Lines are getting slimmer at post offices as many tax payers are deciding to file their taxes electronically and allow the Internal Revenue Service to make necessary deposits or deductions from their bank accounts automatically.But for those who still mail their taxes, they can be thankful that April 15 falls on Saturday this year, giving them an extra two days to get their taxes done. Those who will be mailing their taxes must have their IRS bundles postmarked by midnight next Monday.
Frank Reid, Sr. of Frank W. Reid Income Tax Preparation on McClellan Boulevard said most of his clients are going to electronic filing because it’s easier and saves so much time.
“Unlike a lot of tax service businesses, we don’t charge extra for electronic filing,” Reid said. “And it really saves the customer a lot of headache.”
Reid said it’s still not too late to get help with taxes and also said his office will continue to prepare taxes for those who need their service through Saturday. His tax service does not operate by appointment but on a walk-in basis starting at 7 a.m. and running through sometimes 8 or 9 p.m.
“We prepared about 1,400 last year,” Reid said. “This year, we’re up to over 1,200 and still going strong. The liveliest time of all is the last week. It makes up about 15 percent of our business.”
Reid said his best guess as to why the last week is his busiest is probably the number of people who know he charges anywhere from $60 and up, depending on the particular form needed by the customer. He also does students free if he does the parents’ taxes.
Reid said he’s been preparing taxes since the 1960s and in 1978 went to work for himself.
“We’ve gotten a lot of new customers — many by word of mouth,” Reid said. “But a lot of them are people who have been doing business with us since we opened.”
Those who have been having their taxes done by Frank W. Reid Income Tax Preparation & Accounting Service know that it’s a family owned business with several members that have a hand in it.
“It’s a family affair,” Reid said. “My wife, Martha is the biggest asset. She’s not only the receptionist but she greets customers, gives them coffee, and makes them feel at home.”
Other than Reid’s wife, Martha, his son, Frank W. Reid, Jr. is a software technician and specialist who runs the program. His grandson’s wife, Kim Reid, works every evening filing away massive quantity of papers and does any of the bookkeeping tasks that are necessary.
Reid said the whole process is fairly short, taking him anywhere from an average of 30 to 45 minutes to complete one tax return. Some customers wait, while others drop off their necessary documents to be picked up later.
“It takes longer to do some that own businesses or farms,” Reid said. “Then it might take over an hour.”
Others choose to be adventurous and prepare their returns themselves.
Jacksonville resident and physical therapist Delissa Lumpkin has spent the past several weeks preparing her taxes.
“Because I travel in my job, my taxes are a little different than most. I have to keep up with expenses,” Lumpkin said. “It’s always a chore getting all of it together at this time of the year.”
