INDIVIDUAL TAX PREPARATION

Individual Tax Preparation in Cary, NC

Your tax return should reflect your actual situation, not whatever a software wizard guessed at.

Personal, accurate preparation from an Enrolled Agent who’s here year-round if questions come up later, whether that’s answering a question or planning ahead for next year.

Not sure yet? Start with a free 30-minute consultation · Price quoted before any work starts · Or call (984) 666-5550

WHAT EVERY RETURN INCLUDES

Federal Form 1040 & schedules

North Carolina return

Other state returns

Deduction & credit review

Review meeting before filing

Questions & IRS notices

Filed electronically with the IRS and NCDOR. Signed securely through your client portal.

Which return is yours?

Pick the one that sounds like you. Every return gets the same review before filing.

Straightforward return

W-2 income, a few deductions, maybe a dependent or two.

Return with more moving parts

Self-employment, rental property, investments, crypto or more than one state.

Catch-up on unfiled years

Behind on filing, for one year or several.

HOW PRICING WORKS

A clear price, given at the consultation.

It depends on the complexity of your return: how many income sources, whether there’s self-employment or rental income, and how many state returns are needed. I give you a clear price at the consultation, before any work begins. No surprises at the end.

Why not just use software?

Preparing an individual return means reporting your income, claiming the deductions and credits you’re entitled to, and filing on time with both the IRS and the North Carolina Department of Revenue. That sounds simple, and for some people it is. If your only income is a W-2 and you take the standard deduction, your return is genuinely straightforward.

The right questions

The value of professional preparation isn’t data entry. It’s knowing which questions to ask about your situation, and recognizing when something in your circumstances changes what the rules mean for you.

When life gets complicated

But most people’s lives have gotten more complicated than that. You picked up freelance work. You sold some stock. You bought a house, or rented one out. You moved mid-year and now owe taxes in two states. Your kid started college. Each of those adds a layer where the right answer isn’t obvious, and where the software’s question-and-answer flow can quietly lead you somewhere wrong.

Explained, not just filed

I look for deductions and credits that apply to you specifically, and I explain what I find, so you understand why your return looks the way it does. Where something could be handled differently next year, I tell you then rather than waiting.

Here after filing

If you receive a notice after filing, you can call me. That’s included, not a separate engagement. And because I’m an Enrolled Agent, if the matter needs someone to deal with the IRS directly, I can do that for you.

What's included

YOUR RETURNS

INCOME, DEDUCTIONS & CREDITS

A review of deductions and credits relevant to your circumstances
Comparison of itemized versus standard deduction
Self-employment income and Schedule C, where applicable
Rental income and depreciation schedules, where applicable
Capital gains and investment income reporting
Education credits and dependent-related credits

REVIEW & SUPPORT

I prepare and file your federal and North Carolina returns, and any other state returns you need. Before I do, we go through your situation together so I understand what actually happened during your year.

Is this for you?

If any of these sound like you, a free consultation is the right next step.

A W-2 employee with a situation that's grown beyond a simple return: investments, a home, children in college, or charitable giving worth itemizing
Self-employed or a 1099 contractor who needs to handle Schedule C, business deductions, and self-employment tax correctly
A rental property owner dealing with depreciation, repairs versus improvements, and passive activity rules
An investor with capital gains, dividends, or cryptocurrency transactions
Working across state lines, living in one state and earning in another, or having moved during the year
A family with education costs, where credits and 529 distributions interact in ways that aren't intuitive
Someone who is behind on filing and wants to get caught up properly
Anyone who simply wants a knowledgeable person reviewing the return rather than doing it alone at midnight

Sound familiar?

Six situations clients bring me most, and how we handle them.

I started freelancing and have no idea what I owe.

Self-employment income brings self-employment tax on top of income tax, and nothing is withheld along the way. The first year catches people off guard. We sort out which expenses are legitimately deductible, whether the home office deduction applies, and what you should be setting aside going forward. If your freelance work grows into a formal business entity, see Business Tax Preparation.

I got a notice from the IRS and don't know what it means.

Most notices are routine: a mismatch between what you reported and what a third party reported, or a math adjustment. They’re rarely as alarming as they look, but they do have deadlines. We work out what it’s actually saying and how to respond. If it turns into something more involved, that’s IRS Representation.

I have rental property and I'm not sure I'm handling it right.

Rental returns have real complexity: depreciation that must be tracked over decades, the distinction between a repair and an improvement, and passive loss rules that limit what you can deduct. Errors here compound across years.

I moved to North Carolina partway through the year.

Part-year and multi-state returns require allocating income between states and applying credits so you aren’t taxed twice on the same dollars. The order of operations matters.

I haven't filed in a few years.

This is more common than people think, and it’s fixable. We reconstruct what’s needed, file the missing years, and deal with whatever balance or penalties result. Filing voluntarily is nearly always better than waiting for the IRS to act.

My refund was smaller than expected because of my health insurance.

If you had a Marketplace plan with an advance premium tax credit, that credit gets reconciled on your return against your actual income. Underestimating income means paying some of it back. Because I handle both sides, I can watch for this before it happens.

Filing season fills up fast. Book before the rush.

Returns are prepared in the order complete documents arrive. Book your appointment now and you’ll be ready to go the day your forms come in.

How it works

From first call to filed return, and after, in seven steps.

Free consultation

We talk through your situation, what’s changed since last year, and what your return involves. You’ll know what to expect before committing to anything.

Secure document collection

You upload your documents through the client portal, or drop them off at the Cary office. I send a checklist based on your specific circumstances, so nothing gets missed.

Review and questions

I go through everything and follow up on anything that needs clarification. This is usually where the useful finds happen.

Preparation

I prepare your federal and state returns, applying the deductions and credits your situation supports.

Your review

We go through the completed return together. I explain the numbers and answer your questions. Nothing gets filed until you’re comfortable.

E-signature and filing

You sign electronically through the portal and I file with the IRS and NCDOR. You receive copies of everything for your records.

Year-round follow-up

If a notice arrives or something changes, you contact me. No new engagement required.

Getting started is easy

Bring what you have to the free consultation. That’s all it takes.

The What to Bring checklist

Every form by situation, with a printable PDF. Tick items off as they arrive.

Scan with the free app

Send clean PDFs, not camera photos. Every page of a form in one file.

Last year's return

New clients: the last two years. It shows how things were reported before.

Photo ID and Social Security numbers

Valid ID for you and your spouse, and numbers for everyone on the return.

DON'T HAVE IT ALL?

Book anyway.

Missing forms are routine. Many can be retrieved from your IRS online account or requested from the issuer. Book now; documents can come later through your secure client portal.

WHY AN ENROLLED AGENT

A federal tax credential, and a person you can call.

An Enrolled Agent is licensed by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and holds unlimited rights to represent taxpayers before the IRS. It’s a federal credential, earned through comprehensive examination on tax matters and maintained through annual continuing education.

Unlimited IRS representation

Practically, it means two things for you. First, tax is the specialty rather than one service among many. Second, if the IRS has questions about your return, the person who prepared it can represent you directly in all fifty states.

You deal with me directly

Beyond the credential: I’m based in Cary and work with clients across Wake County and the Triangle. You deal with me directly, not a rotating staff. I’m available year-round, since tax questions rarely arrive in April.

The whole picture

And because I also handle bookkeeping, business formation, and insurance, I see how the pieces of your situation connect rather than just the return in front of me.

English, Hindi and Nepali

I serve clients in English, Hindi, and Nepali.

Tax preparation questions

How much does individual tax preparation cost?

What documents do I need to bring?

Generally: photo ID, Social Security numbers for everyone on the return, all income forms (W-2s, 1099s, K-1s), last year’s return, and records for anything you plan to deduct. I send a checklist tailored to your situation so you’re not guessing.

Can you prepare my return if I live outside North Carolina?

Yes. Enrolled Agents are federally licensed, so I can prepare returns for clients in any state. Everything can be handled remotely through the secure portal, and I prepare state returns for other states as needed.

How long does it take?

For a straightforward return with complete documents, typically a few business days. More complex returns take longer, and filing season is busier than the rest of the year. I’ll give you a realistic timeline upfront.

What if I'm missing a document?

Missing forms are routine. Many can be retrieved from your IRS online account or requested from the issuer. If a document truly can’t be obtained, there are usually acceptable alternatives. We work it out rather than filing something incomplete.

What happens if I get audited?

Examinations are uncommon, and most contact from the IRS is a notice rather than a full audit. If you do receive one, I can represent you directly. No promises about outcomes, since those depend on the facts, but you won’t be dealing with the IRS alone.

Should I just use tax software instead?

For a simple W-2 return with the standard deduction, software is reasonable and I’ll tell you so. The value of professional preparation shows up once there’s self-employment income, rental property, investments, multiple states, or a significant life change. Software asks questions; it doesn’t know when your answer should prompt a different question.

Works even better with

Tax Planning

Lower next year’s tax before the year closes, not after.

Learn more →

IRS Representation

When a notice turns into something bigger, you’re not alone.

Learn more →

Health Insurance (Marketplace)

Enroll with income estimates that won’t surprise you at tax time.

Learn more →

Ready to get started?

Schedule a free consultation. We’ll talk through your situation and you’ll know exactly what your return involves and what it costs before you commit to anything.

After you book, you’ll receive a confirmation and a document checklist built around your circumstances. You upload your documents securely whenever you’re ready, and we go from there.

Or call (984) 666-5550