Fox Tax

On firm structure, the site footer states that "Fox Tax Service, LLC is a subsidiary entity of Archer Lewis, LLC", that Archer Lewis is a brand name under which Archer Lewis, LLC, its subsidiary entities and Jarrard, Nowell and Russell, LLC provide professional services in an alternative practice structure, that Jarrard, Nowell and Russell, LLC is a licensed independent CPA firm providing attest services, and that "Archer Lewis, LLC and its subsidiary entities are not licensed CPA firms." The Contact page separately names the business as "Fox Tax, LLC".

The About page also lists press coverage links, including a piece described as "Minneapolis Sibling Tax Accountants are 'Crazy' like Foxes for Artist Clients", a Yelp listing, a "Best of the Twin Cities 2009" mention, and an item titled "ART IN UNEXPECTED PLACES: THE GALLERY AT FOX TAX" about an art gallery in the space, which is separate from the tax preparation practice itself. Contact: 612-824-2829, info@foxtaxservice.com, 1135 Buchanan St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413.

Under Small Biz Setup and Consult the site lists assistance in determining which type of entity best fits your business, initial set-up of the chosen entity with both state and federal agencies, payroll set-up and services, bookkeeping setup and services, and ongoing professional consultation specific to your situation. Under Payroll Setup and Services it lists initial set-up help with Gusto, information on withholding requirements, preparation of quarterly and annual employment reports, and W-2 and 1099 printing and filing. The site states "Fox Tax has partnered with Gusto to provide payroll services to small businesses."

The FAQ states the firm does not provide certain adjacent services: "We can help advise on the tax impact of different types of investments and retirement options available to you, but we do not provide any Certified Financial Planning or Brokerage services."

The practice is associated with artists and creative clients, but the FAQ answers the question "I'm not an artist, can you still do my taxes?" with "Absolutely! While we love the arts, our clients include people of all professions."

The website does not publish which specific items, deductions or credits apply to any client or profession. Questions of that kind should go to Fox Tax directly on 612-824-2829.

The only statement the site makes about how pricing works appears in the FAQ answer about the tax organizer: "By filling out the Tax Organizer, you guarantee that we provide you the best service at the lowest cost, as it helps avoid errors and omissions on your return while also improving our efficiency", followed by "Finally, our prices are based on getting your information in the tax organizer. Additional fees may apply if we need to spend extra time on bookkeeping and data collection." So the site says the fee is tied to the completeness of the information a client supplies, and that extra bookkeeping and data collection work can add fees. It does not say how much, and gives no ranges or minimums.

Because no rates are published, no one should quote a price, an estimate or a fee for Fox Tax work. The way to get a cost is to contact the office on 612-824-2829, email info@foxtaxservice.com, or use the individualized quote link on the Services page.

The site also mentions two no-cost or lower-cost routes for people it cannot take on: an e-file online option, and, for people who are low income, the Twin Cities organisation Prepare and Prosper, which the FAQ describes as offering "free tax preparation to clients that meet their income guidelines".

On preparation, the site asks clients to review its Tax Organizer ahead of the appointment, fill out the applicable sections and review the checklist for items to bring. Forms and the completed organizer can also be uploaded to the online portal. Tax organizers are published at https://foxtaxservice.com/tax-organizers.

On working remotely the FAQ says: "Yes, you can upload your documents to our Portal and we can use email, phone and/or video chat to finish up and review your taxes. Please note that we are quite busy during tax season, so we will need a few weeks to finish work that is sent in remotely."

On cancelling or rescheduling

"If you need to cancel, we ask that you just upload all your information to our Secure Online Portal and your Tax Preparer will reach out with questions and/or to find a time to discuss the results."

On spouses

both partners need not attend, but the site says both signatures are needed before filing can be completed. The site does not publish a fee for cancellation, a guaranteed turnaround, or an appointment availability calendar in its own page text.

On parking, the FAQ says: "Yes. Residential street parking is available on both sides of Buchanan Street and on one side of 12th Ave NE. Just be aware if there is a Snow Emergency in effect!"

For contact during the busy season the FAQ advises: "Email or messaging from within the Portal is best. We spend 8-10 hours a day in back to back appointments, so our ability to take phone calls is limited. If you feel you have a special circumstance that requires a phone call, please contact the front desk to schedule a phone appointment." The Contact page also carries a general inquiry form, and directs specific tax questions to emailing your accountant directly.

The FAQ says the same thing in answer to "I hear you're not taking new clients?", describing years of growth that left the firm out of space and time, and a wait list from which people are contacted "as we slowly add and train staff". On timing it says: "It's difficult to say how long it will take us to get through the entire Wait List, but we are contacting several hundred potential clients each year. We will email or call when we are confident that we can be of service to you."

The sign-up form is at https://foxtaxservice.com/waitlist. Because the site sets no wait time, no queue position and no acceptance criteria, no one should tell a prospective client whether or when Fox Tax can take them on. For people who cannot wait, the FAQ points to filing online, the MN CPA Society list of local CPAs, and Prepare and Prosper for those who meet its income guidelines.

Ask anyway — the agent will say plainly that it is not published rather than guess.