Tax season is here. That means that it is time to make that appointment with your tax preparer. If you don’t have one or are looking for a trustworthy tax preparer, look no more because Leticia Moreno of The Tax Lady is here to help you to take care of your tax returns and she definitely is reliable.
Being the tax lady was not exactly Leticia Moreno’s choice of dream career. Moreno was born in the family of migrant workers who eventually settled in Washington state.
“I was fortunate to have experienced a traveling life because my parents often relocated according to harvest and season” Moreno shared her memories of her early childhood. “I lived in the state of Washington up to 1996 when we relocated to Iowa.”
Moreno said that Iowa was like a different country to her.
“It was somewhat a culture shock coming from small town west coast living to Midwest city life, but over the years I have learned to appreciate Des Moines and call it home,” Moreno said.
She attended Weeks Middle School and she received her secondary education at Job Corps in Denison, IA. There she studied Business Technology. She is also a graduate of DMACC – Ankeny with an Associates degree in Applied Science in the field of information Technology and completed course work in Digital Forensics and Business Law.
“Because of the hours offered in the field at the time of graduation and having 3 small children I wasn’t able to directly work my degree in the area I had planned but having an education and experience has opened up many opportunities that I am grateful for,” Leticia Moreno explained why she does not pursue career in her field of study.
Today Leticia Moreno owns her tax preparer business. She opened the doors of The Tax Lady in February of 2021.
Photo Tar Macias / Hola Iowa
“I decided on the name The Tax Lady because that is what many of my clients and friends referred to me as. I am their tax lady and I am happy to carry that title,” Moreno explained the interesting and uncommon name for her business.
Before becoming the tax lady Moreno had some unsavory personal experiences with tax preparations that motivated her to become a tax preparer herself.
“I started getting letters from the IRS stating discrepancies between the information reported and their calculations,” Moreno shared her experience. “After I reviewed my business and personal returns for the year in question, I discovered there had been an oversight that caused me to pay a considerable amount of money to the IRS and IDR in the following years.”
She added that she put her trust to prepare her tax returns for her small business in someone who was not up to the task and this bad experience made her want to become the reliable and knowledgeable tax preparer she prides herself to be.
“I had a couple of bad experiences due to inaccurate tax advice prior to becoming a tax preparer,” Moreno explained. “So, when I learned about the tax classes that were offered for free, I saw the perfect opportunity to learn something not too many people seemed to know much about and signed up.”
She explained that during the 10-week course she learned about the IRS tax code and how to fill out and correctly attach forms that are used for calculations.
“An unpopular opinion is that I enjoy learning how to fill out forms,” Leticia Moreno said, explaining that she doesn’t mind the paperwork at all. “I have inquisitive nature that induces me to get to the root of how things work, so, learning the details of tax documents was rewarding to me.”
She is very passionate about educating the public about taxes and especially believes that Latino small businesses are the ones that need the most help in this area. Her desire to be a source of information for her clients is something that she believes helps her provide better services to her clients.
“Anyone who walks through those doors or calls the number provided gets an explanation of what is going on and why it is happening,” Moreno explained how her bad experience turned her into a better tax preparer for others. “Tax debt is not erasable through any means other than proving you are not liable with tangible evidence, so it is important to me that my clients remain informed and involved.”
When tax season is over Leticia Moreno continues working with small businesses helping with issues that have to do with taxes.
“I handle many other business and tax related activities like bookkeeping and assisting with creating and filing documentation for business startups with the appropriate governing entities depending on the nature of the business, as well as educating small business owners on how to stay in compliance with both the IRS and IDR,” Moreno told.
Moreno is also an ITIN Certifying Acceptance Agent. That means she is able to assist clients with W7, application for an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number), and help with verification of the applicant’s identity. In addition, this mother of five and a small business owner works part-time as an Education and Interpretation Assistant at the Des Moines Art Center. As part of that gig, she works with the public and volunteers to help schedule guided tours of the museum.
This tax season consider putting your trust and your tax returns in the hands of Leticia Moreno. Leticia Moreno knows very well how important it is to be thorough when preparing tax returns for her clients. She prides herself in providing reliable tax preparation service to all of her clients.
The Tax Lady is located in La Placita at 1552 E Grand Ave, Suite A, Des Moines, IA. (Between La Michoacana and Fat Boys Barbershop) To schedule an appointment for a consultation or to establish a professional relationship with Leticia Moreno, please, call (515) 202-7854. You can also find The Tax Lady on Facebook.
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