Priority Bookkeeping & Tax Solutions
Priority Bookkeeping and Tax is ready to help with your tax preparation needs
It’s Tax Time!
Tax laws: they can be difficult to understand and they are continuously changing! That’s why finding a tax preparer you can trust, like Lisa Murray with Priority Bookkeeping and Tax in Appomattox is definitely a good idea!
In 2019, Appomattox business owner Lyn Benkendorf announced the planning of her retirement and was looking for someone to take over her business, B & B Business Solutions.
Lisa Murray learned of Lyn’s plans and, with her life-long interest in numbers and accounting, along with previous work experience in banking, bookkeeping, and tax work, happily accepted the opportunity to acquire the business, The two agreed that as Lisa took over, Lynn would continue to work with her for two years to ensure a smooth transition for their clients.
Sadly, that two years was cut short when Lyn passed away in 2020. It was Lyn’s daughter, Amy Ward, that continued to help Lisa with the business transition after her mother’s passing.
Today, Lisa Murray and her assistant, Andrea Jones work together to help a number of Appomattox businesses with their year-round bookkeeping, and they offer great help to families and individuals with their tax preparation during tax season!
Keeping up with ever-changing tax laws
(To give you the best return possible!)
Keeping up with tax laws can be a full time job! One that’s better left to the professionals so you can focus on your own work, family, and other responsibilities (and hopefully have time and energy leftover for fun and enjoyment, too!)
Just like you want your doctors and nurses up be to date on the latest medicines and procedures, and you want your vehicle’s mechanic to know how to work on the ever-changing technology of vehicles, you also want your tax preparer to be knowledgeable on current tax laws and deductibles, ensuring your return is completed correctly and in a way that benefits you as much as possible.
Each year, Lisa participates in hours upon hours of continuing education. Already in 2024, she’s devoted 53 hours of studying current tax laws, recent changes, and learning new laws for this tax season.
She recently completed the IRS Annual Federal Tax Refresher Course and earned a certificate with a final score of 93%. This certificate allows her to be listed on the IRS directory of credentialed tax preparers with an Annual Filing Season Professional (AFSP) credential.
Additionally, Lisa completed a 1040 Comprehensive Course, passing her exam with a final score of 86%. (Andrea, Lisa’s assistant also completed and passed this exam.)
“It’s my job and privilege to help clients pay the least amount of tax legally possible,” Lisa explained, “and if they are business owners, I work hard to make this part of their business as easy as possible so they can concentrate on what they do best and serve their own clients and customers.”
Lisa has also been a member of the National Association of Tax Preparers since 2020. This organization exists to offer industry updates, education resources, and research support for specific tax issues. And, because Lisa works year-round in business bookkeeping, its easy for her to stay up to date on tax laws and changes, and how they affect her clients.
“I am devoted full time to learning as the tax laws constantly change and keeping up with the compliance to stay credentialed to be able to provide the best service to my clients,” Lisa said.
Tax preparation security is of utmost importance at Priority Bookkeeping and Tax. There are a few different ways you can confidentially provide Lisa and Andrea with your tax paperwork. You can bring physical papers to the office located at 270 Court Street in Appomattox, or you can send digital copies of your documents through their secure document portal. Priority Bookkeeping and Tax will never ask you to email important documents, as that is not a secure way to communicate!
Priority Bookkeeping and Tax uses Drake Software to complete tax returns. Drake has been around since 1977, is highly respected in the industry and highly rated for customer service and support.
Lisa also has referral partners with two CPA firms in Virginia, and is affiliated with various professional organizations of experienced and knowledgeable tax preparers that provide support for complex tax situations.
When you choose Priority Bookkeeping and Tax, you’re choosing the benefit of working with an Appomattox neighbor that you can trust, and you’re also gaining the resource of an additional wealth of knowledge from her community of other certified tax preparers that will work together to problem solve if needed!
Individual Tax Return pricing is based on the forms required to complete the return and begins at $155 (which is the price for a 1040 and VA state return with W-2 earnings only). Lisa suggests reaching out to make an appointment as soon as you have received all of your tax paperwork from your employers, financial institutions, etc.
Tax work is completed on a first come, first served basis. Once your return is prepared, Lisa will schedule an appointment with you to review the documents and explain them to you in a way that’s easy to understand. Once it’s complete, all you’ll need to do is sign the return and pay for the tax return services. Then, Priority Bookkeeping and Tax will electronically file it with the IRS and state tax department, whether that state is Virginia or otherwise.
Helpful tip: Even though you may only think of your tax preparer during tax season, Lisa is available for her clients year-round.
“I prefer to build relationships with my clients where my door is open to them year round as things change in their lives and they need tax advice,” Lisa said. “My clients can always call me as their tax preparer, to find out how something will impact their tax situation before they make decisions about their money.”
Business to Business Bookkeeping Services
Being a small business owner is a big responsibility! Suppose you’re really great at something, let’s say landscaping. You decide to use your talent to better your community by offering your knowledge and skills to those around you at an affordable price. You know soil. You know plants. You know mulch and gardening rocks. You don’t know the first thing about bookkeeping or taxes.
That’s where Lisa comes in! Helping others with bookkeeping and taxes is her priority (hence the name, Priority Bookkeeping and Tax)! Lisa offers payroll services, general bookkeeping, monthly bank and credit card statement reconciliation, and more.
Payroll pricing begins at $75 per month, and pricing for other services is based on the volume of work needed each month, the number of transactions being posted, and how many bank accounts or loans would need to be reconciled. (Additionally, there is a one-time setup fee for payroll and bookkeeping services.)
Lisa is a Quickbooks Online ProAdvisor, and because of that, she is also able to offer a discount for Quickbooks Online subscriptions for her clients for their own use.
“I love helping individuals and other small businesses succeed! As a small business owner, myself, I am familiar with many of the challenges, especially with record keeping and taxes,” Lisa explained.
Priority Bookkeeping and Tax is located at 270 Court Street in Appomattox. Their regular hours are Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm. (Evening or weekend appointment times are available upon request.) You can reach Lisa and Andrea at info@proritybookkeepingtax.com, and you call them at 434-664-2166 with any questions or to begin your tax preparation or business bookkeeping solutions!
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This article was written by Teresa Davis. Some photos were provided by Priority Bookkeeping & Tax.
If you are interested in promoting your business, church, or charitable group (or sponsoring an article for someone else,) on the Appomattox Happenings website, email, and social media, contact Teresa Davis through the contact form below or email appomattoxhappenings@gmail.com
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