Interviewed by Jennifer Diaby
Q&A Please introduce and tell us a little about yourself. Thank you for this opportunity. I was born and raised in South Carolina. I grew up in St. Matthews and Orangeburg. I’m a graduate of South Carolina State University with a Bachelor’s in Accounting and Masters in Accounting with a Tax concentration from Strayer University. I spent 10+ years in accounting and finance departments of Fortune 500 companies then decided to ”hang my own shingle” if you will. I currently live in West Columbia. I enjoy traveling with my Husband of 13 years as well as watching the NBA. You are the owner of D. Hart Accounting Practitioner LLC. What type of services you offer and where are you located? We offer Tax Resolution, Tax Preparation and Tax Planning Services. We’re located at 215 Medical Circle in West Columbia; right across from Lexington Medical hospital. What inspired you to become a business owner and how many years have you been established? While at South Carolina State University, I signed up to be a volunteer tax preparer with the IRS. This was back in the day when tax preparation was still done by hand. I fell in love with taxation. Fast forward graduating from SCSU, I landed a part time job at H&R Block where I prepared taxes during tax season, then taught tax during the Fall seasons. The love of Tax Prep and Accounting along with motivation of my clients at H&R Block inspired me to become a business owner. H&R Block was only opened during tax season. Every tax season when I reported to work, many of my clients would ask me questions about issues that came up the prior year. Some of the issues could have been resolved quicker if only addressed within that year rather than waiting 9 months to a year later. That sparked the idea in my head of providing year-round service. I’ve been established 17 years…actually a little over 20 years if I count the bookkeeping service I started out of my home. Tell the readers more about one of your services called the B.A.S.I.C.? Wow! I’m not sure where you even saw this! It’s kind of convoluted by stay with here. So one definition of the word “basic” is to have simple facts about something. Tax and Accounting subjects can be most complicated. A part of my job when getting people out of tax trouble, tax preparation or providing tax strategies is to explain the process as simple as possible. B.A.S.I.C is an acronym that serves as a reminder to always simplify the information I provide my clients…not talk in “taxese”. Since I couldn’t find an acronym using the word “simple” I stuck with B.A.S.I.C. to state the services we provide. Bookkeeping for Tax Preparation - Annual Tax Support Services - SOS Tax Problem Help (immediate relief from wage garnishment & bank levies) - Income Tax Services: Problem Resolution, Preparation & Planning - Consulting (Ask Me Anything Mondays, seminars/webinars) How do you assist your clients who have businesses to stay out of tax trouble? First, I assess to make sure clients aren’t currently in tax trouble. If they are, then we formulate a plan of action to permanently get them out of tax trouble. From there we analyze the business and its owner/owners financial pictures no less than quarterly (sometimes more often) and formulate tax strategies to help save money as well as avoid “tax surprises” during tax season. What type of tax resolution services you provide for your clients? I provide permanent solutions for tax problems, not just putting a band-aid on it. Resolution services can be any of the following: IRS and/or state tax account analysis (what the IRS has on you, is it correct and what should your next steps be), Relief or Protection from Wage Garnishments, Bank Levies, Asset Seizures, Liens, Properly structured installment agreements (what you can afford, not what the IRS wants you to pay), Back tax filings, Settling debt for less than owed, Innocent Spouse relief, Penalty Abatement, Payroll Tax , Account monitoring, Audit assistance, IRS letter consultations. These are the more common services but there are other resolution options as well. Give our readers some important tips on tax strategies to minimize or eliminate their income tax bill? The best tip I can give to the individual or the business owner to minimize their income tax bill is make sure to have a PLAN. It doesn’t matter how good your tax coach, accountant, or tax preparer is entering a stack of paperwork on April 15. If you haven’t planned right, it’s too late for any strategy.
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