ComplaintsforMueller Accounting and Tax Services

• Initial Complaint

  09/12/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  This tax firm did my 2019 taxes and left my 4 children off of the 2019 tax returns. Causing me to take on expense to amend the taxes and also pay another accountant to expose other mistakes made. ***** Mueller offered me a settlement and when I told her my expenses exceeded her offer she refused to acknowledge and has been very difficult to communicate with. She now is ignoring my communication for resolution

  Business response

  09/25/2023

  I appreciate the opportunity to respond to ********************** complaint, because I have attempted to resolve this matter with him more than once, and it usually ends with him making a threat of some kind, and then no communication from him for months at a time.  ****************** and his then-wife hired my firm to prepare their business and personal tax returns for 2019.  The records were incomplete, and in particular, they neglected to include a copy of their 2018 tax return, as requested by us.  We request a prior-year return to use as a reference and baseline for all new clients.  If we had been provided a copy of the 2018 return, as requested, we would have had the information about the dependents that were not included on the 2019 return.  We prepared and provided a copy of the 2019 individual return for Mr. and ******************* to review prior to filing, as required, and we also provided them with copies of forms that authorize us to electronically file their returns.  A portion of the authorization form states that the client has reviewed the return, and that the return is complete and accurate.  Both Mr. and ******************* signed the form. 

  It is pretty clear that they did not actually review the return, as the information related to dependents is on the front of the first page of the main form of the return.  Had they reviewed the return at all, they should have noted that the information about their dependents was not included, as it would have been on prior period returns.  Based on their signatures on the authorization forms, we filed the returns.

  Earlier this year ****************** contacted me to inform me that he had engaged another professional to amend several prior period returns, and one of those was the personal return we had prepared for 2019.  It was the first I had been contacted by him, and the first I was aware of any error in the return.  I feel that we prepared the return based on the information we were provided, but in an attempt to acknowledge the error, i offered to refund half of the fee we charged to prepare the return, feeling that it was fair that ****************** bear some of the responsibility for the error, in that he did not provide me with complete information, and he did not review the return prior to authorizing me to file for him.  Initially ****************** agreed to my offer.  I asked him to provide me with a mailing address to which I could send payment, and I didn't hear from him for quite some time.  When he finally got back to me, he suddenly felt that my initial offer was no longer sufficient, and demanded that I reimburse him the cost of having his new preparer amend the return, but he refused to provide me with an amount, insisting instead that I needed to make him an offer that was better than what I had already made.  I asked him to provide details of the services provided to him by his new preparer, which again was met with months of silence.

  ****************** just contacted me again recently, demanding a reimbursement of the fees he had paid to his new preparer, but again declined to give me an actual amount.  He then became very threatening, and I was actually relieved to know that my office has relocated since he was last in person, because I felt he might be capable of coming in person to insist on payment of some kind.  At this point, I told ****************** that I did not feel comfortable communicating with him, to which he responded that he had my initial offer in writing, and that I needed to pay that or he would take me to court. This, in spite of the fact that he had twice previously told me that my initial offer of payment was insufficient.  I still have never received an address to which I could send any payment, even if he had agreed to my offer.

  I am at a loss as to how to resolve this dispute.  ****************** is resistant to any kind of rational discussion, and is insistent that I pay him for an amount that he paid someone else, but then refuses to tell me what that amount is.  I pride myself on working with my clients to ensure that returns are prepared correctly, and when there are issues, I try to come to an equitable agreement, but ****************** is so angry and unreasonable that this does not seem possible in this case.

  Customer response

  09/26/2023

  ***** Mueller is not as she is projecting herself in her response.  I have attached the email chain to show her accusations of me being irrational and faking her concerns about me are absolutely false.  I am not an accountant and do not know what to look for other than what I owe or what I am getting back, I rely on paying professionals for this knowledge.  She obviously has this authorization forms to try and protect her from her blatant errors her firm makes in preparing returns.  She left my 4 children off my taxes she prepared for me and caused me to not receive an $8,000 return on my tax returns she prepared.  She offered me half my fees back and as I realized the amount of money she cost me I told her I was premature on my feedback on her offer and she needed to make this right.  This amount she cost me I still have not received from the *** and I can't come up with a number until I know I get the $8,000.  The interest accrual alone on this money far exceeds her offer.  I have also paid another firm to amend the return she did in hopes of getting this money from the *** that is rightfully mine.  Please look at the attached email chain and see how she has treated the situation and myself.  Her non engagement and accusations has made it to where I feel I have no choice but to *** her for my damages.

  Customer response

  10/09/2023

  I responded to this company's response (did it not post with the BBB?) and then I got a message saying this case was closed.  They have never resolved this for me.  I need to not close this until this company can offer an adequate resolution.  Thanks.

  Customer response

  10/18/2023

  I have no idea what the offer/resolution is.  They have never provided a number just the scenario.  I would like to resolve this but need to feel their resolution is adequate.  The requested info below but I need to know what I am agreeing to for compensation/resolution please.

   

  ***************************

  13680 *************.

  ******, ** 80401

  Business response

  11/06/2023

  ****************** claims that I never provided him with a resolution amount, but that is not the case. When he first contacted me in early 2023, I offered to refund him half of the fee that I had charged him for the preparation of his 2019 individual income tax return.  The full fee was $800,so the refund I proposed was $400.  He initially accepted that offer, and when I asked him to send me a mailing address to use,he suddenly changed his mind and rejected my offer as insufficient, but refused to provide a counter to my offer.
  
  In later communication, he reminded me that he had my initial offer, and would take me to court, if need be, to collect on that offer.
  
  Again, I have no problem in trying to make this right for ******************, but have been unable to get him to tell me what would be required in order to do so.  I made a concrete offer of $400, which he has alternately accepted, rejected, and then threatened to *** me to collect.
  
  I have a check for $400 printed, signed and ready to mail.  He has, as of this date, never provided me with an address to which I can send payment.  Obviously, I can now see the address on the complaint, and am sending the check in todays mail.

  Customer response

  11/27/2023

  The resolution claiming Mueller Accounting sent a check to me for $400 on 11/8/23 is either not true or has been lost in the mail.  I waited 2 weeks to give ample time to receive this check and still nothing has been received.   Please advise what I do from here.  Certified mail would have been the proper way to do this but I doubt Mueller Accounting gave this a consideration.
  
  
  -DJ

  Business response

  12/06/2023

  Despite having requested the complainant's mailing address multiple times, he has never provided that to me.  I mailed a refund check to him at the address listed in the complaint, and it was returned to me as undeliverable, and unable to be forwarded.  A picture of the returned envelope is attached.  If the complainant will provide an updated mailing address, I will be happy to resend the check.

  Customer response

  12/12/2023

   Hello,
  
  I am confused on where Mueller got the address they sent the check to.  I would like certified mail since ***** Mueller contradicts herself and I don't believe her intentions are true.  Thanks.
  
  ***********************************************************
  
  Here is my address in the BBB complaint. **********************************************************
   
  Here is the copy of the returned check.  Not my address
  
  -DJ

  Customer response

  01/04/2024

  I am just beside myself on this.  Last time I replied I put in my correct mailing address.  Mueller is either playing games or not paying attention.

   

  My Address

  13680 *************.

  ******, ** 80401

   

  Can you please acknowledge my correct address is on this complaint??  Why she keeps sending to the wrong address just seem malicious on her part when it is in this complaint and this is the 2nd time I have replied putting it on the complaint.

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