Individual Tax Preparation Cumming, GA

Two W-2 paychecks plus a small side hustle. The classic Cumming family pattern. We file the joint 1040 with the Schedule C for the side hustle, calculate self-employment tax, set up the home office and mileage deductions if applicable, and project quarterly estimated taxes for the side hustle going into the next year.

One spouse W-2, one spouse self-employed full-time. If the self-employed spouse may benefit from S-corp election, we flag the issue and coordinate with a CPA partner for the tax strategy recommendation.

Real estate agents and rental property owners are referred to a CPA partner. Those returns need specialized treatment, and we would rather put you with the right preparer than stretch outside our lane.

Households with K-1 income from family or investment partnerships. We integrate the K-1 numbers into the 1040, apply the QBI deduction where applicable, and handle the at-risk and basis tracking that comes with partnership investments.

Households with significant capital gains or losses. We optimize the harvesting of losses against gains, apply the 0% / 15% / 20% federal capital gains rate brackets correctly, and handle the wash sale rules if there are repeat transactions in similar securities.

Child tax credit (up to $2,000 per qualifying child under 17, partially refundable). Dependent care credit if both spouses work and pay for childcare. Education credits (American Opportunity Credit for undergraduate years at Forsyth Central, North Forsyth, or anywhere in college; Lifetime Learning Credit for graduate or continuing education). HSA contribution deduction. IRA contribution deductions (with the income phase-outs for traditional IRA based on workplace retirement plan coverage).

For Georgia specifically: the 529 plan contribution deduction (up to $4,000 per beneficiary, $8,000 joint), the retirement income exclusion for taxpayers 62+, the Georgia low-income credit, and various Georgia-specific business and education credits.

For homeowners: mortgage interest deduction, property tax deduction (subject to the $10,000 SALT cap), and the residential energy efficiency credits if you installed qualifying solar, heat pump, or insulation systems. The IRA-funded energy credits in particular can be substantial for homeowners who upgraded HVAC or added solar.

Late January or early February: you receive an email with a portal link and a checklist of documents we expect (W-2s, 1099s, mortgage interest, property tax, charitable receipts, K-1s, brokerage statements, etc.). Upload as you receive them; we are notified each time something arrives.

Once your file is complete, we prepare the return inside one to two weeks during normal season. We send a draft for signature and include a Loom video walking through the return and the key things to note. You review, ask questions, and sign electronically.

E-file goes out within 24 hours of your signature. Acceptance confirmation lands inside 48 hours. Refunds typically deposit inside 21 days for federal and 3 to 4 weeks for Georgia. If you owe a balance, we walk you through the payment options.

After filing, we keep a copy of the return on file for seven years and we are available for any IRS or Georgia DOR notices that arrive later. Most notices are routine and resolve without payment of what the first letter says.

Individual tax preparation pricing scales with complexity. Simple W-2 returns with no extra schedules start at $275. Standard returns with itemized deductions, child credit, and one or two extra schedules typically run $400 to $650. Self-employed (Schedule C) returns run $500 to $900. Multi-state returns add $100 to $300 per additional state.

For Cumming clients who use us for both ongoing bookkeeping (freelancer or small business) and personal tax preparation, we discount the personal tax fee 15% versus standalone pricing.