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JAMIE McCUNE
For the Daily Record/Sunday News
With the April 17 deadline to file tax returns looming, local accountants and financial planners are gearing up for a second wave of filers.
Monday afternoon, volunteers helped more than 88 senior citizens file taxes at the Delta Senior Center in Peach Bottom Township. The Delta event was one day. But the AARP Tax-Aide volunteers help about 3,600 people in the county each year at 15 locations, said District Coordinator Thomas Heberly.
“We have a site open every day somewhere in the county,” Heberly said. Taxpayers age 60 and older are given preference, but the free service is provided to those in the low- to moderate-income bracket at any age.
David Riggs, president of Accounting Services of York, said the people who expect a refund usually file early in the tax season.
“All the people who owe money will come in the second week of March,” Riggs said.
Riggs and Morris Miller, owner of 3-M Tax Prep, 1906 Carlisle Road, said they have been working more than 12 hours per day.
Accounting Services has been open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. throughout the week since January, Riggs said. He often goes in earlier and stays later to keep up with the day-to-day business, as well as tax season.
“I have other things to do than taxes,” Riggs said. “I get home at 9:30, watch an hour of T.V., go to bed, get back up at 5, and am at work at 6.”
Riggs packs a lunch and a snack for dinner.
“There’s too much work to be done to leave,” Riggs said. “We focus a lot on customer service, and I want to make sure my customers are satisfied.”
The rest of the year, he and his employees usually get out of work at 4 or 5 p.m.
For Miller, the longer days are compounded by his daily commute. His business is in York, but his home is in Lancaster. In addition, Miller works as an adjunct professor teaching computer programming at York College and business administration at Lebanon Valley College.
“I do a great deal of commuting. I usually put about 25,000 or 30,000 miles on my car a year,” Miller said.
Riggs said his children are grown and his wife understands. He gets a chance to catch up on episodes of “Survivor” on the weekends.
The long hours pay off. Miller said he is able to take summers off.
Riggs will reward himself with a long vacation in May to either Illinois or Florida, where he has family.
Miller said he takes the busy season in stride.
“I guess my philosophy is, I don’t get stressed about anything,” Miller said. “I just work morning, noon and night.”
http://www.ydr.com/ci_20107025/york-county-tax-preparers-scramble-tax-day-nears?IADID
