Mahimahi88
New Member
Hi,
I filed my NJ state form after, having completed it myself, and the state returned it to me and advised I needed to check for accuracy and resubmit. I work in Philadelphia, which has a reciprocal agreement with New Jersey and in the past I have mixed up how to fill out the form taking this into account. I went to see an accountant a few years ago and he said it would take him less then 10 mins to amend and he would charge me $20.00. I agreed and he completed the form. The state accepted it and it was all done. For the last few years I follwed this layout and my forms all were accepted by the state. This year however after flooding in my basement many of my documents were destroyed and I sent in the form as best I could remember and the state returned it. I contacted a different accountant nearby. I explained in short what I needed and asked how much it would cost. The lady on the phone said she was not sure that I should drop off the information, an accountant would look at it and then let me know what the charge would be to amend. Ok fine. I dropped it off - she said the same thing again in person and I left my cell phone number for the call back.
A few days went by and I had not heard so I called the office. The asked the lady on the phone if they had a price quote for me yet and she said 'Oh yours is done!' I replied - for free?? She said no the charge is $150.00 dollars! I almost passed out! I said to her that it could not be mine did she take my name down wrong? Because I did not agree to any price yet as I had not been contacted at all yet. She repeated and spelled my name back and said it was done - I said well I did not approve this and cannot afford to pay that. She said let me put on the accountant. A man enters the line and I briefly recount the above and he agrees I should have been told and said it took him less then 15mins but since he already did it I owed the money. I told him that in no way do I owe this. That is like him advertising that he needed a lawn company and I show up and without his go ahead dig up his lawn and then tell him to pay me whatever amount I decide is warrented! While he again repeated I should have been told he still said if I wanted to pick up amended form that was the charge. I told him we could not afford it so I will not be able to do that. Then he came down $100.00 and said that was the best he could do. I said sorry I cannot and we got off the phone. I called the state tax office and a woman their said to check with H&R block. I did and they said since it was an amended return even though they did not do it the first time they would fix free of charge! I was blown away! I ended up being able to dry out and read my former tax guys work and resubmitted the form to the state which they accepted.
Fast forward a few months later I get a past due notice in the mail from that accountant which not only lists that I owe his firm 100.00 dollars but charged me $3.75 in interest and for some reason another 100.00 dollars in fees totaling 203.75 that he says I now owe them! I know that my reply to this right out of the gate needs to be the correct one and really need help toward knowing exactly how to proceed from here.
Any consideration that anyone can provide here would be so very helpful
Thank you in advance!
I filed my NJ state form after, having completed it myself, and the state returned it to me and advised I needed to check for accuracy and resubmit. I work in Philadelphia, which has a reciprocal agreement with New Jersey and in the past I have mixed up how to fill out the form taking this into account. I went to see an accountant a few years ago and he said it would take him less then 10 mins to amend and he would charge me $20.00. I agreed and he completed the form. The state accepted it and it was all done. For the last few years I follwed this layout and my forms all were accepted by the state. This year however after flooding in my basement many of my documents were destroyed and I sent in the form as best I could remember and the state returned it. I contacted a different accountant nearby. I explained in short what I needed and asked how much it would cost. The lady on the phone said she was not sure that I should drop off the information, an accountant would look at it and then let me know what the charge would be to amend. Ok fine. I dropped it off - she said the same thing again in person and I left my cell phone number for the call back.
A few days went by and I had not heard so I called the office. The asked the lady on the phone if they had a price quote for me yet and she said 'Oh yours is done!' I replied - for free?? She said no the charge is $150.00 dollars! I almost passed out! I said to her that it could not be mine did she take my name down wrong? Because I did not agree to any price yet as I had not been contacted at all yet. She repeated and spelled my name back and said it was done - I said well I did not approve this and cannot afford to pay that. She said let me put on the accountant. A man enters the line and I briefly recount the above and he agrees I should have been told and said it took him less then 15mins but since he already did it I owed the money. I told him that in no way do I owe this. That is like him advertising that he needed a lawn company and I show up and without his go ahead dig up his lawn and then tell him to pay me whatever amount I decide is warrented! While he again repeated I should have been told he still said if I wanted to pick up amended form that was the charge. I told him we could not afford it so I will not be able to do that. Then he came down $100.00 and said that was the best he could do. I said sorry I cannot and we got off the phone. I called the state tax office and a woman their said to check with H&R block. I did and they said since it was an amended return even though they did not do it the first time they would fix free of charge! I was blown away! I ended up being able to dry out and read my former tax guys work and resubmitted the form to the state which they accepted.
Fast forward a few months later I get a past due notice in the mail from that accountant which not only lists that I owe his firm 100.00 dollars but charged me $3.75 in interest and for some reason another 100.00 dollars in fees totaling 203.75 that he says I now owe them! I know that my reply to this right out of the gate needs to be the correct one and really need help toward knowing exactly how to proceed from here.
Any consideration that anyone can provide here would be so very helpful
Thank you in advance!
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