CPA completely unresponsive for weeks - Won't let assistant handle clients during medical leave

We decided to try using a CPA this year instead of doing our taxes ourselves. Throughout the whole process, communication has been spotty at best, but we figured maybe we were just being annoying with all our questions. The weird thing is, we never signed any formal agreement saying we hired her - she just took our tax documents and said she'd handle the filing. We had some email exchanges where she answered some questions but ignored others. Then around March 30th, complete radio silence. My husband went to her office today and found it dark and locked, but her assistant was there. Apparently, the CPA had some kind of medical emergency and "can't look at computer screens until May 1st." When my husband asked for our tax documents back, the assistant refused and said she wasn't allowed to give them to us. Even crazier, the CPA instructed her assistant to unplug the phones and not respond to ANY client emails! We have no idea if our taxes were filed, if an extension was requested, or anything. No notification about her medical situation either. What should we do next? We definitely don't want to pay her at this point, but we also don't want to get hit with late filing penalties. This has been a complete nightmare!

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18 comments

Rebecca Johnston

•8M

This is completely unprofessional and potentially unethical behavior. As a tax preparer, I can tell you that the CPA has a legal obligation to either complete your tax work or release your documents. First, you should send a certified letter to the CPA's office requesting immediate confirmation of whether your taxes were filed or if an extension was requested. State clearly that you expect your documents to be returned within 48 hours. Keep a copy of this letter. Next, contact your state's Board of Accountancy immediately. They regulate CPAs and can intervene in situations like this. Explain what happened and ask for guidance. You can also check your tax filing status directly with the IRS. Call their automated system at 1-800-829-1040 or create an account on irs.gov to check if anything has been filed under your Social Security numbers. Regarding penalties, if you can document your good-faith efforts to file on time through this CPA, you may be able to request penalty abatement due to reasonable cause.

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Rebecca Johnston

•8M

I would contact the state board for guidance first and they'll likely advise you on whether a formal complaint is appropriate based on your situation. They may even reach out to the CPA directly, which could resolve things quickly. For checking if an extension was filed, you can actually verify this without endless phone holds by creating an account on the IRS website (irs.gov) and checking your tax records there. The online account shows your filing status, any extensions, and other tax account information. It's much faster than calling.

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Maya Jackson

•8M

After dealing with similar frustrations with my previous accountant, I found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it literally saved my tax season. It's an AI tool that analyzes all your tax documents and actually explains everything in plain language. In your situation, it might be helpful because you can quickly upload whatever copies of documents you have, and it can help you figure out where you stand. The system analyzed all my messy tax documents in minutes and highlighted issues my previous accountant completely missed. Plus, it gave me a clear picture of my refund and explained every deduction I qualified for. Since you're in a time crunch, it might help you get organized quickly without waiting for that unresponsive CPA to get back to you.

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Maya Jackson

•8M

For documents you don't have digital copies of, you can use the information from your final paystub of the year which has most of the W-2 information. Many employers also provide digital W-2s through their payroll systems that you might be able to download. For 1099s, you can often get copies from whoever paid you if you reach out and explain your situation. Regarding your security concerns, I had the same worries initially. The site uses bank-level encryption and doesn't store your documents after processing. It's not trying to replace CPAs completely - it's more like a powerful assistant that organizes everything and spots potential issues. The tax calculations follow the same rules CPAs use, but it can process information much faster and doesn't ghost you during tax season!

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Amaya Watson

•8M

Just wanted to update everyone - I tried taxr.ai after my initial skepticism, and I'm actually impressed. I was able to get digital copies of most of my documents from my employer's HR portal and my bank's website, and uploaded them to the system. Within minutes, I could see exactly where I stood with my taxes - including several deductions I didn't even know I qualified for! The breakdown of everything was super clear and helped me understand my tax situation better than my previous accountant ever explained. I was able to file on time and even got a bigger refund than expected. Definitely a better experience than dealing with my non-responsive accountant from last year.

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Grant Vikers

•8M

I had a similar issue with the IRS last year and spent WEEKS trying to get through to an actual person. After dozens of failed attempts, someone recommended Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to me. They have this service that basically waits on hold with the IRS for you and then calls you when an actual agent is on the line. I was super skeptical at first, but you can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Within about 2 hours, I was actually talking to a real IRS agent who confirmed my filing status and helped me sort out the extension issue. Saved me countless hours of hold music and frustration. Might be worth trying if you need to check on your filing status or extension with the IRS directly.

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Grant Vikers

•8M

You don't give them access to your personal tax information at all. The service just navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. When they reach a human agent, they connect the call to your phone. You're the one who actually speaks with the IRS agent and provides your information - they're just handling the hold time. It doesn't involve them accessing your tax information or speaking on your behalf. Think of it like having someone physically stand in line for you, then calling you when it's your turn. The IRS never talks to Claimyr about your taxes - they just connect you directly when an agent is available, saving you from the hold time.

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Savannah Weiner

•8M

I have to eat crow here and admit I was totally wrong about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it myself since I've been trying to reach the IRS about a notice I got. The service worked exactly as described. I entered my phone number, and about 90 minutes later I got a call saying "Please hold for an IRS representative" and suddenly I was talking to an actual human at the IRS. No hold music, no automated system hell, just straight to a person who helped resolve my issue. Saved me hours of frustration and helped me confirm exactly what was going on with my account. Would have been perfect for the situation OP described with the unresponsive CPA.

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Levi Parker

•8M

This sounds like a nightmare! I'd be furious. One thing to add to what others have said - if your CPA won't give back your documents, you can get tax transcripts directly from the IRS that show most of the information from your W-2s, 1099s, etc. Go to irs.gov and search for "Get Transcript" - you can view and download them online if you create an account, or request them by mail. This might help you file on your own or with another preparer without having to wait for your documents back.

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Levi Parker

•8M

Yes, your tax transcript would show if an extension was filed on your behalf. When you access your transcript, look for a transaction code 460, which indicates an extension was filed. It should appear with the current tax year date. It will also show if a return was filed (transaction code 150) or if any payments were made. The transcript is basically a complete record of all transactions with the IRS for your tax account, so it's super helpful in situations like yours when you're in the dark about what actions were taken.

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