Questions & Answers at SmartServ Solutions, in the Bronx, New York.

Why should I hire SmartServ Solutions to prepare my income taxes?

Many reasons. Your first tax return is Free for your 1040 and (1) W-2 per person. You only pay if you have additional forms or require a refund loan. We offer a very personalized service tailored to your specific needs. Our customer service is truly impeccable. We are not bragging, we truly feel confident that you will not find a better customer experience anywhere. All of our work comes with our Accuracy Guarantee. We do not shut down after tax season like most of our franchise tax competitors. We are here for you year round to help you with your tax planning and other financial services. Same day refund loans are available. Our average customer refund in 2005 was $3626.34. Our tax interview process is streamlined to educate you while we prepare your taxes.

What hours is SmartServ Solutions open to prepare taxes?

During tax season, our weekday hours are from 10AM to 10:PM. Our Saturday hours are from 10AM to 3PM and our Sunday hours are from 12NOON to 4PM.

How much do you charge to file income tax returns?

Your first year is Free for your 1040 and (1) W-2. After that, we charge $99 for a 1040 and (1) W-2. Additional forms are additional and prices vary depending on the form. We offer various incentives to reduce the price of your tax return. Ask us what you can do to reduce your fee.

How long does it take to prepare an income tax return?

Our tax interview process takes between 30 minutes and 1 hour for most clients. Complicated tax returns will take longer. We prepare your tax return in your presence. We talk with you about your situation and ask many of questions to help maximize your tax refund.

Should I file a short form or a long form? What is the difference?

Our process to prepare your taxes will calculate your tax return both ways and your tax return will be filed whichever way gets you a bigger refund. A short form is a 1040 that takes the standard deduction. A long form is a 1040 that itemizes deductions for a bigger refund.

How long does it take to get my refund?

How quick do you need it? We have several refund options available including Instant Same Day Refund Loans, Next Day Refund Loans, Free Electronic Filing where you will receive your refund in 2-3 weeks and good old mail them out at the post office and receive your refund in 2-3 months.

How will buying a home affect my tax refund or liability?

Your real estate taxes and mortgage interest are tax deductible. Typically if you change from renting to owning, you will receive a much larger refund or substantially reduce your tax liability.

I have not filed my taxes in a few years, what should I do?

File your taxes immediately. If you don't file your tax return the IRS will do it for you. And they don't give you many of the deductions that are available to you. If you owe money you will incur additional penalties and interest by not filing. Even if you haven't filed because you know that you will owe money, it will still be cheaper for you to file the taxes and make a payment plan with the government. We can file your taxes and help get your payment plan worked out with the IRS and State taxation authorities.

How can I get a bigger refund?

You can start with making an appointment to meet with us. During your tax return interview with us, we will educate you on tax deductions, credits and legal strategies to get more back or pay less taxes.

I believe my tax preparer made a mistake on my taxes last year, can it be fixed?

If there is a mistake on a previously filed tax return, we can help. We will review the tax with you and amend the incorrect return. In many cases you can actually get an additional refund by having us file an amendment.

Can I claim someone other then my child?

In some circumstances you can legally claim someone other than your child. Please speak with one of our tax specialist in order to determine who you can legally claim. Make your appointment with us online to discuss this.

I did not get my W-2 form, what should I do?

Legally, your employer is required to provide you with you W-2 by January 31st. If you haven't recieed your W-2 by then, contact your employer. If your employer is unresponsive or out of business we can file your taxes with a special substitue W-2 form.

What do credit bureaus do ?

Credit bureaus are data repositories. They collect data from creditors, collection agencies and courts. They then sell your data to lenders and marketers. Your credit bureau data is also used to create your credit score.

What is a credit score ?

A credit score is a number between 350 and 850 that determines the amount of risk that you pose to a lender. Your credit score is calculated based upon a secret algorithm created by the Fair Isaac Company. Recently, the 3 credit bureaus have released their own credit score to compete with Fair Isaac's FICO score. The majority of lenders continue to use the FICO score rather than the newer Vantage score introduced by Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.

How is a credit score calculated ?

There are three major factors that affects a credit score. The first factor is the length of time you've had credit. The longer you’ve had credit the better. The second factor is the amount of credit you currently have open and how you are using it. The third factor is the presence of negative or derogatory accounts. If you have negative accounts then your score will be reduced drastically.

I have bad credit now. Do I have to wait 7 to 10 years before I can get a loan ?

Absolutely Not. The combination of establishing the right mix of positive credit along with removing negative items will increase your credit score and dramatically increase the likelihood of your getting approved for loans, mortgages and credit cards.

I found errors on my credit report. What do I do now ?

That is where we come in. We will analyze your report with you and create a plan to remove the errors from your report using our streamlined and efficient credit report repair system.

Where can I get a copy of my credit reports?

We recommend that you get your copy of your credit report at http://www.annualcreditreport.com. There is no cost to you for that site as the FACT Act of 2003 mandated that the credit reporting agencies give each American 1 free credit report per year. However, this free website does not give you your actual credit score. The individual credit bureaus will try to up sell you to buy your score directly from them. We do not recommend that you buy your credit score directly from Experian, TransUnion or Equifax. The score they will sell you is a Vantage Score and not a true FICO Score. A FICO Score is the most widely used credit score by lenders of all sorts. You can only get your accurate FICO score by paying Fair Isaac (the creator of the FICO Score) at http://www.myfico.com.

I tried to apply for a credit card and got denied, why would they deny me?

There are many reasons why you can be denied credit. Most credit decisions these days are based upon your FICO credit score. Other factors such as length of time you have had credit, the amount of credit you currently have and how you are using that credit and the presence of derogatory accounts influence the credit score and a lenders decision on whether to approve or deny you for credit.

I was an authorized user on my ex-spouse's credit cards and when we got divorced he/she stopped paying his/her bills.
Why has this affected my credit score when they are his/her cards?

Most likely you were a co-signer on the accounts that your ex-spouse stopped paying. A joint account will affect both credit reports of each signor. If your ex-spouse stopped paying the bills on a joint account you may have negative items on your credit report including late payments, charge-offs, collections and possibly judgments.

What can I do to improve my credit score?

There are several ways to improve your credit score. You need to have the proper mix of the 3 types of credit; mortgages, installment accounts and revolving accounts. You will also want to have the ideal amount of revolving accounts which is 2-4. On those revolving accounts you will want to keep you balances as low as possible. It is considered ideal to keep your balances under 25% of your credit limit. Paying down debt or moving around money will always increase your credit score. Make sure you always pay your bills on time. And finally, you will want to make sure that you do not have any derogatory, negative or inaccurate items on your credit report.

How long do negative items stay on my credit report?

Most negative items will remain on your credit report for 7 years from the date of last activity. Chapter 7 bankruptcies will remain on your credit report for 10 years from the date of discharge. Paid civil judgments in New York State will remain on your report for 5 years from the date satisfied.

I do not live in New York, can your company still help me?

Of course we can help! Our motto is "There Is Always A Way". We currently work with clients all across our great country. Don't worry you won't have to come to New York to work with us (although you are always welcome). We work with our clients via phone, email and fax.

How long does the credit repair process take?

Our process typically takes between 4 and 6 months to complete. Almost all clients see major improvement within 4-6 weeks of getting started with us.

How can your company fix my credit?

Everyone's case is different, but we generally advise you on how to establish the right mix of positive credit and help you remove inaccurate or negative accounts from your credit bureau (don't worry, you won't have to do the work. We do all the letter writing and follow up for you!)

How much does your credit repair service cost?

We charge a $100 account set up fee along with $30 for each inaccurate item we remove from your credit report. In order to give you an exact price that reflects your personal situation we will need to review a copy of your credit report with you.

What if I have already hired another company or attempted to repair my own credit?

Unfortunately, we cannot take you on as a client. Since our process works in cycles which must be carried out in the correct sequence in order to be effective. We pride ourselves on the fact that all of our clients see excellent results and cannot achieve the same type of results if credit repair has already been attempted.

How can I opt-out of receiving pre-screened credit card offers?

Yes, you can opt out of receiving offers from lenders by going to http://www.optoutprescreen.com. This will stop the credit bureaus from selling your data for either 5 years or permanently. You will receive considerably less junk mail and telemarking calls by opting out.

CALL NOW (718) 931-7236
CALL NOW (718) 931-7236
Email Us info@smartservsolutions.com Proud Member National Association of Tax Professionals Proud Member New York City Chamber of Commerce Proud Member Bronx Chamber of Commerce		INCOME TAX PREPARATION Why should I hire SmartServ Solutions to prepare my income taxes? Many reasons. Your first tax return is Free for your 1040 and (1) W-2 per person. You only pay if you have additional forms or require a refund loan. We offer a very personalized service tailored to your specific needs. Our customer service is truly impeccable. We are not bragging, we truly feel confident that you will not find a better customer experience anywhere. All of our work comes with our Accuracy Guarantee. We do not shut down after tax season like most of our franchise tax competitors. We are here for you year round to help you with your tax planning and other financial services. Same day refund loans are available. Our average customer refund in 2005 was $3626.34. Our tax interview process is streamlined to educate you while we prepare your taxes. What hours is SmartServ Solutions open to prepare taxes? During tax season, our weekday hours are from 10AM to 10:PM. Our Saturday hours are from 10AM to 3PM and our Sunday hours are from 12NOON to 4PM. How much do you charge to file income tax returns? Your first year is Free for your 1040 and (1) W-2. After that, we charge $99 for a 1040 and (1) W-2. Additional forms are additional and prices vary depending on the form. We offer various incentives to reduce the price of your tax return. Ask us what you can do to reduce your fee. How long does it take to prepare an income tax return? Our tax interview process takes between 30 minutes and 1 hour for most clients. Complicated tax returns will take longer. We prepare your tax return in your presence. We talk with you about your situation and ask many of questions to help maximize your tax refund. Should I file a short form or a long form? What is the difference? Our process to prepare your taxes will calculate your tax return both ways and your tax return will be filed whichever way gets you a bigger refund. A short form is a 1040 that takes the standard deduction. A long form is a 1040 that itemizes deductions for a bigger refund. How long does it take to get my refund? How quick do you need it? We have several refund options available including Instant Same Day Refund Loans, Next Day Refund Loans, Free Electronic Filing where you will receive your refund in 2-3 weeks and good old mail them out at the post office and receive your refund in 2-3 months. How will buying a home affect my tax refund or liability? Your real estate taxes and mortgage interest are tax deductible. Typically if you change from renting to owning, you will receive a much larger refund or substantially reduce your tax liability. I have not filed my taxes in a few years, what should I do? File your taxes immediately. If you don't file your tax return the IRS will do it for you. And they don't give you many of the deductions that are available to you. If you owe money you will incur additional penalties and interest by not filing. Even if you haven't filed because you know that you will owe money, it will still be cheaper for you to file the taxes and make a payment plan with the government. We can file your taxes and help get your payment plan worked out with the IRS and State taxation authorities. How can I get a bigger refund? You can start with making an appointment to meet with us. During your tax return interview with us, we will educate you on tax deductions, credits and legal strategies to get more back or pay less taxes. I believe my tax preparer made a mistake on my taxes last year, can it be fixed? If there is a mistake on a previously filed tax return, we can help. We will review the tax with you and amend the incorrect return. In many cases you can actually get an additional refund by having us file an amendment. Can I claim someone other then my child? In some circumstances you can legally claim someone other than your child. Please speak with one of our tax specialist in order to determine who you can legally claim. Make your appointment with us online to discuss this. I did not get my W-2 form, what should I do? Legally, your employer is required to provide you with you W-2 by January 31st. If you haven't recieed your W-2 by then, contact your employer. If your employer is unresponsive or out of business we can file your taxes with a special substitue W-2 form. CREDIT REPAIR What do credit bureaus do ? Credit bureaus are data repositories. They collect data from creditors, collection agencies and courts. They then sell your data to lenders and marketers. Your credit bureau data is also used to create your credit score. What is a credit score ? A credit score is a number between 350 and 850 that determines the amount of risk that you pose to a lender. Your credit score is calculated based upon a secret algorithm created by the Fair Isaac Company. Recently, the 3 credit bureaus have released their own credit score to compete with Fair Isaac's FICO score. The majority of lenders continue to use the FICO score rather than the newer Vantage score introduced by Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. How is a credit score calculated ? There are three major factors that affects a credit score. The first factor is the length of time you've had credit. The longer you’ve had credit the better. The second factor is the amount of credit you currently have open and how you are using it. The third factor is the presence of negative or derogatory accounts. If you have negative accounts then your score will be reduced drastically. I have bad credit now. Do I have to wait 7 to 10 years before I can get a loan ? Absolutely Not. The combination of establishing the right mix of positive credit along with removing negative items will increase your credit score and dramatically increase the likelihood of your getting approved for loans, mortgages and credit cards. I found errors on my credit report. What do I do now ? That is where we come in. We will analyze your report with you and create a plan to remove the errors from your report using our streamlined and efficient credit report repair system. Where can I get a copy of my credit reports? We recommend that you get your copy of your credit report at http://www.annualcreditreport.com. There is no cost to you for that site as the FACT Act of 2003 mandated that the credit reporting agencies give each American 1 free credit report per year. However, this free website does not give you your actual credit score. The individual credit bureaus will try to up sell you to buy your score directly from them. We do not recommend that you buy your credit score directly from Experian, TransUnion or Equifax. The score they will sell you is a Vantage Score and not a true FICO Score. A FICO Score is the most widely used credit score by lenders of all sorts. You can only get your accurate FICO score by paying Fair Isaac (the creator of the FICO Score) at http://www.myfico.com. I tried to apply for a credit card and got denied, why would they deny me? There are many reasons why you can be denied credit. Most credit decisions these days are based upon your FICO credit score. Other factors such as length of time you have had credit, the amount of credit you currently have and how you are using that credit and the presence of derogatory accounts influence the credit score and a lenders decision on whether to approve or deny you for credit. I was an authorized user on my ex-spouse's credit cards and when we got divorced he/she stopped paying his/her bills. Why has this affected my credit score when they are his/her cards? Most likely you were a co-signer on the accounts that your ex-spouse stopped paying. A joint account will affect both credit reports of each signor. If your ex-spouse stopped paying the bills on a joint account you may have negative items on your credit report including late payments, charge-offs, collections and possibly judgments. What can I do to improve my credit score? There are several ways to improve your credit score. You need to have the proper mix of the 3 types of credit; mortgages, installment accounts and revolving accounts. You will also want to have the ideal amount of revolving accounts which is 2-4. On those revolving accounts you will want to keep you balances as low as possible. It is considered ideal to keep your balances under 25% of your credit limit. Paying down debt or moving around money will always increase your credit score. Make sure you always pay your bills on time. And finally, you will want to make sure that you do not have any derogatory, negative or inaccurate items on your credit report. How long do negative items stay on my credit report? Most negative items will remain on your credit report for 7 years from the date of last activity. Chapter 7 bankruptcies will remain on your credit report for 10 years from the date of discharge. Paid civil judgments in New York State will remain on your report for 5 years from the date satisfied. I do not live in New York, can your company still help me? Of course we can help! Our motto is "There Is Always A Way". We currently work with clients all across our great country. Don't worry you won't have to come to New York to work with us (although you are always welcome). We work with our clients via phone, email and fax. How long does the credit repair process take? Our process typically takes between 4 and 6 months to complete. Almost all clients see major improvement within 4-6 weeks of getting started with us. How can your company fix my credit? Everyone's case is different, but we generally advise you on how to establish the right mix of positive credit and help you remove inaccurate or negative accounts from your credit bureau (don't worry, you won't have to do the work. We do all the letter writing and follow up for you!) How much does your credit repair service cost? We charge a $100 account set up fee along with $30 for each inaccurate item we remove from your credit report. In order to give you an exact price that reflects your personal situation we will need to review a copy of your credit report with you. What if I have already hired another company or attempted to repair my own credit? Unfortunately, we cannot take you on as a client. Since our process works in cycles which must be carried out in the correct sequence in order to be effective. We pride ourselves on the fact that all of our clients see excellent results and cannot achieve the same type of results if credit repair has already been attempted. How can I opt-out of receiving pre-screened credit card offers? Yes, you can opt out of receiving offers from lenders by going to http://www.optoutprescreen.com. This will stop the credit bureaus from selling your data for either 5 years or permanently. You will receive considerably less junk mail and telemarking calls by opting out.
		© 2007 SmartServ Solutionss

INCOME TAX PREPARATION

CREDIT REPAIR