Hamilton Tax and Accounting - Grayslake, Illinois

Kev Z.

Not punctual with filing deadlines. Poor communication and response times. Most importantly, not transparent and not forthcoming when issues arise. When it comes to something as important as your financials and taxes, simply not worth the risk.

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My previous CPA (CSA Accounting) was wonderful and I had used them for many years prior. Hamilton Tax and Accounting acquired that practice halfway through 2023. Onboarding calls and meetings were promising in that Steven and the new team seemed relatively organized and knowledgeable. The service rates jumped up significantly (more than 2x the cost!) but I didn't want to go through the trouble of finding a new CPA. So I thought OK, I'll pay the convenience premium here and give the new owners a chance. What a mistake that was.

Let me walk you through the nightmare that was my 2023 tax filing experience. I'm an organized person who is familiar with key dates and always try to err on the side of getting things submitted early when possible.

Feb 21, 2024 - I submitted all of my relevant 2023 documents.

Mar 26, 2024 - They requested some clarifying information and indicated I should still be on track to complete filing by Apr 15, 2023. Great.

Then I get really busy and kind of forget about taxes since my taxes are not complicated and they have all the necessary documents now.

Jun 4, 2024 - My spidey senses start tingling, so I reach out to get a summary of my tax return. They indicated that an extension was filed. Ok, maybe they got busy and needed more time. Fine.

Jun 12, 2024 - They share a draft copy of my tax return. Now I'm getting worried and think they just completely forgot to file my taxes until I reached out on Jun 4. I sign and they complete filing shortly after. Suspicious.

Jul 6, 2024 - I receive a notice of late filing from New York, where I reside. It includes a hefty late filing penalty ($800+) so I reach out to ask WTF happened here. Time crunch is at play now to file an appeal in time.

Jul 12, 2024 - I start reaching out in other ways because they are not responding to me proactively and the time crunch is still at play.

Jul 16, 2024 - I check in again as I still do not have a clear path forward. They say they are reviewing something and creating a letter for me. I should receive a copy later that day. A letter? What?

Jul 18, 2024 - No letter yet, so I reach out AGAIN. Now I'm PISSED and escalate in all channels available to me.

Jul 19, 2024 - They finally upload a letter with some meek apologies, asking that I send this in as the appeal. I quickly file the appeal with maybe 1 week to spare. Cutting it close, but phew.

After reading the letter I just submitted more carefully, I then realize the letter is basically worded to request forgiveness and an abatement of the late filing penalty. Huh?

After I reached out again to inquire about the wording, I was finally told that an extension wasn't filed with NY state. They filed an extension for me federally and most states accept federal extensions, but NY state is one of the few that does not and requires a separate extension filing. So they basically were not familiar with NY rules and completely bungled my tax extension filing with the state. So much for tax professionals.
Time to find a new CPA.

Nov 27, 2024 - This whole situation is finally resolved and NY state was gracious enough to waive my tax filing penalty. I got lucky here because they did not have to waive it.

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What a saga. A whole year has almost gone by and finally I can put my 2023 taxes to rest.

I completely understand that mistakes happen and we are all human. However, the way they handled the situation was with poor communication and a lack of transparency. I had to do detective work to piece together where they messed up. I'm convinced that they were hoping I wouldn't notice and the issue could be swept under the rug. If they treated my issue like this, I can only imagine what other errors they are not forthcoming about on tax accounts.

If you're still thinking about using their services, just know that you've been warned.

Tara J.

I enjoy working with the Hamilton Tax team. Notably Tara and Chelsea. They answer all my questions and guide me in the right directions when needed. When it comes to taxes and bookkeeping, I needed their support and guidance to ease the panic feeling I have preparing for tax time and keeping my accounts clean and correct.

Arthur K.

Personally, I have been with Hamilton Tax and Accounting for over 12 years and have a business now. They prepare both my personal and business taxes. I trust them 100%!

Kate C.

Super disappointing experience, would avoid at all costs!
My friend referred me to CSA accounting and I was not made aware that Hamilton was in the process of acquiring their business. I put down a $250 deposit for 2023 tax services and during the acquisition was lost in the shuffle. No services were rendered and Hamilton refuses to refund the deposit. At no point between August (when I put down the deposit) and February did they make any contact with me, offer me any advice, etc. It was only in February when I asked how I could get help that they notified me their fees increased from the initial quote.

I politely requested a refund of my deposit since I was misled and no services were rendered. It took almost 3 weeks to get an answer, only once I sent multiple emails. And they simply said, no.

Pass on this business!

Noah G.

I've used other Tax professionals but Steven is by far the best. He goes the extra mile when it comes to handling your taxes and finding you all the savings you can possibly get and was very professional. Perfect for any individual, any size business and especially Real Estate investors. While using Steven he answered all the questions I had, was very gracious with his time, and was always on time with our appointments. Not only did he help me, but he came up with tax strategies for everyone in my household which maximized our tax savings. Steven has definitely earned a customer for life. Whoever is reading this you will not be disappointed if you choose Steven as your CPA.

Kevin D.

I made $20k with Steve my first year! I have worked with Steve and his team for a few years. The first year, he intelligently made me a 20k refund the first year on my 70k W2 salary because the property I bought that year which included 1 AirBnB Unit was able to average less than a 7 day stay including renters making it an active income (depreciation can then works against your W2 Income). I don't believe many tax professionals would have considered the ability to include renters in the average stay count, but in doing so, I way able to consider real estate depreciation an active loss which drastically increased my return from the first property I ever bought and 1031'd it. I highly doubt I'd have been able to get this instant return from anyone else. Since then, he has constantly WOW'd me with impressive ideas on how to save the most from a tax perspective. No matter what business you're in, you're always in business with the government, and your tax advisor is your front-running for how to manage that relationship. I highly recommend Steve & his team for anyone who owns any sort of business, he knows the tax system well, has a keen mind, and will make sure you don't overpay in taxes.

A G.

Hamilton tax has been doing our taxes since 2013. Were a military family and have been all over the US and their firm has been amazing! They make the process so simple and they’ve been more like a family to us than anything! We love them and will continue to use them! Thanks again to Steven and the amazing team at Hamilton Tax!

Irina G.

I wanted to like this firm. I wanted to have found the tax professional I could rely on. This company is not it. The amount of mistakes they made on my 2022 is unbelievable and the words that come to mind are "negligence" and " irresponsible".
If you are looking for a company where they will treat you with care and hear your concerns, keep looking. I don't' want to speak out of emotions, so here is an objective data:
1) The firm prepared original tax return (in April) incorrectly and asked me to come up with amount of money. As it turned out in October (during final preparation due to extension) I dint' have to do it in the first place. I ended up with the refund.
2) They overlooked to put in estimated taxes into the return
3) They overlooked additional depreciation that caused me over 10K

I also paid for tax planning meetings twice and had 0 advise from them. Not worth the money you pay for. Keep looking!