FAQs

Your deposit reserves your place on our schedule. Tax preparation appointments fill quickly, and the deposit allows us to set aside the dedicated time needed to prepare your return in accordance with our engagement letter.

We love our returning clients! However, tax regulations require us to verify your information every year—much like updating forms at a doctor’s office. Life changes, and you’re the best source for what’s new. The organizer ensures we have accurate, complete, and current information before preparing your return.

Most returns are completed within one week after we receive all required documents and your completed organizer. As tax season progresses, turnaround times may increase slightly. You can check your return’s status anytime in your client portal.

Once your intake is complete, your return follows our structured workflow:

1. Preparation – Your documents and organizer are assigned to the next available preparer.
2. Clerical Review – Our DoubleCheck Team reviews the return for clerical accuracy.
3. Manager Review – Valerie or Larry reviews the return for accuracy, completeness, potential issues, and opportunities.
4. Summary Sent to You – You receive a summary and draft return for review.
5. Client Approval & Signature – Once approved and signed, we file your return.
6. Confirmation – You’re notified when the IRS accepts your return.

Using the client portal is the fastest way to keep everything moving.

Just give us a call and we’ll be happy to reschedule you.

Yes! Evening and weekend appointments are available. You may schedule online or call the office.

Yes. Please bring your completed engagement letter and organizer. If these are not completed, we’ll ask you to fill them out when you arrive. We’ll scan your documents and assign your return to a preparer.

No. You may schedule a 20 minute intake appointment, during which a preparer can help complete your organizer, upload your documents, and answer basic questions.

Yes! You can upload documents, communicate with us, pay your fee, and sign your return entirely through the client portal.

Valerie reviews every return and prepares many of them. Our workflow allows her to focus on quality control, accuracy, and ensuring nothing is missed. She remains actively involved in every return that leaves our office.

We understand the trust you place in her. Valerie now focuses on management and review to ensure consistency, accuracy, and compliance across all returns.

All of our preparers complete at least 16 hours of continuing education annually, participate in the IRS Annual Filing Season Program, and are members of the National Association of Tax Professionals. You are in excellent hands with any member of our team.

Yes. All preparers are employees—not independent contractors. Your fee is paid to the firm, and staff are compensated hourly. This structure prioritizes accuracy and quality over speed or volume.

Basic questions are always welcome during intake or through the client portal. For more complex issues, we recommend scheduling a separate consultation.

We’re happy to answer basic questions related to your current return. For more in depth planning and strategy, please schedule a tax planning appointment outside of tax season.

Tax planning focuses on strategies to reduce your tax liability over the coming year(s). We review life changes, financial decisions, and long term goals, and often coordinate with your financial planner to understand the tax impact of your plans.

Absolutely. We begin offering W 4 Update Appointments in early May.

Under previous ownership, fees were lower. Today, the costs of professional software, technology, compliance requirements, and staffing have increased significantly.

We also transitioned from independent contractors to employees to ensure consistency, accountability, and service quality. This allows us to complete every return the “Burton Lyman way” and sustain reliable, professional service for years to come.

Burton Lyman Tax Service provides an electronic copy of your completed tax return at no additional charge. This copy is available through your secure client portal and may be downloaded and printed at any time.

If you prefer a printed hard copy, it may be purchased from our office. This fee covers the labor, printing materials, and postage. All hard copy returns are mailed to clients via USPS.

Marketing is a powerful thing. When comparing tax preparation services, it’s important to look at the entire cost, not just the advertised starting price.

Burton Lyman Tax Service is fully transparent with our pricing, which is always available online. We’ve seen many of the same advertisements you have—often those prices reflect a basic federal return only and do not include state filing or additional services.

Our base fee includes state filing, along with professional review, quality control, secure technology, and year round support. When comparing pricing, be sure you’re comparing the same level of service.

Absolutely. You may complete everything in our office. When your return is ready, you can come in to sign, or in some cases we can mail signature forms to you.

Our Client Portal is the secure system we use to receive documents, communicate with you, share your tax return, collect signatures, and process payments. The portal is powered by TaxDome, which is simply the platform behind the scenes.

You can access the portal using:

• The TaxDome mobile app
• A web browser at https://portal.burton-lyman.com
• The link on our public website at https://www.burton-lyman.com

All options lead to the same secure portal.

Please ask! You can reach us through the client portal or by calling the office. We’re always happy to help.