CPA Takeover
Your Accountant Stopped Responding
When a preparer goes quiet, the hardest part is not knowing where things stand. A licensed CPA can review the filing history, determine what remains outstanding, and take over the work so the matter moves forward.
Tell Us What You Need Help With
Briefly describe the filing, notice, business, or international issue so we can determine the appropriate next step.
When a Handoff Never Finished
A prior preparer may stop responding for many ordinary reasons, including retirement, illness, a closed practice, or simply being overextended. Whatever the reason, you are left needing to confirm what was filed, what was not, and what happens next.
This page is for individuals and business owners whose accountant has become unreachable and who need a CPA to establish the current status and complete the required work. The goal is a clear picture and a defined next step, not blame.
Signs You May Be Dealing With This
- Your emails, calls, or portal messages go unanswered
- You do not know whether this year or prior years were filed
- Returns you expected to be completed were never submitted
- You cannot get copies of your prepared returns or workpapers
- Access to a state tax account or online filing login was never handed off
- Records, documents, or bookkeeping files were not returned to you
- A deadline is approaching and you have no clear status
- You need someone to take over and confirm what remains outstanding
Why This Should Not Sit Unresolved
Unfiled returns and unanswered notices do not resolve on their own. Filing deadlines continue to pass, balances can accrue interest, and state accounts can fall out of good standing while the status is unclear.
Acting sooner gives you more options and a cleaner handoff. The first step is simply understanding what is outstanding so nothing is missed.
What Jason Brett CPA Does
- Review the filing history you can provide and identify which federal and state returns appear filed, missing, or incomplete.
- Confirm which years and entities still need to be addressed, and flag any notices or deadlines that need attention first.
- Establish what is needed to move forward, including any records, access, or bookkeeping that must be recovered or reconstructed.
- Provide a written scope and price before preparation begins, so you know what the work involves and what it costs.
- Take over the preparation and filing, and keep you informed as each piece is completed.
What We May Need From You
The more of the following you can gather, the faster we can confirm status. Missing items are common and can often be reconstructed or requested.
- The most recent returns you do have, federal and state
- Any notices or letters received from the IRS or a state
- Prior-year returns or workpapers, if available
- Access details for entities, payroll, or state accounts, where you have them
- Bookkeeping files or bank records for any unfiled periods
- A short summary of what you believe was and was not completed
What May Require a Separate Scope
The introductory call confirms fit and the appropriate next step. Where the situation is unclear, complex, or spans several years, a paid initial assessment may be needed before a final scope and fee can be confirmed.
Reconstructing incomplete books, recovering lost records or account access, and analyzing multiple prior years are examples of work that may be quoted as a separate step. You receive a written scope and price before that work begins.
Tell Us Where Things Stand
Share what you know about the filing, notice, or business issue. We will determine whether it fits our services and the appropriate next step.
Related Help
Common Questions
I do not know if my returns were filed. Can you find out?
Yes. Confirming filing status is often the first step. Using the returns and notices you can provide, and where appropriate the records available, we work to establish which federal and state returns were filed and which remain outstanding.
My prior accountant still has my documents. What can I do?
Records can often be reconstructed from bank statements, payroll reports, and prior filings, and copies of many items can be requested. We identify what is missing and the most practical way to recover or rebuild it.
Do you handle both the missing returns and any notices?
Yes. If a notice or deadline is involved, we flag it early and factor it into the plan. Some notices are addressed as part of the engagement, while representation on a specific matter may be scoped separately.
How much will this cost?
Straightforward catch-up work is quoted as a flat fee, with starting prices shown on our fees page. Complex or multi-year situations may require an initial assessment before a final scope and fee can be confirmed. You receive a written scope and price before preparation begins.