at least 24 hours in advance to cancel your appointment to avoid our cancellation fee.

What do I need to bring to my individual tax preparation appointment?
For individual tax preparation meetings, please bring all that apply:

• Income information (W2 forms, 1099 forms, K-1 forms, statement of wages from foreign employer, business income if you are self-employed, rental property income)
• Business expenses (both reimbursed and unreimbursed; if you are unsure of how to present this information, please contact Rachel)
• Rental property expenses (if you are unsure of how to present this information, please contact Rachel)
• Mortgage information (1098 forms, refinance statements)
• Records of property bought or sold
• Tax organizer, if we sent you one and you filled it out (please keep in mind that the organizer is intended to help you to organize your documents ONLY; accounting standards require that we request original documents confirming income and expenses)
• Foreign bank account details, if the aggregate of your assets held abroad (bank accounts, securities accounts, pensions, trust holdings; NOT including real estate) exceeded US$10K at any point over the calendar year in question
• If you are a new client, please upload your tax return from the previous year at least 24 hours in advance (unless you have just moved to the United States and have not filed a US tax return before)
• If you have just arrived in the United States, please bring the passports, visas and Social Security cards of all members of your family. If you or any member of your family does not have a Social Security number, please contact Bonny to find out about the requirements for getting one

What do I need to bring to my corporate tax preparation appointment?
For corporate tax preparation meetings, please ensure that you have sent us your bookkeeping at least fourteen days in advance of your meeting. If not, please call us to re-schedule as we need this lead time in order to prepare. You can send us your bookkeeping in whatever format you normally use:

• Upload your QBB
• Upload excel spreadsheets
• Upload bank and credit card statements, and we will do your bookkeeping for an extra charge.

Where should I park when I come for my appointment?
We have eight parking spaces behind our building (accessible from an alley perpendicular to Wythe St and Madison St). Alternatively, clients can park on the street in front of the building up until 4PM, the time at which North Washington St becomes a rush hour traffic route. The City of Alexandria begins to tow all cars parked on North Washington St just as the clock strikes 4 o’clock, almost without exception.

Tax Preparation

What is the advantage of having Ross & Moncure prepare my tax returns?
Our consultants specialize in keeping clients in compliance. Domestic and international tax law is incredibly complex. It is therefore a full-time job to stay updated on reporting requirements and tax incentives.

What do I do if my financial documents are in a language other than English?
This entirely depends on the language. We are able to easily de-code documents in Spanish, French and German due to the fact that we work with clients who speak those languages on a very regular basis. However, in the case of documents in other languages, please bring in or attach some kind of explanation of the documents. We ask for this in order to ensure accuracy.

What does it mean to e-file? Should I do this?
We are required to encourage all of our clients to e-file their eligible federal and state tax returns. The benefits of e-filing include: a faster refund (by using e-file and direct deposit, taxpayers can get their refunds in as few as ten days), a tax return acceptance acknowledgement, and a reduced error rate (1 percent, compared to nearly 20 percent on paper returns). Clients have the option to opt out of e-filing, instead filing a traditional paper return. If you choose to opt out, we will have you sign an agreement stating as much. In addition, in the case of incredibly complex tax returns, clients are unable to e-file returns. Ross & Moncure assesses no additional charge for e-filing returns on behalf of clients.

I am living abroad and do not wish to go through the process of having my paper tax returns (if applicable) mailed to me, only to have to sign them and mail them right back to the United States. Can Ross & Moncure take care of the filing process for me?
Absolutely, but in addition, this is less and less of an issue as more tax returns are required to be e-filed. Once clients have signed and dated a Power of Attorney form, our consultants have the right to sign and file tax returns on their behalf. This eliminates the expensive and time-consuming processes of mailing documents overseas.

Tax Problems and Issues

What do I do if I receive a notice from the IRS or state-level equivalent regarding a form or return that Ross & Moncure prepared on my behalf?
Please e-mail a scan of the notice to Chris. Alternatively, you can fax it to +1 (703) 549-6517. An accountant will be in touch with the IRS on your behalf, and will send you a copy of the correspondence.

I would like for a third party (a lawyer, banker, or other accountant) to have access to my personal financial information. Is this possible?
We cannot release any information to a third party unless the client fills out and signs the form titled Consent For Disclosure of Tax Information Pursuant to IRC Section 7216, which can be found on our resources page. Please send this back to us via mail, e-mail, or fax.

Can Ross & Moncure tell me the status of my tax refund?
We ask that clients not contact us to check on the status of refunds from federal and state authorities. Please go to the IRS website and enter your (1) SSN, (2) filing status, and (3) refund amount. The check on the status of a state refund, please click here, select the appropriate state, and enter the required information.

I have been asked by the government of another country for proof that I am a resident of the United States for tax purposes. Can Ross & Moncure provide this?
Ross & Moncure helps clients who engage the firm to prepare their annual tax returns to get tax residency certifications from the Department of the Treasury. Therefore, if you are an existing client, please be in touch with Bonny and she will work with you on the requirements for getting these certifications.

Billing and Pick-Up

How do I know when my tax returns are finished?
A member of the Ross & Moncure administration team will contact you via e-mail.

When is payment due for a consult or for the preparation of a tax return?
Payment is due when services are rendered. Therefore, clients ought to pay for a consult before leaving our office, or upon picking up their tax returns.

Will Ross & Moncure mail my tax documents to me, or do I have to come to pick them up?
Ross & Moncure happily mails clients tax returns and original documents (we keep no original documents; we keep scanned electronic copies only) and will not charge for postage provided that it is sent via the US Postal Service or UPS Ground. If a client requests that documents be sent via FedEx, be sent abroad, or be sent via an expedited service of any sort, then the shipping charge will be added to your preparation bill.

How can I pay my bill?
We accept cash, checks, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.