For years, Dorothy J. Hamilton, CPA has been providing quality, personalized financial guidance to local individuals and businesses. Our expertise ranges from basic tax management and accounting services to more in-depth services such as audits, financial statements, and financial planning. Dorothy J. Hamilton, CPA is one of the leading firms in and throughout the area. By combining our expertise, experience and the team mentality of our staff, we assure that every client receives the close analysis and attention they deserve.
Services
Dorothy J. Hamilton, CPA provides a wide range of services to individuals and businesses in a variety of industries. At Dorothy J. Hamilton, CPA, we strive to meet each client's specific needs in planning for the future and achieving their goals in an ever-changing financial and regulatory environment.
If you're looking for the perfect blend of personal service and accounting expertise, you've come to the right place. We've built our practice one client at a time, and we promise that you'll be more than just a billing code to our firm. Without exception, our clients are the most valued partners in our business-because, after all, your success is our success.
Have you just started a new business? Did you know expenses incurred before a business begins operations are not allowed as current deductions? Generally, these start up costs must be amortized over a period of 180 months beginning in the month in which the business begins. However, based on the current tax provisions, you may elect to deduct up to $5,000 of business start-up and $5,000 of organizational costs paid or incurred. The $5,000 deduction is reduced by any start-up or organizational costs which exceed $50,000.
Following are some generally recognized financial planning tools that may help you reduce your tax bill. Charitable Giving - Instead of selling your appreciated long-term securities, donate the stock instead and avoid paying tax on the unrealized gain while still getting a charitable tax deduction for the full fair market value.
Reviews (3)
Randall S.
Apr 14, 2020
Mallory W.
Nov 09, 2019
Dorothy and her team were personable and quick to answer any questions I had. With my financial situation I had to file for an extension. She did a phenomenal job explaining everything to me and putting it into terms I could understand. All I had to do was scan all my tax documents to her office and that was it. As a millennial who wasn't taught squat about taxes, I would highly recommend her services to friends and family.
Daniel M.
Jul 21, 2017
We have been using a great CPA for the last 15 years. She was personable, meticulous, empathetic, and sometimes brutally honest. But she retired last year, and we were referred to Dorothy Hamilton for 2015 and 2016 taxes. In the two years we have been with Dorothy Hamilton's office, I have never met Dorothy nor have I met the person preparing our taxes.
Last year, the customer service resembled a wet towel. It was minimal and unpleasant. Some guy called me asking questions using what sounded like IRS jargon. I had to ask 20 questions to get an understanding of what he actually wanted when that is what he should be doing from the start. I pay someone to prepare my taxes because I don't want to spend my time learning about tax code.
Not cheap either, by the way. This year was worse. We had some very busy work hours, so we were unable to get an appointment with anyone at the office. After all, they work 9 - 5, and they have no weekend appointments. Not only that, but they actually are not there from 9 to 5. I showed up at 9:30 one day. Door was locked. I showed up at 4:15 another day. Locked door again. Don't forget hour and a half lunches too, so don't show up between 12pm and 1:30pm.
So clearly, they have better-than-banker hours. Finally, after scanning our tax packet to them four times and they claim they didn't receive it, I finally had to drive it down there. Come to find out, they have some kind of email spam filter that continuously filtered out my email. They could tell it was filtered, but they couldn't get the attachment.
Somehow that was my fault. We didn't make the deadline they have of March 31st for our packet, so they said they'll have to file an extension on our behalf. That's fine, but I have never filed a late tax return in my life. I have no idea what is involved. So now, in July 2017, after paying my taxes, I get a letter from the IRS claiming that I have not paid my taxes on time, and I owe penalties and interest.
You could very well say this is my fault, but this is also something my expensive tax preparer should have told me somewhere along the line. When I called to ask them about this "error, " the lady told me that this is all disclosed in the paperwork mailed to me at the beginning of the year. Sure, I should have read the 50 page packet I received, but I would expect this to be conveyed to me verbally at some point over the 4 or 5 phone calls I had with them asking about the deadlines.
But not a word about implications. Not a word about penalties. When I mentioned this to them and how I never had any problems in the 15 years I was with my previous CPA, I was told that my previous CPA "worked 12 hour days for months, and we don't do that here." This was insulting to both me as well as my previous CPA. It is essentially saying, "We choose not to offer the level of service you were previously accustomed to because it's too much work for us.
In fact, we won't even fake it." Well then. If you want a tax preparer that does no more than crappy H&R Block would do but charges twice as much, by all means, choose Dorothy Hamilton's office. If you want a CPA that doesn't really care about her customers, this one is for you. If you don't expect to be given any critical information about your tax returns, go here. Otherwise, if you value quality and direct communication that isn't hidden in 50 pages of a mailing, stay far away from this one.
Last year, the customer service resembled a wet towel. It was minimal and unpleasant. Some guy called me asking questions using what sounded like IRS jargon. I had to ask 20 questions to get an understanding of what he actually wanted when that is what he should be doing from the start. I pay someone to prepare my taxes because I don't want to spend my time learning about tax code.
Not cheap either, by the way. This year was worse. We had some very busy work hours, so we were unable to get an appointment with anyone at the office. After all, they work 9 - 5, and they have no weekend appointments. Not only that, but they actually are not there from 9 to 5. I showed up at 9:30 one day. Door was locked. I showed up at 4:15 another day. Locked door again. Don't forget hour and a half lunches too, so don't show up between 12pm and 1:30pm.
So clearly, they have better-than-banker hours. Finally, after scanning our tax packet to them four times and they claim they didn't receive it, I finally had to drive it down there. Come to find out, they have some kind of email spam filter that continuously filtered out my email. They could tell it was filtered, but they couldn't get the attachment.
Somehow that was my fault. We didn't make the deadline they have of March 31st for our packet, so they said they'll have to file an extension on our behalf. That's fine, but I have never filed a late tax return in my life. I have no idea what is involved. So now, in July 2017, after paying my taxes, I get a letter from the IRS claiming that I have not paid my taxes on time, and I owe penalties and interest.
You could very well say this is my fault, but this is also something my expensive tax preparer should have told me somewhere along the line. When I called to ask them about this "error, " the lady told me that this is all disclosed in the paperwork mailed to me at the beginning of the year. Sure, I should have read the 50 page packet I received, but I would expect this to be conveyed to me verbally at some point over the 4 or 5 phone calls I had with them asking about the deadlines.
But not a word about implications. Not a word about penalties. When I mentioned this to them and how I never had any problems in the 15 years I was with my previous CPA, I was told that my previous CPA "worked 12 hour days for months, and we don't do that here." This was insulting to both me as well as my previous CPA. It is essentially saying, "We choose not to offer the level of service you were previously accustomed to because it's too much work for us.
In fact, we won't even fake it." Well then. If you want a tax preparer that does no more than crappy H&R Block would do but charges twice as much, by all means, choose Dorothy Hamilton's office. If you want a CPA that doesn't really care about her customers, this one is for you. If you don't expect to be given any critical information about your tax returns, go here. Otherwise, if you value quality and direct communication that isn't hidden in 50 pages of a mailing, stay far away from this one.
