Tax Services
Tax season doesn’t have to be a scramble. At Titus CPAs, we handle every detail of your preparation, planning, and even IRS correspondence, so you can approach tax time with clarity and confidence. We prepare returns for individuals, partnerships, S corporations, and estates and trusts, and our proactive planning is there so the return holds no surprises and you can stay focused on what matters most.
The returns we prepare
We prepare federal and state returns, in Alabama and across the country, for:
- individuals and families, including part-year residents and people with income in more than one state
- partnerships and multi-member LLCs
- S corporations
- C corporations
- estates and trusts
- non-profit organizations, including Form 990
Plus the Alabama business privilege tax return, for entities whose tax is over the $100 exemption.
What ties them together is that one return usually depends on another. A business owner's personal return cannot be finished until the business return is, and a trust's beneficiaries are waiting on the trust. We plan filing season around that order, so nobody is left waiting on a document that should have been ready weeks earlier.
How filing season runs
For calendar-year businesses, partnership and S corporation returns are due March 15. Individual and C corporation returns are due April 15, as are most estate and trust returns. Non-profits follow on May 15.
We start collecting documents in January through our secure client portal. Where something is missing, we tell you exactly what and why, rather than sending a general reminder. When a return needs more time, we file the extension before the deadline and tell you what you owe in the meantime. An extension gives more time to file, not more time to pay.
When the IRS or your state writes to you
A letter from the IRS or a state revenue department is stressful, and most of them are routine. Send it to us before you respond or pay anything. With your authorization we can speak to the agency directly. We handle:
- notices that propose changes to a return
- penalty abatement requests
- payment plans and installment agreements
- examinations
- returns that were never filed
We will also tell you early what a realistic outcome looks like. Sometimes that means advising you not to spend money chasing a better one.
Planning, so the return holds no surprises
The return records what already happened. Planning is what changes it, and it works best done steadily through the year rather than in a rush in December.
For most clients that means:
- a projection in the fall
- estimated payments that match the year you are actually having
- a review of retirement contributions before the deadlines close
- for business owners, a look at entity structure and owner pay
Alabama, like many states, also lets partnerships and S corporations elect to pay the state tax at the entity level. For some owners that makes the state tax deductible on the federal return. Whether it helps depends on the owners, so we run it each year rather than assuming.
Our view is that most surprise tax bills come from a missed or undersized estimated payment, not from a mistake on the return. It is the easiest problem in tax to prevent, and we watch for it. Our quarterly estimated tax calculator shows the safe harbor for your own numbers.
Questions about our tax services
What is the difference between tax preparation and tax planning? Preparation reports a year that is already over. Planning looks at the year you are in and the next one, while there is still time to change the result. We do both, and the planning is usually where the savings are.
Can you file an extension for me? Yes. We file federal and state extensions when a return needs more time. The extension covers filing only, so we estimate what you owe and make sure it is paid by the original deadline.
I received a letter from the IRS. What should I do? Do not ignore it, and do not pay it until someone has checked it. Many notices are wrong or can be reduced. Send it to us with the return it refers to and we will tell you what it means and what to do next.
Do you prepare returns for trusts and estates? Yes. We prepare estate and trust income tax returns and work with the attorney and the trustee or executor, so everyone knows who is reporting what.
Business tax returns including 1120-S, 1065 and 1120, plus the state returns that go with them, require more than filling in boxes. We prepare accurate, compliant returns while looking for opportunities to reduce your liability and keep more of your hard-earned profit.
Filing your taxes doesn’t have to be overwhelming. We prepare your return accurately and look for the deductions and credits that apply to you, so you can file with confidence.
Taxes shouldn’t be a surprise. Our proactive tax planning strategies help you reduce liabilities, seize opportunities, and align your tax approach with your long-term goals.
Protecting your legacy starts with the right tax strategy. We handle the specialized requirements of estates and trusts, ensuring your assets are managed and transferred as efficiently as possible. We work alongside the attorney and the trustee so that nobody is guessing about who reports what.
Notices, examinations, penalty abatement requests, and installment agreements. We take the correspondence off your desk and deal with the examiner directly. We will also tell you early what a realistic outcome looks like, which sometimes means advising you not to spend money chasing a better one.
Are you ready to build your legacy?
Whether it’s tax planning, bookkeeping, or business strategy, we’re here to help.