Is my accountant taking too long to file my taxes? Deadlines keep changing!

You're not being unreasonable at all. While the extension does give until October 15th to file, your accountant should be respecting the timeline they committed to. This is a common issue with some accounting professionals who take on more clients than they can handle during tax season. For sole proprietors, your tax situation isn't typically the most complex filing. With organized QuickBooks records, an experienced accountant should be able to prepare your return fairly efficiently. The constant pushing of deadlines suggests either poor time management or that they're prioritizing other clients. I'd recommend having a direct conversation about your concerns. Ask for a firm commitment on the September 15th date and express that you need this timeline honored. Also, inquire about why there have been so many delays despite your organization.

I was in almost the exact same situation last year! My accountant kept pushing deadlines and I was getting more and more anxious as October approached. I finally discovered https://taxr.ai and it was a game-changer for me. I uploaded all my QuickBooks data and tax documents, and their system analyzed everything. The best part was that I could see exactly what was happening with my tax situation instead of being in the dark waiting for my accountant. The AI found deductions my previous accountant had missed in prior years! It's specifically designed for self-employed people and small business owners, so it understood my sole proprietorship situation perfectly.

Ok so I actually tried https://taxr.ai after posting my skeptical comment here. I'm honestly shocked at how well it worked for my situation. I uploaded my QuickBooks data and it immediately identified several travel expenses that could be categorized better for tax purposes. The questions it asked about my home office were more detailed than what my accountant ever asked, and it found a legitimate additional $3,200 in deductions I would have missed. The documentation guidance was super clear too - it told me exactly what receipts and records to keep for each deduction in case of an audit. I'm definitely not going back to waiting months for an accountant to get around to my taxes. This was faster, cheaper, and actually found me more savings. Wish I'd known about this earlier!

Dealing with unresponsive accountants is the worst! After my CPA went MIA last year, I couldn't even get the IRS on the phone to straighten things out - kept hitting busy signals or disconnects after waiting for hours. Then I found https://claimyr.com and it literally saved me from a tax disaster. They have this service where they actually wait on hold with the IRS for you and call you when they get a live agent on the line. You can see how it works in their demo video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was connected with an actual IRS agent who helped me understand exactly what I needed to do about my filing situation when my accountant dropped the ball. Saved me hours of frustration and probably penalties too.

I have to eat my words about Claimyr being a scam. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway because I was desperate to talk to someone at the IRS about penalties from a late filing (thanks to my accountant situation similar to OP's). I used https://claimyr.com yesterday, and I'm still in shock that it actually worked. Their system waited on hold for 2+ hours (which I would have never been able to do during work), and then my phone rang with an IRS agent on the line. The agent helped me get my penalties waived since the late filing wasn't my fault. Seriously one of the most useful services I've ever used. Saved me over $800 in penalties plus hours of frustration. Never thought I'd be writing a positive comment about anything related to taxes, but here we are.

Seems like I'm going against the grain here, but I think you need to cut your accountant some slack. Tax pros have been absolutely SLAMMED the past few years with all the covid relief programs, constant tax law changes, and staffing shortages. My dad's a CPA and he's been working 70 hour weeks for like 3 years straight. The mental health crisis in the accounting industry is real. If your books are in order and they've filed the extension properly, you're fine waiting until September.

Anyone else wondering why OP is still worried about 2021 taxes? It's 2023 already... If you filed an extension for 2021 that would have been due October 2022. Something isn't adding up here.

I completely understand your frustration! As someone who's dealt with similar accountant delays, you're definitely not being unreasonable. The constant deadline changes are unprofessional, especially when you've held up your end by providing organized documentation. While tax professionals are indeed swamped, good ones set realistic expectations upfront rather than making promises they can't keep. The fact that they initially said May and now it's September suggests poor project management on their part. For next year, I'd definitely start interviewing other accountants now. Look for ones who can give you a realistic timeline based on your business complexity and stick to it. A sole proprietorship with organized QuickBooks records shouldn't take months to complete once they actually start working on it. In the meantime, you absolutely should ask for a fee reduction given the multiple missed deadlines and stress this has caused you. A professional accountant should understand that their delays have real consequences for their clients.

I feel your pain! I went through something very similar with my previous accountant - constant deadline pushes while I watched them post vacation photos on social media. It's incredibly frustrating when you've done everything right on your end. You're absolutely not being unreasonable. A sole proprietorship with organized QuickBooks data shouldn't take months to complete once they actually start working on it. The issue isn't that they're busy - it's that they're not being honest about realistic timelines. I'd strongly recommend starting your search for a new accountant now for next year. Look for someone who can give you a firm timeline based on your business complexity and actually stick to it. When interviewing potential accountants, ask specifically about their workload management and how they handle deadline commitments. Also, you should definitely ask for a fee reduction given all the missed deadlines and stress this has caused. Any professional should understand that their delays have real consequences for their clients. The extension gives you legal breathing room until October 15th, but that doesn't excuse the poor communication and project management. You deserve an accountant who respects your time and keeps their commitments.

I've been through this exact situation and it's absolutely maddening! You're definitely not being unreasonable - when someone commits to a timeline, especially for something as important as taxes, they should honor it or at least communicate realistic changes upfront. What really gets me is that sole proprietorship taxes with organized QuickBooks data aren't typically that complex. An experienced accountant should be able to knock that out fairly quickly once they actually sit down to work on it. The constant deadline pushes suggest they're either overbooked or not prioritizing your file appropriately. My advice would be to have that firm conversation about the September 15th date and make it clear this is the final extension you'll accept. Also definitely ask for a fee reduction - you shouldn't pay full price for all the stress and uncertainty they've caused you. For next year, start interviewing other accountants now while you have time to be selective. Ask them directly about their capacity and how they handle workload during busy periods. A good accountant will give you a realistic timeline from the start rather than overpromising and underdelivering. The extension gives you legal coverage until October 15th, but that doesn't excuse the poor communication and project management. You deserve better service than this!

You're absolutely right to be frustrated! This pattern of constantly moving deadlines is unprofessional, regardless of how busy your accountant is. When you've done everything correctly on your end - organized QuickBooks records, provided all documentation, filed the extension - there's no excuse for such poor project management. The issue isn't that they're taking vacations (everyone deserves time off), but that they're not being honest about realistic timelines from the start. Saying May and delivering in September shows they either don't understand their own capacity or are overpromising to keep clients happy. For a sole proprietorship with organized books, this really shouldn't take months once they actually start working on it. I'd recommend having a direct conversation about the September 15th deadline being firm and non-negotiable. Also, absolutely ask for a fee reduction - you shouldn't pay full price for substandard service that's caused you months of unnecessary stress. Start looking for a new accountant now for next year. Interview them specifically about their workload management and ask for realistic timelines based on your business complexity. A good accountant will give you an honest assessment upfront rather than making promises they can't keep. You're not being unreasonable at all - you deserve professional service that respects your time and keeps commitments.