Hines and Company, P.C.

03/22/2020

Good Sunday afternoon, clients and friends. If you've been avoiding the news (and personally, it's probably a good idea), then perhaps you have not heard that IRS has extended both the filing and the payment deadline for 2019 taxes.

At Hines and Company, P.C., we are continuing to work and try to get returns out the door so that we do not hit a major crunch on July 15th. If you have already brought your information in, we will continue to try to complete your returns as soon as possible. But do not become concerned if it is after April 15th when you are informed it is ready because the deadline has now changed. Instead of April 15th, it is now July 15th. Sorry to be redundant, we want to make certain that everyone understands this.

Although many of our staff members are working from home, there is still a small staff manning the office who will continue to address your needs if you come in. Please take care to exercise caution when you come and go from our office. Use social distancing as your guide and try to keep six feet apart from our staff. We have hand sanitizer on our counter.

For those of you who are comfortable handling things online, we can send .pdf files of your returns to you to review as well as the signature pages necessary for us to file. We will send your returns via Citrix which is a secure connection. You can even receive your invoice via email.

We are trying to keep things as normal as possible so that we can continue to provide you services as well as making certain our employees receive a paycheck.

This is our parents' World War II. Right now, we all need to make sacrifices and be patient. With a little love and kindness, we will make it through this.

03/24/2018

Jenny Hines
1 hr ·
Today was the best day EVER at Hines and Company. During the past 15 months our small staff has been assaulted by the formidable enemy of cancer. Two beautiful women of our family were diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Both Emily and Susie fought battles against a disease that I personally hate. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 and my wonderful neighbor, Cindy, also battled the disease a few years later. Guess what, cancer? They all won!

Today was Susie’s last radiation treatment. Emily’s last treatment was late last fall. So to hell with tax season, today we celebrated our ladies in style!!!!!

Emily and Susie and their families went through hell. But these women are fighters. And they are both back stronger than ever. I’ve never been so proud in my life. We’ve all learned a lesson from these women. Every day is precious, so live it with everything you’ve got. Love you, Emily and Susie!!!

09/03/2017

Many of you may wish to donate to help the recent victims of the floods in eastern Texas and western Louisiana. Before you do so, make certain they are legitimate. Many scammers avail themselves on well meaning donors during times of crisis. There are several websites you can visit to verify the legitimacy of the charity you choose. Visit www.charitynavigator.org, www.guidestar.org, or charitycheck101.org. Each of these sites will verify your decision.

Charity Navigator, America's largest independent charity evaluator, provides free ratings of the Financial Health and Accountability & Transparency of thousands of charities. We are the individual donor's first source for unbiased news and information on philanthropy, nonprofit organizations, wise g...

07/09/2017

Most of our clients wait until the last week of December to make financial decisions that could affect their tax liability. Now---July, August, and September, is the time to start considering those changes and inform us so that we can help you plan to minimize any tax effect. For things like this, call or email us BEFORE you make your decision. There is very little we can do after the fact. Enjoy your summer!

04/19/2017

Every year during tax season, I have at least 50 people ask me if I’m surviving. Well, obviously, I am or I wouldn’t be meeting with them or talking with them on the phone or responding to an email. While that question becomes somewhat irritating after the 49th time I’ve been asked it, I get the sense that those who ask it have developed a feel for what that period of time is like for me and the people in my office and in this profession. In a unique way, all of my folks go into survival mode. For three and a half months, and for six weeks in particular, our minds, bodies and psyche are subjected to a test of endurance that only those who have lived the experience can understand.

We place our personal lives on hold, suspend our relationships with spouses, children, pets, friends and family, and often neglect care of our personal health. It’s just what you do to get the job done. This is not a career for the faint of heart. I’m certainly not complaining. These are the facts.

And so, another one bites the dust. For me, this was Tax Season ###III. When one starts equating their career with Roman Numerals, that can only mean one thing---I’m ancient.

This year was a tough one, but I’ve had far worse. Many things happened this tax season that no one could have foreseen----perhaps, the greatest sadness was the loss for the entire season of one of our best tax professionals, and quite frankly, one of the most fun people in the world to be around. She began her battle against cancer in January and completes her last round of chemotherapy this week before undergoing surgery. Her absence was felt in so many ways and we all kept her in our thoughts constantly. Emily came to visit us every few weeks and actually lifted our spirits with her positive attitude and her constant smile. We certainly hope that she will be back with us next year because she is such an integral part of our team.

Two of our veterans stepped back in from retirement or semi-retirement to help fill in the gap. I don’t know how I can say thank you enough to Cathy Hill and Teresa Howerton. Your willingness to help at a time when it was so greatly needed, is so very appreciated by every one of us.

During this tax season, our office family expanded twofold! Adrienne Duncan became the proud mom of Corbin Duncan Place. He is the cutest baby boy in the world. But he’s in a contest with Renee’s Davis’s new grandson, Alistair.

Monday night I left the office at close to 11:00 with Susie Stamey and Renee Davis still literally burning the midnight oil. I got home and worked until about 12:30, set my alarm for 5:00 and headed to the bedroom to collapse. At about 1:30 I heard a text notification come in. Susie was still at the office. The loyalty and determination of this band of warriors is unparalleled.

Margaret Duncan and Adrienne Duncan probably had their toughest year ever and they didn’t miss a beat. They are on the front line and deal with clients who can sometimes become irritable when tax is owed or if they don’t think we are moving quickly enough. I don’t know how to say this, but the amount of work that we do is staggering and the detail that is required for every return requires absolute concentration. This year IRS decided to turn our lives upside-down by making all partnerships due a month earlier and letting C corporations file a month later. It was confusing for clients and it was a bear for us because we do so many partnerships and S corporations.

The folks at Hines and Company were up for the task. Thank you, Louanne Bennett, Susie Stamey, Jennifer Garren, Andrea Uselton, Renee Davis, Jeff Gowin, Rena Beeler, Cathy Hill, Kate Watson, Margaret Duncan, Adrienne Duncan, Kara Johnson, Logan Hubbs, Caroline Beeler, Claire Hawthorne and Jamie Spencer. And thank you to my magnificent partners, Janna Hubbs and Sharon Johnson. And I cannot fail to mention our office mascots---Kooper, Duff, and little yellow kitty cat. They reminded us that life is not allow about work!

This may sound like an academy awards acceptance speech, but it is more like reaching the end of an epic journey with a band of marathon travelers who have shared struggles and triumphs and are ecstatic to reach the finish line.

And thank you to all of the clients who wished us well, sent us messages of encouragement, brought us food, or basically just appreciated what we tried hard to accomplish for them. You are the ones who inspire us to give our best. Thank you.

04/10/2017

We're on third base and headed for home. This year has been tough because one of our staff members has been battling cancer. She is such a trooper, and to be honest, we just miss her because she is so fun to be around---never mind that she is a wonderful employee.

At this point in time, calls start to come in every day asking if someone's return is finished. I would just say this---please, please know that we handle each return as if it were for the most important person in the world. We cannot work at a rushed pace because that allows for errors, and even though they occur infrequently, we take responsibility for them and make our clients whole. But please, please understand that we don't just push buttons to generate tax returns. There are many considerations that we must evaluate to minimize current and future year taxes for our clients.

So please be patient. We will give you our best and put our full hearts into your return. And if you're looking for a magic monkey to get it done overnight, then we're not your people.

Happy Tax Season. And Happy Spring!

03/05/2017

If you are struggling with pulling your information together, trust me, I understand! In the 30+ years that I have practiced public accounting, I have extended my tax return. IRS statistics support the fact that there is less of a chance of being audited for people who extend than for those who file on time.

But keep this in mind. An extension does not buy you an opportunity to postpone paying tax you may owe. Anyone can file an extension of time to file, but there is NO extension for paying any tax that is due.

At any rate, there is no disgrace in extending your return. If the people who prepare returns extend, there's a good chance that it is an OK thing to do.

11/30/2016

Happy Holidays, friends and clients. At this time of thanksgiving and warm spirits, it's time to think about how this special time of year can be combined with year end tax planning.

Many of you probably have your own favorite charities, but perhaps you will consider adding some of the charities that are assisting with the devastating fires that ravaged the communities of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Wears Valley. Your local Red Cross, Gatlinburg Fires Relief Fund, Remote Area Medical Mission and various area animal shelters and rescues are doing all they can to help and they are good solid charities.

Based upon what we are hearing for 2017, I'm going to recommend that individuals who itemize their deductions might consider paying property taxes prior to 12/31 because both the President elect's and Congressional tax plan would favor eliminating the property tax deduction. In fact, all deductions may disappear in 2017 other than home mortgage interest on primary residences and charitable contributions. Thus, those who carry mortgages on second homes or who have home equity lines of credit may be interested in rolling those outstanding debts into the mortgage on their primary residence.

Your generosity will be greatly appreciated by any qualified charity group and you'll be happy you gave when you file your tax return next spring. Happy Holidays to all of you!

04/19/2016

I always wax poetic at the end of every tax season. Many people may wonder how many glasses of wine I’ve had. I can answer that. Not enough. For the first time in four years we had a tax season that did not keep us there until the late hours of night. Last year we left well after midnight and mine was, fittingly, the last extension to be filed, as it was yesterday. But yesterday I left the office at 6:30. And I finished working at 5:00.

Then I spent some time with some of the best people in the world. The people I work with. The people Tom and I toasted last night at sunset. We toasted “and Company.” Hines and Company, PC would be nothing were it not for the “and Company.” Those folks who make it possible for your return to get out the door. Those people who help me view every possible opportunity to save you money and come up with good ideas for the future of your tax scape. And you may not want to think about it like this, but you should---it’s the people at “and Company” and others like them who keep this country running, a subject to be addressed later. They’re the folks who use tax law tempered by good judgment to make certain you don’t pay a dime more than you should because you shouldn’t!

To say how much I love the folks I work with is something that our language doesn’t accommodate. They are like family only sometimes more. Unless you have lived through a tax season and work with a significant number of clients who typically have complicated financial and tax situations, you cannot imagine the life of a CPA. At some point in February we begin working seven days a week and then we crank the hours up to fourteen and fifteen hours a day seven days a week for at least the last three weeks.

Most everyone there with the exception of one face, with hair on it, had been there before. Yes, we added a man this year and he became our sit down comedian. Jeff Gowin was “livin’ the dream every day.” But he also took a huge load off Janna and me. I’m concerned that he doesn’t eat enough vegetables, but he knows his tax code and he knows how to navigate through an office full of women. Husband and father of two daughters, he found himself in familiar surroundings in our office.

It would take a book to recognize everyone’s efforts, but one person who wasn’t there to celebrate but was with us in spirit was Louanne Bennett. She helped us immensely with probably one of the largest blocks of work we do before she disappeared back to Raye County to open Arrowhead Marina and Resort.

And I also have to mention Andrea who came back to us after a long interval that involved raising three children. She is a rock star!!!

Thank you Susie, Emily, Jennifer, Margaret, Adrienne, Teresa, Rena, Jeff, Logan, Louanne, Kate, Kara, Caroline, Madge and, my wonderful partners, Janna and Sharon. Consider yourselves the best team in the world. You all tied for most valuable players in making it happen again!