Engagement Letter
We've updated our Engagement Letter for 2025.
This document outlines the terms and conditions
associated with engaging Rockland Pros.
As a reminder,
ALL Clients are required to sign our current Engagement Letter
prior to commencing and/or continuing ANY of our services in 2025.
Income Tax Preparation Process
In the interest of transparency, below you will find an outline of our income tax preparation process, which is used for business and personal returns...
- Engagement Letter: Our annual services agreement, sent to Clients through Canopy for their review and electronic signature.
- Tax Organizer: A questionnaire, sent to Clients through Canopy as a checklist to minimize the risk of overlooking important tax information. Rockland Pros will review the Client's Tax Organizer beginning on their respective Start Dates.
- Tax Documentation: A Client Request will be sent through Canopy, after Clients submit their Tax Organizer, to begin uploading their files. Rockland Pros will beginning reviewing our Clients' tax information on their Start Dates.
- Reconciliation: Performed by Rockland Pros. During this step, we will review our Clients' Tax Organizers together with their tax documentation to confirm that we have all the information necessary to prepare and file our Clients' income tax returns.
- Draft Income Tax Returns: Performed by Rockland Pros staff or ERO based on nature or complexity of each income tax return.
- Review Income Tax Returns: Performed exclusively by an ERO (e.g., Brian Campbell).
- Summary & Administration: Sent to Clients through the Canopy Client Portal.
- e-File Authorization Forms: Sent to Clients through the Canopy Client Portal. [Note: For Married Filing Jointly (MFJ) income tax returns, Rockland Pros must receive the electronic signatures of BOTH taxpayers.]
- Invoice: Sent to Clients through Canopy.
- e-File: Upon receipt of the e-File Authorization Forms and payment of our invoice, Rockland Pros will electronically file Client's income tax returns.
This process aligns 100% to the automated workflow that we designed and implemented in Canopy.
Scheduled Work Model
Most Accounting firms use the traditional "First In, First Out (FIFO)" model - i.e., preparing income tax returns in the order received.
This makes it difficult for Accountants and Tax Preparers
to provide timelines to each client.
Recently, some firms have been experimenting with
a "Scheduled Work" model.
Although it is still a theoretical approach, we have decided to transition our firm from the FIFO model to the Schedule Work model.
Using this model, Clients will RESERVE specific Start Dates and specific End Dates for the the preparation and filing of our
Clients' income tax returns.
This finite window will promote transparency and enable better resource allocation, helping us to meet the April 15th deadline.
A link to reserve Start Dates will be sent to Clients
upon signing of our Engagement Letter.
There will be 2 links to choose from...
Start Dates - On-Time Filings
Start Dates - Extended Filings
The Start Dates are NOT "appointments".
They are the dates that our team will begin preparing your income tax returns.
Canopy: Client Portal
We have some exciting enhancement that we would like to
bring to your attention for 2025...
- Workflow: We've designed a workflow within Canopy that aligns with our income tax preparation process to help facilitate the preparation and filing of your income tax returns.
- Engagement Letter: Upon the signing of the Engagement Letter, Canopy will automatically create the income tax preparation workflow for each Client - beginning with creation of a Communication Hub that will be available within your Client Portal.
- Communication Hub: We took your feedback and created a Communication Hub, accessible within your Canopy Client Portal, to can communicate with us throughout the income tax preparation process.
- Tax Organizer: We experimented with this built-in Canopy tool last year and decided to roll it out to all of our Clients this Tax Season to minimize the risk that our Clients may forget to provide us with important tax information.
- Status Updates: As part of the workflow, our Clients will receive automated updates upon the completion of each step within the income tax preparation process. This will provide more transparency throughout the process.
- Invoices: All of our invoices have been created and sent through QuickBooks since our inception. It was brought to our attention that these invoices have been caught by e-mail filters, putting them in spam/junk mail folders. We will be using Canopy to send invoices, which you can view from within your Client Portal.
- Payment: Payment by electronic check (ACH) or credit card will be available directly through Canopy. For those who wish to pay by credit card, Canopy's merchant service processor offers significantly lower rates than we were able to offer through QuickBooks. Payments can be made directly through your Client Portal.
This commitment to innovation reflects our unwavering dedication to providing top-tier services in an ever-evolving industry.
Appointments
With the significant increase in the complexity of the tax codes, the limited time available to file tax returns and lack of experienced Accounting professionals (industry-wide), we discontinued the use of our online scheduling tool for income tax appointments.
A formal appointment is NOT required to drop off your tax information. You may drop off your tax information,
consistent with prior years, at our office
between 9am and 5pm from Monday through Friday.
Feel free to contact our office to coordinate a day and time with our Office Manager so that we are available to receive your tax information.
Pricing Model
Rockland Pros has transitioned its billing model from the
"Cost-per-Form" model to an "Hourly Rate" model for all services, effective January 1, 2025.
Hourly rates will be billed in 15-minute increments as follows:
- Administrative Staff (Non-Accounting Staff) = $50 per hour
- Accounting Staff (Non-Filers) = $150 per hour
- Managing Partner/Electronic Returns Originators (ERO's) = $300 per hour
This transition is designed to provide:
- More Transparency: Clients will be billed for the actual time and effort involved in performing its services, in excess of its minimum rates per services.
- Fairer Pricing: Complex or unique situations will receive the attention they need, with fees reflecting the time involved.
- Improved Service Delivery: This fee structure allows Rockland Pros to leverage resources, ensuring quality and accuracy.
This change aligns Rockland Pros with evolving industry standards, while ensuring fair compensation for the expertise provided to each Client.
Minimum Rates
Rockland Pros has established minimum rates based on the type of income tax return prepared.
The minimum rate per income tax return type is as follows:
- Individual/Personal Income Tax Returns (Form 1040) = $500 per return
- Partnership Income Tax Returns (Form 1065) = $2,000 per return
- S Corporation Income Tax Returns (Form 1120-S) = $2,000 per return
- C Corporation Income Tax Returns (Form 1120) = $2,000 per return
- Not-For-Profit/Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax Returns = $1,200 per return
- Estates & Trusts = $500 per return
Our invoices may also include any out-of-pocket expenses (e.g., postage and delivery, filing fees, technology fees), where applicable.
Payment Methods
We will continue to accept the following payment methods:
Cash, Check, Electronic Check, Zelle/Chase QuickPay,
Venmo, Paypal and Credit Cards.
We are transitioning from QuickBooks Payments to Canopy Payments. This transition will be more efficient for our team, eliminate invoices from ending up in spam/junk mail folders, and will reduce the credit card fees previously charged through QuickBooks.
As a reminder, all invoices are due upon receipt. Income tax returns will not be filed until invoices are paid in full.
Estimated Tax Payments
To facilitate the filing of income tax extensions on behalf of our clients,
Rockland Pros requires completion of the Estimated Tax Payments Form IF you would like to make Estimated Tax Payments with an Extensions.
As a reminder, an Extension allows gives you additional time to file of your income tax returns; Extensions do not allow additional time to make your tax payments. All income tax payments are due by April 15th.
Upon completion of the form, we will file your Extensions and make the associated Estimated Tax Payments.
All Estimated Tax Payment requests must be submitted to Rockland Pros before January 31st. If we do not receive your Estimated Tax Payment requests by January 31st, we will file Extensions without an Estimated Tax Payment.
Should you decide to make an Estimated Tax Payment after we file your Extensions, you (not Rockland Pros) can do so by making the payment(s) through the IRS website and/or the website of the State tax authorities.
Our Team
We re-engaged our service agreement with our
International Accounting Firm partner to assist with the
review of your tax documentation
and the preparation of your income tax returns.
Be rest assured that ALL income tax returns
will continue to be reviewed and filed by an
Electronic Returns Originator (ERO) of Rockland Pros.
Our Clients
As an Accounting and Consulting firm, we strive to ensure that our services align perfectly with our clients' requirements.
As part of our commitment to delivering exceptional services,
we conduct an annual review of our client portfolio. This process allows us to strategically align our resources and
expertise with the evolving needs of our clients.
In some cases, this may lead to a decision to conclude our
professional relationship with certain clients, ensuring that
we can continue to provide the highest quality of service
to those best suited to our firm's capabilities and
specializations.
Before we engage new clients, we kindly request that prospective clients complete our brief Questionnaire. This helps us gather essential information to determine if we're the right fit for your specific needs. The Questionnaire covers basic details about your tax situation and allows us to provide you with the most appropriate and efficient service.
Prospective Client Questionnaire.
Once you've completed the Questionnaire, we'll review your information and get back to you promptly to discuss the next steps. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to the possibility of assisting you with our services.
Office Location
We are happy to report that we renewed our lease with
Office Evolution,
a Corporate suite within
1 Blue Hill Plaza, Lobby Level, Suite 1509
(across from the Security Desk)!
For those who are not familiar with Blue Hill Plaza, we are in the skyscraper located across from the Pearl River Hilton
(as depicted in the picture).
As a reminder, we welcome visitors by appointment only - no walk-ins.
Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Tax Preparers
Tax preparers must display taxpayers’ rights and meet standards to ensure ethical service to customers
The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance encourages taxpayers to know their rights when hiring a tax preparer. New York State’s Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Tax Preparers establishes standards to help protect the public from dishonest tax preparers.
“Before hiring a tax preparer, taxpayers can review the state’s Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Tax Preparers to make sure their preparer follows ethical practices and standards,” said New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner Amanda Hiller. “While most tax return preparers are honest professionals, some take advantage of their position of trust and access to sensitive information to scam customers out of their hard-earned money.”