Clear, Scope-Based Professional Fees
Lakeland Tax Accountant Fees & Engagement Process
Professional fees depend on the complexity of the work, the condition of the records, the tax years involved, and the level of research, reconstruction, or representation required.
Brodie Tax & Accounting reviews the relevant facts before work begins and provides clear engagement terms so you understand the expected scope, responsibilities, process, and fee.
How Pricing Is Determined
The Fee Should Reflect the Work Actually Required
A straightforward individual income tax return does not require the same time, documentation, research, or professional judgment as a business return, amended filing, bookkeeping cleanup, or IRS resolution matter.
Fees may be affected by the number of tax forms, businesses, rental properties, states, tax years, financial accounts, transactions, and unresolved issues involved. Incomplete bookkeeping, missing records, prior-year errors, IRS correspondence, entity structure, and urgent deadlines may also change the scope.
Some services can be quoted at a fixed fee. Other matters require an initial review because the work cannot be accurately evaluated from a brief description alone. Recurring bookkeeping and year-round support may be provided under a monthly service agreement.
Tax, Accounting & IRS Services
Choose the Service That Best Matches Your Needs
Each service page explains the work provided, the engagement process, and the information needed to begin an initial review.
Complex Tax Preparation
Individual, business, estate, trust, amended, and multi-state tax return preparation for matters involving more than routine reporting.
- S corporation and partnership returns
- Self-employment, rentals, investments, and K-1s
- Estate and trust income tax returns
- Prior-year and amended filings
IRS Tax Resolution
Assistance with IRS notices, filing problems, penalties, unpaid balances, account errors, and unresolved federal tax matters.
- IRS notices and correspondence
- Unfiled or incorrect returns
- Penalty relief and payment options
- Transcript and account review
Bookkeeping & Business Accounting
Monthly bookkeeping, historical cleanup, reconciliations, financial reporting, and tax-ready accounting support for businesses.
- Monthly transaction review
- Bank and credit-card reconciliations
- Catch-up work and historical cleanup
- Year-end tax coordination
Tax Planning & Advisory
Year-round support for individuals and businesses seeking clearer tax projections, stronger records, better entity decisions, and fewer surprises at filing time.
- Estimated-tax reviews
- Entity and compensation discussions
- Year-end planning considerations
- Coordination with bookkeeping and tax filings
Before Professional Work Begins
A Clear Engagement Process
The goal is to define the problem, determine the appropriate service, and establish expectations before substantial work begins.
Describe the Matter
Provide a brief overview of the tax, IRS, or accounting issue and any important deadlines.
Initial Review
Relevant facts, records, tax years, entities, accounts, and likely professional responsibilities are evaluated.
Scope and Fee
The engagement letter, quote, or proposal explains the expected work, responsibilities, process, and applicable fee structure.
Authorize the Engagement
Work begins after the terms are accepted and any required records or payments are received.
Clear Engagement Boundaries
What Happens When the Scope Changes
Missing records, additional tax years, bookkeeping reconstruction, expanded research, newly discovered notices, or other significant issues may change the work required after the initial review.
When a material issue expands the original scope, the additional work and expected fee impact will be discussed before proceeding whenever reasonably possible.
This approach protects both the client and the firm by establishing clear expectations while allowing complicated matters to receive the time and attention they require.
Scope-Based Pricing
Why Exact Prices Are Not Listed for Every Service
Publishing one universal price for every return, cleanup, or resolution matter can create expectations that do not reflect the work actually required.
Two clients requesting the same general service may require substantially different levels of work. One set of records may be complete and reconciled, while another requires extensive cleanup. One IRS notice may be resolved through a focused response, while another involves several years, amended filings, collection issues, or continuing representation.
Scope-based pricing allows the fee to reflect the actual professional work involved rather than forcing every client into a package that may not fit the facts.
Take the Next Step
Request the Right Consultation for Your Situation
Choose the service that best matches your needs. Each button leads to a short consultation form for that specific type of engagement.