1 /5 Debbie Sharp: My experience:
My uncle died in early April without giving his CPA, Blankenship & Co. his documents for 2024. In a phone call, I asked Blankenship to file an extension so I could get a handle on the paperwork. A month later or so, I dropped the paperwork off at the Clovis office. Some time passed without a call from Blankenship. My uncle was on a fixed income and had, what I consider to be, a simple return. I called the office and a receptionist said that she would get back to me. A week passed with no call, so I called back and got a different receptionist who said that they would get back to me. I said that I was already told this. This receptionist said, "not by me". So she said that she would have Blankenship call me the next day. This didnt happen either. I called again and the receptionist said that Blankenship was working on a big project and that she would have him finish the return, "sometime next week". I got a call the next day that the returns were ready. Apparently, I didnt realize that the return was about to be late so the accountant jumped on it. I had to transfer funds to make payment to the IRS so there was a penalty from the IRS for 62.00.
I just got a notice from the IRS that the return has been amended so instead of 4900.00 Blankenship came up with, my uncle actually owed 2500.00. Good news in the end.
I dont know what is going on with this CPA but there were several problems. I never talked with Blankenship, only his business partner in Clovis (very nice, professional person but not our accountant), and his inept receptionists. He simply did not do our return in a timely fashion, and when he did it, he did not figure in my uncles prepayments, according to the IRS. Mr. Blankenship charged us 375.00 for this service.
For 2025, I will file my aunts return with my own CPA, who is incredible.
This is an important job, Mr. Blankenship. Us citizens are forced to use accountants because of the complex tax laws in the country. Please make the necessary changes in your office to ensure you clients get what they pay for.
