Gerald Bayus Jr EA, dba Bayus & Associates LLC

03/24/2026

Letter to Politicians and Public.... Beware! Every year I see this crap being misrepresented to the public. Know what your paying for..... The ONLY individuals possessing the experience and credentials to prepare tax returns, admisnister tax law and represent taxpayers before the IRS are Enrolled Agents (EA), CPA's and attorneys. EVERYONE else are "unlicensed" preparers.

03/24/2026

UPDATE BELOW: TOTAL COST TO TAXPAYER FROM INCOMPETENT WORK BY H&R BLOCK, 2018-2024, $2,204

I met with a new client today that has used H&R Block for several years in the past. I asked him about his HSA account. He told me he quit putting money into it because they “H&R Block tax advisor” told him he had to pay tax on it when he took it out. He questioned them and said even if I use it for medical expenses. And the tax advisor told him yes it is taxable. And no s**t tax years 2022 and 2023 the same tax advisor taxed him and penalized him on his HSA distributions.
In 2024 he didn’t have distributions because he didn’t want to pay tax on them.

This is beyond elementary and complete incompetence and malpractice. So the taxpayer is now getting all of his returns from H&R Block prior to 2022 and we will see how far back they taxed him on his HSA distributions. He also quit going to them because this particular tax advisor told him repeatedly that she can’t provide tax advice. 🤷🏼
This tax preparer and this office will get reported! Most people who sit behind a desk and prepare taxes at these national tax preparation warehouses are unlicensed, do not have credentials, and I wonder if they even have malpractice insurance. H&R Block, as well as the others come up with their own self labeled tax advisor titles….. none of which are legitimate credentials.

Only enrolled agents, CPAs and attorneys carry credentials to represent taxpayers before the IRS and that includes the knowledge to prepare tax returns!

Taxpayers and customers are being defrauded by those that represent themselves as tax professionals when they have no legitimate credentials! And the taxpaying consumer that pays for this non-credentialed work only believes the end product is correct and accurate until somebody else like me who actually knows the law and knows how to prepare taxes and is legitimately licensed or credentialed tells them otherwise.

Congress needs to act and regulate the preparation of tax returns for the protection of the public and the integrity of the system!

UPDATE:
2018; taxed $187, penalty $37, total cost $78
2019; taxed $3000, penalty $1260, total cost $1260
2020; Treated HSA distribution correctly but took a an HSA deduction of $858, appears to be erroneous
2021; taxed $1770, penalty $354, total cost $566
2022; taxed $241, penalty $48, total cost $101
2023; taxed $474, penalty $95, total cost $199
2024; taxpayer quit using his HSA because he didn't want taxed and penalized again by incompetent tax preparers.
Total cost to taxpayer $2,204

02/10/2026

Your tax return preparation should include more than just putting some numbers on a tax form. A thorough interview with the taxpayer provides the preparer with information that otherwise isn’t disclosed in tax reporting documents that may lead to a lower tax liability for the taxpayer (in most cases this means a larger refund.)

Advisory services includes an understanding of a taxpayers financial and economic situation that provides tax savings or meets a personal or economic need.

Investment and retirement savings guidance, loan and debt analysis, medical insurance costs, budgeting and cash flow issues, can all be steps included with the preparation of a tax return.

If you normally get a refund of $2000 but with a little work and planning your refund could be $4000, the time and effort a tax professional invests in you has value immeasurable and ongoing for years to come.

“Cheap” or “Fast” usually never provides for the best return.

Tax Preparation | Tax Advisors | Tax Law | Accounting | Business Advisory | IRS Representation, Notices | IRS Audits | Complex Tax Situations

02/10/2026

TAXPAYER DUE DILIGENCE IS A “THING”

It is 'your' responsibility as the taxpayer to be sure you understand as best possible and agree with a tax return prepared for you by any paid preparer. I understand there is an amount of trust, but having zero knowledge of the tax return and assuming it is correct is your own neglect. I continually see year after year, returns prepared by others with significant errors. The following are issues from prior years:

1) Husband Wife married in December 2019. They wanted to keep their own preparers. Return prepared by a CPA for husband using married filing separate filing status without considering spouses income. Spouse came to me as she has been a long-time client. I run the numbers and inform them both that filing separate returns collectively cost them $12,500. I amended both tax returns for filing status and a multitude of other errors on husband’s tax return resulting in refunds of $13,000.

2) New client has gone to a local ‘franchise’ type discount tax service for several years. While reviewing their Ohio state tax returns back 4 years, I discovered that the taxpayer had qualified survivorship benefits from her late husband that were non-taxable but were not deducted on her original returns. After amending 4 years allowed, taxpayer realized refunds of almost $4000.

Just because someone has initials behind their name doesn't mean they know what they are doing. Just because someone has a tax preparation office, doesn't mean they are licensed and regulated let alone competent to prepare income taxes. If there are mistakes, you may never know until someone else who might know what they are doing catches the errors and calls them out.

Take some responsibility for your own tax returns.

Tax Preparation | Tax Advisors | Tax Law | Accounting | Business Advisory | IRS Representation, Notices | IRS Audits | Complex Tax Situations

02/10/2026

𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐗 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍; 𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐔𝐀𝐋, 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒, 𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄, 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐓⁣

Gerald Bayus Jr, EA is an Accounting and Tax Advisor, practicing for more than 30yrs, specializing in individual and business tax preparation, tax and business advisory services, IRS representation, IRS notices, audits and collections, distressed business, bankruptcy and reorganization, tax planning for divorce, estates and trusts.⁣
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Bayus is an Enrolled Agent, Licensed by the U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service⁣
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Specialties: Tax Law, IRS representation, Complex Tax Situations, Taxpayer Non-filing⁣
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𝐄𝐧𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐋𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔.𝐒. 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. 'Enrolled Agents' are the only federally licensed tax practitioners who have the technical expertise in the field of taxation. Enrolled Agents are licensed to represent taxpayers before the IRS for audits, collections and appeals at all levels of the Internal Revenue Service. "Only" Enrolled Agents, attorneys and CPA's may represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service. Despite all the extensive deceptive advertising, there are NO other "Licensed Tax Professionals".⁣

Tax Preparation | Tax Advisors | Tax Law | Accounting | Business Advisory | IRS Representation, Notices | IRS Audits | Complex Tax Situations

12/11/2025

2025 Tax Year Rules for No Tax on Overtime, No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Car Loan Interest and Deduction for Seniors

FS-2025-03, July 14, 2025 — Provisions from the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law on July 4, 2025.