Kalish & Associates, PA · Owings Mills
Tax and Accounting Questions
Finally, a CPA who calls you back and wants to chat.
Quick answers about working with Kalish & Associates.
Contact the firmCall (410) 654-5770Getting started and appointments
How do I become a client?
Fill out our contact form and tell us a little about what you need. We respond within one business day.
What are your hours?
Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. In summer (June–September), Monday–Thursday 8:30–5 and Friday 8:30–1.
Do you work with dental practices?
Yes — many of our clients are dentists and health-care professionals.
How do I book a time with your team?
Use the contact page or call (410) 654-5770. Share the general topic, preferred time windows and time zone. The team confirms arrangements separately.
Does the one-business-day response promise mean my appointment is booked?
No. It is a response commitment, not a promise of a particular appointment or completed work. Wait for the team to confirm the arrangements.
Documents, changes and records
How do I send you documents?
Use the Client Portal to sign in to Canopy. Check the client and year, upload complete readable files and flag corrected versions. Do not email tax documents or put them in the contact form.
What documents should I send / what is missing?
Upload what applies to you through our secure Canopy client portal — please do not email tax documents. Most people need photo ID, Social Security numbers and dates of birth for everyone on the return, last year’s federal and Maryland returns (new clients), W-2s and 1099s, K-1s, bank info for direct deposit, and records of estimated tax payments already made. Business owners usually also send year-end books or financials and records of asset purchases or sales. If we still need something, we will note it in Canopy or reach out. Not sure whether an item matters? Upload it anyway and we will sort it. Questions? Call (410) 654-5770.
Filing status / married filing jointly
Your filing status is generally based on your marital status on the last day of the tax year (December 31 for most people). Married couples may file a joint return or separate returns. On a joint return you report combined income and deductions, and both spouses can be responsible for the tax. Many married couples owe less filing jointly, but not always — separate filing or another status can be better in some situations. Life events (marriage, divorce, separation, or a spouse’s death) can change the right choice. Call (410) 654-5770 so we can check what fits your facts.
How do I tell you which documents are still missing?
Use the missing-documents response checklist alongside your organizer. List each requested item and mark Sent, Still coming or Does not apply, then upload it through Canopy.
Does an upload mean my return is complete?
No. An upload is not a completeness check. Ask the office to confirm receipt of a particular item if you are uncertain.
How do I tell you about a significant change this year?
Use the changes worksheet with your organizer. Briefly describe the event and dates, upload supporting records through Canopy and ask which additional records the preparer needs.
Does checking a life-change box decide my filing status?
No. The worksheet flags facts for the preparer. It does not decide filing status or tax treatment.
How should I send a corrected tax document?
Upload the complete corrected version through Canopy, label it CORRECTED and identify the earlier document it replaces. Keep both copies and tell the team the return status if known.
Does every corrected form require an amended return?
Do not assume that it does. The preparer must compare the corrected document and the return before deciding the next step.
How do I request a copy of an earlier return?
Check your portal for a copy already shared. If it is not there, identify the year, jurisdiction and copy needed, then contact the office or use Canopy. The office must verify identity and authority before release.
Is a tax transcript the same as a full return copy?
No. Ask which record meets your need. The team must check what is available and confirm the request scope and secure delivery.
Which investment records should I send?
Gather complete year-end tax reports, corrected versions and transaction or purchase-history records available or requested. Flag missing reports and send documents through Canopy.
What if I cannot find purchase-history or basis records?
Say what is missing rather than estimating it. The preparer will check what additional records may be needed.
What records help if I moved or worked across state lines?
Gather residence and move dates, work locations and periods, wage statements with state information and other state-related records requested by the team.
Does the worksheet tell me which state returns to file?
No. It gathers facts for the preparer. Residency, filing requirements and allocation depend on the particular circumstances.
Do I need a new rental worksheet from this set?
No. Use the existing Rental Property Income & Expense Worksheet, one per property, and send supporting records through Canopy. Ask the team if you cannot locate the current download.
What if a household change may affect my filing status?
Flag the event and dates on the changes worksheet and discuss them with the preparer. The worksheet does not select a filing status or decide the tax result.
Client Portal, signatures and firm invoices
How do I use the Canopy client portal (upload, sign, pay)?
Our client portal is Canopy. After you accept the firm’s invitation and sign in, use it to securely upload documents, check and e-sign forms we send you, message the firm, and pay invoices. You can pay your Kalish & Associates invoice through the Client Portal (Canopy) by ACH bank transfer or by credit card. Credit card payments include an additional processing fee. Please use the portal for tax documents instead of email so your information stays protected. If you cannot log in, need an invitation, or a screen looks wrong, stop and call us rather than guessing — we will walk you through access. Call (410) 654-5770 and we will help you get into Canopy.
How do I get a Canopy invitation?
Call the office if an invitation is missing, expired or unexpected. Begin from the firm's Client Portal page and use your own login.
How do I know you received an upload?
Check the visible upload status and ask the office if you are uncertain. Upload status is not confirmation that a preparer checked the file or that the return is complete.
How do I sign a document in Canopy?
Check the exact document the team requested and complete the signature steps shown in your portal. If a document or task looks wrong, stop and call. Signing does not establish accepted filing.
How do I pay a firm invoice in Canopy?
You can pay your Kalish & Associates invoice through the Client Portal (Canopy) by ACH bank transfer or by credit card. Credit card payments include an additional processing fee. Contact the office if the invoice or payment step is unclear.
What should I send if I need portal help?
Describe the task and error without passwords, verification codes or sensitive screenshots. Call the office for help with access or an unfamiliar screen.
Why is the firm using Canopy for all invoice payments?
Client safety is the reason. Mailed checks can be lost, intercepted or altered through check-washing fraud. ACH through Canopy avoids mailing a paper check. Ask the office about anything unexpected.
Does paying the office invoice pay my taxes?
No. Firm invoices and tax-agency payments are separate. Use Pay Your Taxes for official agency-payment resources, and ask the team if the purpose or period is unclear.
I signed the document. Has my return been filed?
Not necessarily. Signing, transmission and agency acceptance are separate stages. Ask the office to check the actual status and available confirmation.
What if a signature task looks wrong or incomplete?
Stop and call the office. Do not guess, share a password or assume another signer's task is complete.
Tax payments, filing and agency letters
Estimated tax payments — when and why?
Estimated tax is how you pay tax during the year on income that is not fully covered by withholding — for example self-employment, interest, dividends, or capital gains. For many individuals, federal estimated payments are due about April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 of the following year (next business day if a weekend or holiday). Maryland generally follows the same quarterly calendar. Paying enough on time helps avoid underpayment interest or penalties. We can help figure what you may owe. Call (410) 654-5770 to check your situation.
Extensions — more time to file, not more time to pay
An extension gives you more time to file your return. It does not give you more time to pay tax you owe. For most individuals, any tax due is still owed by the original April due date; interest (and possible penalties) can apply to unpaid amounts after that date. Federally, individuals generally request an automatic extension with Form 4868 (or by paying and marking the payment as an extension). Maryland also extends filing time only; tax due must still be paid by the original due date. Call (410) 654-5770 if you need an extension checked.
I got an IRS or Maryland letter — what should I do?
Do not panic, and do not ignore the letter. Most notices are routine — a question, a correction, or a request for information — and many include a response date. Read it carefully, keep every page, and send us a complete copy (front and back) through Canopy or by calling the firm before you pay or call the agency on your own. The IRS generally starts contact by mail and will not demand gift cards, crypto, or wire payments. If a letter looks suspicious, ask us first. Call (410) 654-5770 and we will help you understand the next step.
When will my refund arrive?
Use the official refund-status resources linked from Pay Your Taxes and Useful Links. If a status message is unclear, contact the office and send any private records through Canopy. No refund date is promised.
What should I send when I receive an IRS or state letter?
Send every page securely through Canopy, plus relevant earlier correspondence and any payment proof. Keep the original and flag a printed response date directly to the office.
Does uploading a letter mean the firm will respond to the agency?
No. Ask the team to confirm receipt, the person handling it and the agreed next step. A person must check the letter and relevant dates.
What should I send if my documents are not ready?
Send available records, a list of missing items and payment records through Canopy, and contact the team directly about an extension check.
Does uploading the extension checklist mean an extension was filed?
No. Ask the team to confirm the agreed action and actual status. An extension generally concerns time to file, not time to pay.
What should I record for estimated payments already made?
List each payment separately with date, agency or state, tax year or period and amount. Upload supporting confirmations through Canopy and flag uncertain or changed payments.
Does this worksheet calculate what I should pay next?
No. It records payments already made. Ask the preparer to check your circumstances and any future payment question.
Business records and bookkeeping
Business vs personal expenses
Business expenses must be ordinary and necessary for your trade or business. Personal, living, and family costs are generally not deductible as business expenses — even if you pay them from a business account. When something is mixed (for example a vehicle used for both business and personal trips), only the business portion is deductible, and you need records that support the split. Keeping separate business and personal bank accounts makes bookkeeping and tax prep cleaner. Call (410) 654-5770 if you want help sorting a gray-area expense.
Quarterly bookkeeping deadlines
There is no single IRS “quarterly bookkeeping due date” like the estimated-tax calendar. In practice, closing your books shortly after each quarter ends helps us (or your bookkeeper) give you timely numbers for estimated tax payments, sales tax filings if they apply to you, and year-end tax prep. Aim to gather bank and credit-card activity, bills, and receipts soon after March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31. If you use Canopy, upload the period’s reports or statements there. Call (410) 654-5770 to confirm the rhythm that works for your engagement.
Which bookkeeping files should I send?
Confirm the reporting period and format with the team. Use the handoff checklist for requested statements, reports, transaction detail, reconciliation information and open questions.
Should I send my banking or software password with the files?
No. Do not send passwords or codes. Ask the team to confirm an approved way to share the requested records.
What contractor records should I gather for the team?
Gather payment totals by contractor and method, invoices or ledger support, and any W-9s or prior forms the team requests. Send sensitive supporting records only through Canopy.
Is this the same as the Schedule C worksheet?
No. This checklist helps a business gather records about contractors it paid. The existing Schedule C worksheet organizes the business owner's own income and expenses.
Which form helps organize my business income and expenses?
Use the existing Schedule C Business Income & Expenses worksheet on Forms and the business-expense article. Ask the team about uncertain items; a checklist does not determine deductibility.
Why Kalish & Associates
A family firm in Owings Mills, Maryland, serving clients nationwide since 1986. You call people who already know your situation.
Helpful tax and accounting resources
- Quarterly estimated taxes
- Tax appointment checklist
- Tax planning versus preparation
- Received an IRS or state letter? What to send the team
Client tax forms and checklists · Upload documents through the secure Client Portal
Still have a question? Contact the firm or call (410) 654-5770.
We serve all of Maryland, DC and Virginia, as well as other states.
Contact the firmCall (410) 654-5770