FEE STRUCTURE FOR SERVICES
Fees below are effective January 1, 2022:
Most industry surveys confirm that the fees Lodge & Co. charge for our professional services are very reasonable and competitive. They are also not negotiable. Every January we review our services and prices, and adjust or keep the fees as is. We have been in private practice since 1984
BUSINESS AND FAMILY MEDIATION
Business Mediation - $175 per hour, scheduled 4 hour sessions
Workplace / Employment Disputes - $175 per hour, scheduled 4 hour sessions
Family Mediation - $175 per one hour session, scheduled 4 hour sessions
Separation / Divorce Mediation - $1,000 with 4 sessions included
VIRTUAL CONSULTATIONS - BUSINESS ADVISORY SERVICES
For business advisory services that covers business formations, business tax questions, management and HR issues, and other business issues, the fee for a one hour session is $175 (per hour).
INCORPORATION /LLC FORMATION
(“For-profit”) carries a fee of $1,200.00 prepaid as a (non-refundable) Minimum Fee Retainer that includes
NOTE: In some States they may have additional charges. You must incorporate (or register as a ‘Foreign’ entity to do business) in the State where your business physically resides or has activities that qualify as “doing business.”
NOTE: If we formed your business entity we will provide you with the first annual board meeting and provide an agenda and provide you with minutes to the meeting. Every year after that there will be a fee to organize and prepare minutes for your board meetings. The fee is $200
AGENT OF SERVICE: If you need an agent of service for your business and to be listed on your Statement of Information submitted to the state, our fee is: $300 per year.
MERGER or DISSOLUTION fee for a Corporation or LLC is $175.00 (in addition to any State filing Fees). The $175 includes a $25.00 certified copy fee that the State now charges as of 2022.
BOOKKEEPING
If you are in business you MUST maintain a formal set of Books of Account that will be requested if you ever have an Audit. We can help you with that (see our fees below). Be warned that IRS is now routinely requiring, during business audits, an electronic copy of Taxpayer’s self-maintained QuickBooks File if that information was used in tax return preparation.
QUICKBOOKS file setup (whether we will do the Bookkeeping or for those who want to do it themselves) is subject to a non-refundable, Minimum Fee Retainer of $300.
QUICKEN conversion (to make your file useful for tax preparation), and related QUICKBOOKS TRAINING conducted only in our office, are $75/hour subject to a one hour (non-refundable) Minimum Fee Retainer of $75.
BOOKKEEPING SERVICE
Monthly/Quarterly Bookkeeping Services - hourly rate: $75
Quarterly QuickBooks Review and Reconciliation (if doing yourself) - small businesses average per quarter $175 - $500
A NON-REFUNDABLE, MINIMUM FEE RETAINER of $450 IS REQUIRED OF ALL NEW ACCOUNTS ENGAGED BEFORE NOVEMBER 1st (after that date see “Year-End Bookkeeping” below).
“YEAR-END” BOOKKEEPING. December and January are two of our busiest months due to tax agency deadlines–if you cannot possibly bring in your records until then we cannot guarantee your return will not need to be extended, and you will be billed at the same rates above but subject to a non-refundable, Minimum Fee Retainer of $900 ($600 x 12 months). Work will begin on your “Year-End” Bookkeeping after we receive your Retainer. (only for companies with revenue up to and not exceeding $499,000. Business with revenues over $500,000 the fees are dependent on the amount of work).
1099’s that this office prepares carry a base fee of $30 for the 1099/1096, plus $5 for each additional 1099.
BILLING POLICY. All invoices are due upon receipt. Invoiced Accounts that are not paid in full within 30-days are subject to $10/month Late Penalty Fee. Checks Returned for ANY reason, or amounts charged back Credit Card payments are subject to a $50 NSF, Returned Item, or Credit Card Charge back Penalty Fee. NOTE: Any payments received after a Penalty Fee is assessed are applied first to such Fees assessed, and the balance to the amount originally owed.
PAYROLL SERVICE: Payroll roll services are provided, direct deposit only to employees.
Payroll services: $20 per employee
includes filing of federal and state tax filings & W-2 processing.
TAX RETURNS
TAX RETURN PREPARATION fees are based on forms used in the return AND THE TIME AND EXPERTISE REQUIRED, include Electronic filing and any one State filing. Tax Returns will not be released to client for removal from our office (even in “draft” printed or PDF format), or e-filed until our fees are paid in full.
1. INDIVIDUAL RETURNS
Not all Forms/Schedules that may be needed for your return are listed above. These fees are not all inclusive and may change depending on the size of the return.
Prior year Non-Filers may pay a $195 per year or more (depending on the complexity of the return), Non-refundable, Minimum Fee Retainer, execute an IRS Power of Attorney Form 2848, provide full relevant documentation (before our work commences), and must also agree to have no further direct contact with IRS.
Audit Letters: If you receive random audit letters from the IRS or Federal we do not represent you for free, there will be a fee. Random audit letters have pulled your tax return to review based on the IRS's algorithm search criteria. We do ask that you provide us with all of the backup to what is being questioned by the IRS or State audit unit.
2. CORPORATION (“C” or “S”), PARTNERSHIP, LLC RETURNS preparation fees are based on the time and expertise required, and the complexity and degree of organization of your data.
Corporate or LLC Minimum Fee is $575 (plus $15 for each participant Schedule-K-1) for a Services only entity that does not require a Balance Sheet (i.e., Gross Receipts are under $250,000 and Total Corporate Assets are under $250,000, or $600,000 in Assets for Partnership/LLC). Fee charged includes electronic filing (if available) and one State Return if required.
NOTE: If the entity sells products, carries inventory, or exceeds the above amounts, the return will be required to file a Balance Sheet — that will add $175 to the Minimum Fee, making it $750. If additional Schedules or Forms are required there will be an additional fee for each such Schedule of Form.
NOTE: Our bookkeeping clients receive a discount of $100 on the Corporate tax return fees.
TAX AUDIT REPRESENTATION fees are hourly based, subject to a $2,160 prepaid, non-refundable, Minimum Fee Retainer PER INCOME TAX YEAR UNDER AUDIT, and do not include any subsequent Appeals or Tax Court Hearings or related filings. Tax Audits are increasingly being conducted by correspondence (those more often than not end up in Appeals), sometimes at the IRS’ office locally, but more often are held in our office if the return involves a business.
NOTE: If you undertake the Audit yourself or our office did not prepare the original return and subsequently turn it over to us for Reconsideration (a Re-do by a different Audit Group) or Appeals, the Minimum Fee Retainer will be $2,825 PER TAX YEAR UNDER AUDIT.
If the Audit scope or complexity increase and more time is needed to be devoted than is covered by the above Retainer, you will be asked to provide additional funds.
TAX AUDIT APPEALS (or Collections) fees are hourly based, subject to a non-refundable, $600 prepaid, Minimum Fee Retainer per Income Tax Year, if we handled the underlying Audit. If we are taking over from someone else the Minimum Retainer will be $1800.
TAX REPRESENTATION (Outside of Income Tax Audit), such as Reviewing and Responding to an IRS CP-2000 “Notice of Proposed Assessment” (based on omissions on your tax return), or other tax agency matters (EDD, FTB, BOE, or other) that require written replies or telephone resolution are subject to a $125 non-refundable Minimum Fee Retainer — avoid this fee by reporting ALL your income in the original return!
THIRD PARTY WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS, such as standardized Lender Letters (often required for some refinancing), are subject to a fee of $60 (plus $5 transmission fee) and their content will contain language that protects our firm from lender lawsuits if your loan goes bad.
SECRETARY OF STATE ANNUAL FILINGS, such as Statement of information require a Filing Fee of $25 payable to the Secretary of State (CA) and a processing Fee for our service of $25. Other states may have a different charge for the annual filing statement with their Secretary of State.
$60 NO SHOW FEE. We charge a $60 NO SHOW FEE if your tax appointment is NOT canceled OR rescheduled AT LEAST 24 hours prior. This fee is payable when your return is finally done.
Most industry surveys confirm that the fees Lodge & Co. charge for our professional services are very reasonable and competitive. They are also not negotiable. Every January we review our services and prices, and adjust or keep the fees as is. We have been in private practice since 1984
BUSINESS AND FAMILY MEDIATION
Business Mediation - $175 per hour, scheduled 4 hour sessions
Workplace / Employment Disputes - $175 per hour, scheduled 4 hour sessions
Family Mediation - $175 per one hour session, scheduled 4 hour sessions
Separation / Divorce Mediation - $1,000 with 4 sessions included
VIRTUAL CONSULTATIONS - BUSINESS ADVISORY SERVICES
For business advisory services that covers business formations, business tax questions, management and HR issues, and other business issues, the fee for a one hour session is $175 (per hour).
INCORPORATION /LLC FORMATION
(“For-profit”) carries a fee of $1,200.00 prepaid as a (non-refundable) Minimum Fee Retainer that includes
- All initial Secretary of State and Corporation Commission fees, such as Filing initial CA Statement of Information (regarding Officers & Directors),
- Preparing standard form Charter Documents such as Articles of Incorporation (or Operating Agreement for an LLC), and By-Laws
- Obtaining Federal and State Employer ID numbers,
- Helping you through the tax decision of S-Corporation Election (Form 2553),
- Two (2) Hours of Business Consulting, including 1 year of Registered Agent service.
NOTE: In some States they may have additional charges. You must incorporate (or register as a ‘Foreign’ entity to do business) in the State where your business physically resides or has activities that qualify as “doing business.”
NOTE: If we formed your business entity we will provide you with the first annual board meeting and provide an agenda and provide you with minutes to the meeting. Every year after that there will be a fee to organize and prepare minutes for your board meetings. The fee is $200
AGENT OF SERVICE: If you need an agent of service for your business and to be listed on your Statement of Information submitted to the state, our fee is: $300 per year.
MERGER or DISSOLUTION fee for a Corporation or LLC is $175.00 (in addition to any State filing Fees). The $175 includes a $25.00 certified copy fee that the State now charges as of 2022.
BOOKKEEPING
If you are in business you MUST maintain a formal set of Books of Account that will be requested if you ever have an Audit. We can help you with that (see our fees below). Be warned that IRS is now routinely requiring, during business audits, an electronic copy of Taxpayer’s self-maintained QuickBooks File if that information was used in tax return preparation.
QUICKBOOKS file setup (whether we will do the Bookkeeping or for those who want to do it themselves) is subject to a non-refundable, Minimum Fee Retainer of $300.
QUICKEN conversion (to make your file useful for tax preparation), and related QUICKBOOKS TRAINING conducted only in our office, are $75/hour subject to a one hour (non-refundable) Minimum Fee Retainer of $75.
BOOKKEEPING SERVICE
Monthly/Quarterly Bookkeeping Services - hourly rate: $75
Quarterly QuickBooks Review and Reconciliation (if doing yourself) - small businesses average per quarter $175 - $500
A NON-REFUNDABLE, MINIMUM FEE RETAINER of $450 IS REQUIRED OF ALL NEW ACCOUNTS ENGAGED BEFORE NOVEMBER 1st (after that date see “Year-End Bookkeeping” below).
“YEAR-END” BOOKKEEPING. December and January are two of our busiest months due to tax agency deadlines–if you cannot possibly bring in your records until then we cannot guarantee your return will not need to be extended, and you will be billed at the same rates above but subject to a non-refundable, Minimum Fee Retainer of $900 ($600 x 12 months). Work will begin on your “Year-End” Bookkeeping after we receive your Retainer. (only for companies with revenue up to and not exceeding $499,000. Business with revenues over $500,000 the fees are dependent on the amount of work).
1099’s that this office prepares carry a base fee of $30 for the 1099/1096, plus $5 for each additional 1099.
BILLING POLICY. All invoices are due upon receipt. Invoiced Accounts that are not paid in full within 30-days are subject to $10/month Late Penalty Fee. Checks Returned for ANY reason, or amounts charged back Credit Card payments are subject to a $50 NSF, Returned Item, or Credit Card Charge back Penalty Fee. NOTE: Any payments received after a Penalty Fee is assessed are applied first to such Fees assessed, and the balance to the amount originally owed.
PAYROLL SERVICE: Payroll roll services are provided, direct deposit only to employees.
Payroll services: $20 per employee
includes filing of federal and state tax filings & W-2 processing.
TAX RETURNS
TAX RETURN PREPARATION fees are based on forms used in the return AND THE TIME AND EXPERTISE REQUIRED, include Electronic filing and any one State filing. Tax Returns will not be released to client for removal from our office (even in “draft” printed or PDF format), or e-filed until our fees are paid in full.
1. INDIVIDUAL RETURNS
- $145 Form 1040/1040A (no itemized deductions)
- $20 Itemized Deductions Schedule-A, PLUS:
- $25 Form 8829 Office in the Home
- $10 Form 8863 Education Credits
- $5 Form 1095-OTR Health Insurance Coverage
- $25 Form 8962 Health Insurance Premium Tax Credit
- $25 Form 8965 Health coverage Exemption
- $10 Form 8283 Non-Cash Donations Greater Than $500 per Recipient
- $50 Form 4684 Casualty Losses, per loss, except for Presidential Declared Disaster Losses which are free of charge.
- $10 Interest & Dividend Income Schedule-B for the first 4 entries. Any additional entries will be $2.00 each. If you have a Foreign account or Trust, a separate form will be required and the fee is $100.
- $85 Business Schedule-C or Farm Schedule-F (Minimum fee) – including Auto Expense Worksheet (up to 3 vehicles – additional vehicles $15 each), Depreciation Form 4562, Office in Home Form 8829, and Self-Employment Tax Schedule SE. Businesses are Audit Targets. Income verification required, bring your business bank statements, and completed bookkeeping. (IF YOU BRING ONLY RECEIPTS AND BANK STATEMENTS, YOU WILL BE CHARGED $75/HR IN ADDITION TO THE MINIMUM FEE.)
- $20 Capital Gain/Loss Schedule-D (non-business)
- $45 Capital Gain/Loss Form 4794 (business or rental) each sale
- $80 Rental Income Schedule-E (Residential and Commercial Rentals) (Minimum Fee per each property and includes Depreciation Form 4562, and Passive Loss Limitation Form 8582 and related Worksheets). Income and Depreciation on Rentals are Audit Targets. Bring your prop statements and HUD statements from purchase and Improvement Loans.
- $75 Farm Rental-Form 4835 (per each property and includes Depreciation Form 4562, and Passive Loss Limitation Form 8582 and related Worksheets)
- $20 per page Gambling Winnings Forms W2G, (up to 4 forms per page)
- $5 per Wage Income Form W2, for each in excess of 4 forms
- $5 per Retirement/Pension Income Forms 1099-R, for each in excess of 4 forms
- $5 per Miscellaneous Income Forms 1099-MISC, for each in excess of 3 forms
- $50 Extensions (pre-paid)
- $75 ($195 total) Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) (parents with children) due to new “due diligence” requirements placed by IRS on Tax Preparers we shall require the following, additional documentation to be provided by the Taxpayer: school, child care provider, landlord, medical or other records that designate the child’s place of residency as that of the Taxpayer; if child is disabled a Doctor, health care provider, or Social Services agency statement; if parent is self-employed a copy of your business license, and records of gross receipts and expenses provided by Taxpayer. NOTE: We are now required to retain these documents for 3 years.
- $50 each for 2nd or additional State returns.
- $185 Minimum Fee Retainer for Amendments
Not all Forms/Schedules that may be needed for your return are listed above. These fees are not all inclusive and may change depending on the size of the return.
Prior year Non-Filers may pay a $195 per year or more (depending on the complexity of the return), Non-refundable, Minimum Fee Retainer, execute an IRS Power of Attorney Form 2848, provide full relevant documentation (before our work commences), and must also agree to have no further direct contact with IRS.
Audit Letters: If you receive random audit letters from the IRS or Federal we do not represent you for free, there will be a fee. Random audit letters have pulled your tax return to review based on the IRS's algorithm search criteria. We do ask that you provide us with all of the backup to what is being questioned by the IRS or State audit unit.
2. CORPORATION (“C” or “S”), PARTNERSHIP, LLC RETURNS preparation fees are based on the time and expertise required, and the complexity and degree of organization of your data.
Corporate or LLC Minimum Fee is $575 (plus $15 for each participant Schedule-K-1) for a Services only entity that does not require a Balance Sheet (i.e., Gross Receipts are under $250,000 and Total Corporate Assets are under $250,000, or $600,000 in Assets for Partnership/LLC). Fee charged includes electronic filing (if available) and one State Return if required.
NOTE: If the entity sells products, carries inventory, or exceeds the above amounts, the return will be required to file a Balance Sheet — that will add $175 to the Minimum Fee, making it $750. If additional Schedules or Forms are required there will be an additional fee for each such Schedule of Form.
NOTE: Our bookkeeping clients receive a discount of $100 on the Corporate tax return fees.
TAX AUDIT REPRESENTATION fees are hourly based, subject to a $2,160 prepaid, non-refundable, Minimum Fee Retainer PER INCOME TAX YEAR UNDER AUDIT, and do not include any subsequent Appeals or Tax Court Hearings or related filings. Tax Audits are increasingly being conducted by correspondence (those more often than not end up in Appeals), sometimes at the IRS’ office locally, but more often are held in our office if the return involves a business.
NOTE: If you undertake the Audit yourself or our office did not prepare the original return and subsequently turn it over to us for Reconsideration (a Re-do by a different Audit Group) or Appeals, the Minimum Fee Retainer will be $2,825 PER TAX YEAR UNDER AUDIT.
If the Audit scope or complexity increase and more time is needed to be devoted than is covered by the above Retainer, you will be asked to provide additional funds.
TAX AUDIT APPEALS (or Collections) fees are hourly based, subject to a non-refundable, $600 prepaid, Minimum Fee Retainer per Income Tax Year, if we handled the underlying Audit. If we are taking over from someone else the Minimum Retainer will be $1800.
TAX REPRESENTATION (Outside of Income Tax Audit), such as Reviewing and Responding to an IRS CP-2000 “Notice of Proposed Assessment” (based on omissions on your tax return), or other tax agency matters (EDD, FTB, BOE, or other) that require written replies or telephone resolution are subject to a $125 non-refundable Minimum Fee Retainer — avoid this fee by reporting ALL your income in the original return!
THIRD PARTY WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS, such as standardized Lender Letters (often required for some refinancing), are subject to a fee of $60 (plus $5 transmission fee) and their content will contain language that protects our firm from lender lawsuits if your loan goes bad.
SECRETARY OF STATE ANNUAL FILINGS, such as Statement of information require a Filing Fee of $25 payable to the Secretary of State (CA) and a processing Fee for our service of $25. Other states may have a different charge for the annual filing statement with their Secretary of State.
$60 NO SHOW FEE. We charge a $60 NO SHOW FEE if your tax appointment is NOT canceled OR rescheduled AT LEAST 24 hours prior. This fee is payable when your return is finally done.