If you all can remember back in April I came here and vented, big time, about my problems with our accountant over charging us to do our income tax. Well, a few days ago I go to the mail and there is a letter from the accounting firm. My first thought was, "Oh great, now what do they want?" The envelope contained a letter from Revenue Canada telling me some portions of my income tax were being reviewed. There wasn't a cover letter or anything from the accountant. I wasn't worried because all they wanted was receipts. The accountant had e-filed so receipts weren't sent in at the time of filing.

Now I am worried b/c despite the fact that I had sent her a spreadsheet with my babysitters name and social insurance number and the amount paid each month, she wrote down something entirely different. I can't figure out how she got that number and don't really feel like calling her and asking.

Do you think I would get in much trouble if I sent a note along saying this is the information I provided my accountant and have no clue where she got the number she listed? The difference is $388.

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, July 29, 2005 - 01:21 pm:

Ouch! Sounds to me like your accountant is totally irresponsible. I hope you don't ever use her again. Yes, I think you should send the spreadsheet to the IRS and, if you have one, a receipt from your babysitter - tell the IRS this is the information you provided to your accountant, and send a copy of the letter and enclosures to your accountant.

If you wind up having to pay a penalty because of your accountant using the wrong numbers, I would hope that you can get your accountant to pay it.

By Paulas on Friday, July 29, 2005 - 01:26 pm:

Good point about the penalty, Ginny! I have never been so disappointed with services received before.

I'm guessing this accountant is off on maternity leave now. When she was doing our taxes in March she was visibly pregnant so I'm thinking she would have had the baby by now.