Shelly Clark, EA - Tax & Business Services

08/19/2026

🚨 A Friendly PSA from Your Tax Professional 🚨

Tax professionals are currently coexisting in a world where a five-second Google search, a social media influencer who became a “tax expert” overnight, and a confidently delivered AI response are all being presented as more reliable than years of education, experience, and training—or even the actual documents filed with the IRS.

Yes, we are being hit with all three at once. What a time to be alive! 😂

Plot twist: None of them outweigh the facts, official records, or a qualified tax professional’s review of your specific situation.

Internet searches and AI-generated summaries can be helpful starting points, but they cannot establish what happened on your specific IRS account.

Google snippets often leave out important context. Social media posts may contain outdated or incorrect information. And yes, AI can provide a completely wrong answer with remarkable confidence!

AI does not have access to your IRS account, transcripts, notices, supporting documents, or all the facts surrounding your situation.

It is not a substitute for:

✅ Reviewing your actual tax return
✅ Reading the complete IRS notice
✅ Examining official IRS transcripts
✅ Applying current tax law to your specific circumstances
✅ Consulting a qualified tax professional

If your tax professional requests documents or signed authorization to investigate an issue, screenshots of Google results or AI responses will not provide the information needed to resolve it.

Ask questions? Absolutely.

Request an explanation? Please do!

But presenting an AI-generated response as proof that AI or Google knows the best path to take to resolve your issue??
Let’s not do that. Take a breath and let's review the official IRS records first. 😉

The internet can offer possibilities. Your records provide evidence. That is a very important difference.

And one final reminder—for the sake of all humanity—please stop entering personal and confidential information into free, public AI tools!

Do not upload tax returns, IRS notices, Social Security numbers, banking information, dates of birth, photo identification, or documents containing anyone else’s private information.

Free consumer AI tools may store your conversations or use submitted content according to their individual data policies and privacy settings. If you have not reviewed and fully understood those policies, assume the tool is not an appropriate place for sensitive information.

AI can be a useful assistant. It is not your tax professional, the IRS, or a secure filing cabinet. 🔐💻📄

Call now to connect with business.

08/17/2026

Don’t fall for an impersonating scam urging users to enroll in a bogus "Digital Asset Compliance Portal." Learn more about tax scams at www.irs.gov/scams

08/06/2026

Reason why my firm doesn't file tax returns at the last minute? Mainly because life happens and the unexpected things come up.

• Jury duty (I just found out I got summoned for September 14th, the day before
the business extension tax business deadline!)
• Hurricanes & severe weather
• Power or internet outages
• Illness or family emergencies
• Missing tax documents
• Computer, software, or IRS e-file issues
• Last-minute questions that need answers

I've seen all these happen over the years, from big box tax firms to small tax firms. Any one of these can delay a return, which could create unnecessary penalties and interest, if your return is filed late.

Don't wait until the tax deadline, get your tax return finished early!

07/25/2026

For my fellow Louisiana and Texas folks! Be sure to sign up. Can’t wait to see everyone there. Oh and in case you missed it on the graphic, our girl Kathy Morgan is teaching it.

07/20/2026

🚗 IRS MILEAGE RATE INCREASE

Due to recent increases in fuel prices, the IRS has revised the optional standard mileage rates beginning July 1, 2026:

✅ Business: 76¢ per mile
✅ Medical and qualified moving: 23.5¢ per mile
✅ Charitable: 14¢ per mile—unchanged

Because this change takes effect in the middle of the year, taxpayers should maintain separate mileage totals:

• January 1–June 30, 2026: Business 72.5¢; medical/qualified moving 20.5¢
• July 1–December 31, 2026: Business 76¢; medical/qualified moving 23.5¢

Remember: Mileage deductions require proper documentation. Your log should include the date, destination, business or qualifying purpose, and miles driven.

“Moving” mileage is generally limited to qualifying active-duty military members and certain intelligence-community employees—not ordinary household moves.

Source: IRS Announcement 2026-11

06/28/2026

This tax case is a powerful reminder: Choosing the right tax preparer matters.

Normally, the IRS has three years to assess additional tax after a return is filed. In some cases involving significant underreporting, that can extend to six years. But when fraud is involved, that clock may never start running.

In Murrin v. Commissioner, the issue was whether a preparer’s fraudulent intent could keep the statute of limitations open — even when the taxpayer did not personally intend to commit fraud.

The courts sided with the IRS, and the Supreme Court declined to hear the case.

That is a big deal.

When you sign your tax return, you are signing that it is true, correct, and complete. You need a preparer who wants to help you do things right — not someone willing to make up numbers, inflate deductions, or “get creative” in ways that can come back to hurt you years later.

A good tax professional helps you legally reduce your tax.

A great tax professional also knows when to tell you no — for good reason, because protecting YOU matters too.

The decision means the time to assess unpaid taxes can remain open when the tax preparer committed fraud—even if the taxpayer didn’t know about it.

06/19/2026

Sometimes the struggle is real.

Between client portals, tax software, email, banking, payroll platforms, and who knows what else… there are days I feel like I’m scrolling the little spinny thingy to find my year of birth just to locate the right code in my 2FA app. 😅

But here’s the thing: all those extra steps matter.

Data security is always one of my top priorities, especially when handling sensitive tax and financial information. Two-factor authentication may be mildly annoying some days, but protecting client information is absolutely worth the extra click, code, and occasional “which app is this one in again?” moment.

05/04/2026

Got an IRS notice and not sure what it means? Don’t panic—and definitely don’t guess. Scammers count on confusion this time of year.

If something doesn’t feel right, let us take a look. Give us a call—we’ll help you sort it out and make sure you’re protected.

318-909-1895

05/01/2026

🎉🎉Everyone help me wish Kathy the happiest of birthdays! 🎉🎉

04/09/2026

April 9th and the caffeine is officially earned ☕🥤

Between my coffee and Kathy’s Diet Cokes, we’re running on pure determination this week.

Phones ringing nonstop, client portals lighting up, emails rolling in—this is what organized chaos looks like during the final stretch of tax season. And honestly… we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Extension filings are in full throttle, and we’re pushing hard toward the finish line.

If you still need to file an extension, don’t wait—reach out ASAP so we can get it handled before the deadline hits 🚨

Shelly Clark, EA - Tax & Business Services
318-909-1895