Engagement letter & service agreement.

This agreement is between Southeast Tax Services, 1000 Iris Drive SW, Suite G1, Conyers, GA 30094 (“the Firm,” “we,” “us”) and the individual or entity signing below (“you,” “the Client”).

It governs the services you select below and remains in effect for that engagement until the work is delivered or either party ends it in writing.

We will perform only the services identified in this agreement and in any written scope, quote, or booking confirmation we send you. Common engagements include preparation and electronic filing of federal and state income tax returns, IRS and state resolution representation, notary services, business formation, bookkeeping setup, and advisory consultations.

Services not listed — including audit defense for returns we did not prepare, litigation support, financial statement audits or reviews, and legal representation — are outside this engagement and require a separate written agreement.

We prepare returns from the information you provide. We are not engaged to discover fraud, defalcation, or other irregularities, though we will inform you of anything that comes to our attention.

You are responsible for the completeness and accuracy of the information you give us, including all income, deductions, credits, and supporting documentation. You must keep the records that substantiate every item reported.

You agree to review your return or work product before it is filed or delivered, and to tell us promptly about anything that appears incorrect or incomplete. You, not the Firm, have final responsibility for the returns filed under your name.

You agree to respond to our requests for information in time for us to meet filing deadlines. Late or incomplete information may make an extension necessary.

You agree to provide government-issued photo identification and Social Security cards (or ITIN letters) for yourself, your spouse, and any dependents claimed. We are required to verify identity before preparing or filing a return on your behalf, and we may decline to file until that verification is complete.

You certify that all information and documents you submit — including anything uploaded through our intake forms or portal — are true, complete, and accurate to the best of your knowledge. We rely entirely on client-provided information and are not responsible for errors or omissions resulting from incomplete, inaccurate, or withheld information.

We will exercise due professional care and apply the standards of the Internal Revenue Code, Treasury Circular 230, and applicable state law. Positions taken on your return will have a reasonable basis supported by the facts you provide.

We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice. We are not investment advisers and do not provide securities, insurance, or investment recommendations. Where a matter requires an attorney or another specialist, we will tell you.

Tax law changes, and taxing authorities may take positions that differ from ours. A favorable outcome is never guaranteed. Any estimate of a refund, balance, penalty reduction, or resolution outcome is a professional projection, not a promise.

Fees are based on the complexity of your return or matter, the forms and schedules required, and the time involved. Our published prices are starting points: individual returns begin at $349, homeowner and family returns at $749, self-employed returns at $999, and business returns at $1,499. Resolution, notary, and formation work is quoted separately.

We will confirm your fee before work begins. Additional forms, corrected documents, late-arriving information, or an expansion of scope may change the fee, and we will tell you before doing that work.

Payment is due when the return or work product is delivered, unless you have selected a refund-transfer product and qualified for it. Third-party bank fees for refund transfers and advances are set by the bank, not by the Firm, and are disclosed to you separately.

Fees pay for professional work performed. They are not contingent on the size of a refund or on the outcome of an IRS matter.

You may cancel or reschedule an appointment at any time before it begins at no charge using the link in your confirmation message.

If you cancel an engagement before we begin substantive work, any amount you have paid is fully refundable. Once preparation or representation work has started, fees are refundable only to the extent of work not yet performed.

Filing fees paid to the IRS, a state agency, or the Secretary of State are non-refundable once submitted, as are third-party bank product fees.

The Refund Transfer is an optional tax refund-related product offered by Pathward®, N.A., Member FDIC. The Refund Transfer is not a loan. E-filing of tax return is required to be eligible for the product. It allows your preparation fees to be deducted from your refund instead of paid up front; it does not change when the IRS issues your refund. A bank fee applies and is set by the bank, not by the Firm, and is disclosed to you in writing before you sign.

With a Refund Transfer you may receive your funds by direct deposit, on a FasterMoney® Visa® Prepaid Card issued in office, or as a bank check printed in office. No bank account is required for the card or the check. A Refund Advance is a separate product: it is an optional tax-refund related loan provided by Pathward®, N.A., Member FDIC (it is not the actual tax refund), not by the Firm. Tax returns may be filed electronically without applying for this loan. Loans are offered in amounts of $250 (where available), $500, $1,000, or 25%, 50% or 75% of your expected tax refund up to $7,500; $7,500 is available only to well-qualified applicants with a minimum expected tax refund of $10,592. Loans of $250, $500 and $1,000 have an APR of 0.00%; percentage-based loans have an APR of 36.0% with a minimum loan of $1,250. The loan and applicable interest are deducted from your tax refund. Availability is subject to identity verification, eligibility criteria and underwriting standards, and timing is not guaranteed.

Where you elect electronic filing, you authorize us to transmit your return to the IRS and applicable state agencies after you have reviewed and signed the appropriate e-file authorization (Form 8879 or its state equivalent).

For resolution engagements, you authorize us to submit Form 2848 (Power of Attorney) or Form 8821 (Tax Information Authorization) so we may speak with the IRS on your behalf on the matters and years listed on that form.

A return is not filed until the taxing authority accepts it. We will notify you of acceptance or rejection.

You authorize Southeast Tax Services, LLC to prepare and submit the returns, amended returns, and authorizations described in this agreement and in the intake form you complete for the service requested.

Where you engage us for an amendment, we will prepare and file Form 1040-X (Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return), and any corresponding state amendment, for the tax year or years you specify, based solely on the information and documentation you provide.

An amendment engagement is limited to the change or changes you request. It does not include a full review, audit, or re-preparation of the original return — whether that return was prepared by you, by another professional, by online software, or by our firm — unless we agree to that separately in writing.

Filing an amended return does not guarantee a refund, a reduction in tax liability, or acceptance of the changes by the IRS or a state tax authority. An amendment may also increase the tax you owe.

Amended returns are processed manually by the IRS and commonly take 16 weeks or longer, and state processing times vary. We have no control over processing times, refund issuance, or correspondence sent to you during that period.

Amendment fees are based on the complexity of the change and the number of tax years amended, and are non-refundable once work has begun.

You remain responsible for any tax, penalty, or interest assessed on the original or amended return. Assistance responding to an IRS or state notice arising from an amendment is a separate engagement and is billed separately.

Bank products, including Refund Transfer and Refund Advance, are not available on amended returns.

We treat your information as confidential and disclose it only as you direct, as required to perform the engagement, or as required by law. We do not sell your information.

Documents you upload are transmitted over an encrypted connection and stored in a private, access-controlled repository available only to firm staff working your matter.

Our full data practices are described in our Privacy Policy, which forms part of this agreement.

We retain engagement records, including copies of returns and supporting documents, for seven years, after which they may be securely destroyed.

Our copies do not replace your own records. You should keep originals and your own copies of everything you provide to us.

If a taxing authority contacts you about a return we prepared, send us the notice promptly. Reviewing and responding to a notice is additional work and is billed separately unless a written guarantee or service plan covers it.

If an error on our part causes a penalty or interest charge that you would not otherwise have owed, we will address it under the terms of our published guarantees.

We may contact you by phone, email, and text about your appointment, your return, and documents we need. Message frequency varies based on client activity. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out of texts and HELP for help. Consent to texts is not a condition of purchase and is collected separately from this agreement.

Email is not a fully secure medium. For anything sensitive, please use our document upload portal rather than email attachments.

Except in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct, the Firm's total liability arising from this engagement is limited to the fees you paid for the specific service at issue.

Neither party is liable to the other for indirect, consequential, or punitive damages. You remain responsible for taxes, interest, and penalties you would have owed had your return been prepared correctly from the start.

Either party may end this engagement in writing at any time. If we withdraw, we will tell you why and give you a reasonable opportunity to engage another preparer.

You remain responsible for fees earned and expenses incurred through the date of termination.

This agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Georgia. Any dispute will be resolved in the state or federal courts serving Rockdale County, Georgia.

If any provision is found unenforceable, the remainder stays in force.

Under the federal E-SIGN Act and the Georgia Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, your typed name below, submitted with the consent checkboxes, is a legally binding electronic signature with the same effect as a handwritten one.

We record the date, time, and technical details of your signature as proof of signing. You may request a paper copy of this agreement at no charge by calling 678-883-5100, and you may withdraw consent to electronic signature at any time before submitting this form by signing in our office instead.