Individual & family returns
W-2 jobs, kids, school, a house, retirement income. Federal and Wisconsin returns, e-filed, with the fee set before we start.
In plain words
Most of the returns we do every spring look like this: one or two W-2 jobs, maybe kids, maybe a 1098-T from a college, maybe a mortgage. You sit down with a preparer, we ask the questions the IRS expects us to ask, and you leave knowing what you filed and why.
We check every credit you might qualify for, including the Earned Income Tax Credit, the child tax credit, education credits and the credit for child and dependent care. If you qualify, it goes on the return. If you don't, we tell you why in plain words.
Who this is for
- W-2 workers, one job or several
- Families with kids or other dependents
- Students and parents with a 1098-T from a college
- Homeowners who may come out ahead by itemizing
- Retirees with Social Security, a pension or IRA withdrawals
- Anyone with Marketplace health insurance (Form 1095-A)
✓ Included in the fee
What you get
- A sit-down or video interview with your preparer
- A credits check with the questions the IRS requires preparers to ask
- Your federal return and one Wisconsin return, e-filed
- Direct deposit set up for any refund, straight to your own account
- A PDF and a printed copy for your records
- E-file tracking until both returns are accepted
- Help with any letter about a return we prepared, at no charge
The fee, before we start
$ Individual & family
- Simple return W-2 income, standard deduction, federal + Wisconsin $165
- Family return Dependents and credits such as EITC, child tax credit or dependent care $215
- Retirement income Social Security, pension or IRA income, standard deduction $195
- Itemized return Schedule A for mortgage interest, property tax and gifts to charity $265
- Extra state return Lived or worked in a second state $45 each
Example fees for the 2025 tax year. Your fee is confirmed before we start. If your return turns out to need more than the type you booked, we tell you the new price first, and you decide.
How you pay
You pay when you sign: card, cash or check. We never take our fee out of your refund, and we don't sell refund loans or refund transfers.
Our accuracy promise
If we make a mistake on your return that leads to an IRS or Wisconsin penalty or interest, we pay that penalty and interest and fix the return for free. The tax itself was always yours to pay, so that part isn't covered. Bring us the letter; we handle the rest.
Good to know
1 Both spouses sign
On a joint return, both of you sign the e-file authorization (Form 8879). If one of you can't come in, we can arrange a separate signature.
2 Credits take questions
For credits like the EITC, the IRS requires preparers to ask about who lives with you and for how long. It's not nosiness. It's the rule.
What to bring
- Photo ID for you and your spouse
- Social Security cards or ITIN letters for everyone on the return
- All W-2s, plus any 1099-INT, 1099-G or 1099-R
- Last year's return, if we didn't prepare it
- Childcare costs and the provider's tax ID
- 1098 (mortgage), 1098-T (tuition), 1095-A (Marketplace)
Missing something? Book anyway. Many gaps can be filled from your IRS transcript.
The full checklist you can tick and print →Questions about individual & family returns
All questions →Do I have to come in person?
No. You can sit with a preparer at one of our offices, drop your papers off, or do the whole thing on a video call with secure upload. The fee is the same.
Do you do my Wisconsin return too?
Yes. One Wisconsin return is included in every individual fee. If you also need a return for another state, that's $45 per state.
Will you get me a bigger refund than last year?
We can't promise that, and you should be careful with anyone who does. What we promise is a correct return with every credit and deduction you actually qualify for.
Other services
Ready when you are.
Book a time at any of our three offices or on video. The fee is set before we start, and nothing comes out of your refund.