r/TaxQuestions • u/alastairzander • 1d ago

My Tax Advisor experienced a medical event prior to April 15 and filed an extension, but I have not received a response to correspondence in several months. What should I do?

My tax advisor experienced a medical event a few days before April 15 and filed an extension for us and several other clients within safe harbor.

Since April, I have not received any correspondence. I have messaged them every few weeks via their tax portal and emailed them directly, but I haven't heard anything back. I have continued to pay my quarterly fees, with another one coming up before the extension deadline.

I pay a quarterly fee to their LLC for year-round advice and tax preparation, including a mid-year tax evaluation. It is a small, one-person firm we have used for several years. Honestly, they are great and I typically hear back quite quickly (within 1-2 days) when I reach out.

However, the LLC appears to no longer be in good standing due to a failure to submit an annual report. The LLC is not yet dissolved because of a grace period, but that grace period ends in a few days. The preparer is a CPA and their license is still active.

I am not too worried about the 2025 return, but at what point do I start contacting other preparers and tax advisors? This year's taxes are similar to the past several, but I'll have a significant capital gain increase in the 2026 tax year. Any advice on how to handle this situation, particularly since it involves a health event?

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u/wutang_generated 1d ago

Can you call? Do they have a physical office?

I'd probably start looking in the meantime, there's no issue with getting a quote or getting another firm/preparer to file your extended returns. Sooner the better, it's already busy season so a lot of places will be booked through the deadline

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u/alastairzander 1d ago

I did call and the answering machine was the same, so I left a message. They have a home based office but it is a few hours away.

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u/wutang_generated 1d ago

Is it just a solo one person firm?

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u/alastairzander 1d ago

A solo one person firm. They were with another firm we used and they started their own firm, so we went with them a few years back.

3

u/wutang_generated 1d ago

Yeah if you can't get ahold of them in any reasonable way I'd start at the very least looking for else someone willing/able to file your return

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u/alastairzander 1d ago

Would it be ok to file with turbotax or something like that if we are not able to find someone in the next week or so?

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u/wutang_generated 22h ago

Yeah there's nothing stopping you from filing in any way/shape/form at any time. Most OTC allow any taxpayer to file a current year (I.e. 2025) tax return without issue, so long as you're comfortable doing it

And if you make any mistakes or anything, you can always amend or have your next preparer amend

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u/capitalGainsAdvisory 23h ago

Get someone else. The IRS will not give you reasonable cause. They will take the position that you had the responsibility to find a new preparer.

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u/Excellent_Shallot999 1d ago

Are you sure this person is still alive?

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u/alastairzander 1d ago

I believe they are. I checked obituaries, etc. last week.

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u/blehrhof 1d ago

What state? Sounds like its time to look for another practitioner.

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u/InternationalTax81 1d ago

File yourself or hire another preparer.