
FAQs
Answers to your tax questions
Everything individuals and business owners actually ask us — the services we offer, how our fixed-fee engagements work, IRS defense, multi-state and international filing, and how to get started. Written the way we'd explain it on a call.
Before you browse
Straight answers, no jargon
We've organized the questions we hear most below — grouped by theme, from planning and savings to IRS defense and how our engagements work. Each answer is written the way we'd explain it on a call, not the way a compliance team would draft it.
Can't find your question? Every submission on our contact form is read by a real member of the team — a licensed CPA, Enrolled Agent or tax attorney — and answered within one business day.
How we answer
Response time
< 1 business day
Answered by
CPAs, EAs & tax attorneys
Cost to ask
Always free
Obligation
None to engage further
Getting started
The questions we hear most often
Services, pricing, working with us remotely, and what to do about the IRS. The essentials, first.
What services does SMAART Tax offer?
Individual and business tax preparation, proactive year-round tax planning, IRS audit defense and tax-debt resolution, business tax credits, international tax (FBAR/FATCA), and state & local tax. One team handles everything from a simple 1040 to complex corporate and multi-state filings.
How much do your services cost?
We quote a fixed engagement fee up front, based on the complexity of your return or plan — no hourly meter and no surprise invoice at filing time. The initial consultation is free, and you'll have a transparent quote before any work begins.
I just started a business. When should I hire a tax professional?
As early as possible. The entity you choose and the elections you make in year one shape your tax bill for years. Engaging us at the start lets us set up your structure, payroll and bookkeeping correctly and start planning before the first deadline.
Do you work with clients outside of Florida?
Yes. We're headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, FL, but serve individuals and businesses in all 50 states and abroad — fully remote through our encrypted client portal, or in person by appointment.
Can you help if I'm being audited by the IRS?
Yes. We provide full IRS representation: we become your single point of contact, handle every communication with the examiner, confine the audit's scope, and fight to reverse penalties. You never have to speak with the IRS directly.
How do I get started?
Book a free consultation. We'll review your situation, quote a fixed fee, and show you exactly what we'd do differently — no pressure and no obligation.
Planning & savings
Proactive planning, bigger savings
Why year-round strategy beats once-a-year filing — and where the $25K+ average tax saved actually comes from.
What's the difference between tax preparation and tax planning?
Preparation is filing what already happened — accurately, and with every legal deduction captured. Planning is the year-round work that shapes what happens next: entity structure, timing, elections and credits that make next April's bill smaller by design. We do both, and the planning is where most of the $25K+ average tax saved comes from.
How much can proactive tax planning actually save me?
It varies with your situation, but across our clients the average tax saved is more than $25,000. The bigger the income, the more entity choice, retirement structure, and timing decisions move the number. We show you the projected savings before you engage — so the plan pays for itself before you commit.
I just started a business. When should I hire a tax professional?
As early as possible. The entity you choose and the elections you make in year one shape your tax bill for years. Engaging us at the start lets us set up your structure, payroll and bookkeeping correctly and start planning before the first deadline — not scramble to fix it at filing time.
Do you handle complex returns — equity, crypto, rental income?
Yes. RSUs and stock options, cryptocurrency, K-1s, multi-state rental property, foreign income — these are exactly the returns generic software and seasonal preparers get wrong. Every return is prepared and signed by a licensed CPA, Enrolled Agent, or tax attorney who owns the outcome.
IRS defense & resolution
We stand between you and the IRS
Audits, notices, back taxes and penalties — handled by credentialed professionals so you never face the IRS alone.
Can you help if I'm being audited by the IRS?
Yes. We provide full IRS representation: we become your single point of contact, handle every communication with the examiner, confine the audit's scope, and fight to reverse penalties. You never have to speak with the IRS directly — that's what our credentialed representation is for.
I owe back taxes I can't pay. What are my options?
More than you'd think. Installment agreements, Offer in Compromise, penalty abatement, currently-not-collectible status, and innocent-spouse relief are all on the table depending on your situation. We assess which path realistically reduces what you owe and negotiate it with the IRS on your behalf.
I got an IRS notice. Should I be worried?
Don't panic, and don't respond on your own. Many notices are routine, but the wording — and the deadline — matters. Send it to us before you reply. We'll tell you exactly what it means, what's actually at stake, and handle the response so a small issue doesn't become a large one.
Working with us
Fees, reach & how it works
Fixed-fee pricing, multi-state and international filing, and what sets SMAART Tax apart.
How much do your services cost?
We quote a fixed engagement fee up front, based on the complexity of your return or plan — no hourly meter and no surprise invoice at filing time. The initial consultation is free, and you'll have a transparent quote before any work begins.
Do you work with clients outside of Florida?
Yes. We're headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, FL, but serve individuals and businesses in all 50 states and abroad — fully remote through our encrypted client portal, or in person by appointment.
Can you file multi-state and international returns?
Yes. Multi-state nexus, remote-work allocation, FBAR and FATCA reporting, expat returns, treaty relief and FIRPTA — cross-border tax is a core part of what we do. One team handles the federal, state and international pieces together, so nothing falls between the cracks.
What makes SMAART Tax different from other firms?
Over 21,700 returns filed for 9,245+ clients, more than 20 years of expertise, and a team of CPAs, Enrolled Agents and tax attorneys — all under one roof. We plan proactively instead of once a year, quote fixed fees up front, and stand between you and the IRS. That's a breadth and depth of tax expertise most firms simply can't match.
How do I get started?
Book a free consultation. We'll review your situation, quote a fixed fee, and show you exactly what we'd do differently — no pressure and no obligation.
Ready to stop overpaying the IRS?
Book a free consultation. We'll review your situation, quote a fixed fee, and show you exactly what we'd do differently — no pressure.




