Accountant to be held accountable too.........Is this relevant thread?

[JMOBhatti]

Dear forum members,

Every day in Canada is a challenging and learning; new adventures, new targets, new accomplishment. Currently, I am in need of your guidance about the following:

I am married with dependent kids. I have sponsored my family since the early 2014 and waiting for them to re-join me soon, Insha Allah. For the 2013 tax returns (my first tax return), I contacted a local accountant from my home country. He filled the form and charged nominal amount of money. He submitted the forms to CRA online while asked me to post the forms to Revenue Quebec (RQ) by post. Being allergic to math, I least bothered to have a look at the forms and posted them as . For future use, I asked him for a record copy which I was provided with. After a few days, I noticed that he mistakenly mentioned my status as single (though he specifically took details about the name, DOB and location of my spouse). I called the accountant and discussed my concern. He said you need not to worry about this minor error. But as I was sponsoring my family and don't want to have any kind of trouble, I write a covering letter to both CRA and RQ about making the necessary amendments in my file. Later on, I get the call from both CRA and RQ and the file was updated.

This year, I contacted the same accountant having in mind that my previous record is with him. So it will be easy to file the tax returns. I was also expecting him to charge me that same price which he charged last time. As my previous experience was not pleasant, I asked him that I would like to be present when he fills up the form. With a bit reluctance he agreed to fill up the form in my presence on week end. I specifically focused about my marital status, the name and DOB for my spouse along with other major things. But despite of all efforts, he made an error to the DOB of my spouse to CRA which he submitted online. I was able to ask him to amend it on RQ which was supposed to be posted.

The most important thing about which I need your help and guidance is that this time he claimed on my behalf some money for married individuals (knowingly that my spouse is not here as he asked for her SIN number and I told him that their sponsorship case is still in process). He filled the form by keeping the monitor screen to himself from the other side of the table. He merely asked about things like names spelling, DOB, T4, medical bills etc. A few days back, RQ sent me the assessment form asking me to reimburse the money claimed; as is above mentioned. I have never received this money but I have to pay back because of the fault of my accountant. I fully acknowledge that I have signed the forms before submitting to RQ but being from a country where there is no trend of filing tax returns, I fully relied on the accountant. That's why I hired his services. (Its important to mention that this time he charged twice the rate he charged first time).

Having said, how can I make the accountant accountable for the mistakes he made on my tax return for which I have to pay? Did not he misrepresented me? Despite of offering me peace of mind by rendering his services, he created trouble for me - and that's too by charging a reasonable amount of money.

Could he be reported to Consumer Protection Quebec for being non meticulous and non vigilant? If its a chartered profession, can he be reported to Order of Accountants?

Any advise, any comments or suggestions will be welcomed.

 

[polara69]

What a shame! Getting ripped off by one of your own people. Well, nothing new here. You probably should have let him go after the first episode, I mean you knew he was a crook. Going back for a second helping at double rate, bad choice.

Anyhow, I am not an accountant so can't help you there, but I hope you are not going back next year! Get a nice Canadian accountant for a change..

 

[emiiuki]

As I realize, the only advantage of this accountant was that he is from your home country and then also, you say that you come from a country where is no trend of filing tax returns?!?
And, regardless of all that, you went for his servicees again???
I guess that you can file a complaint to professional association, but keep in mind that you confirmed all the data with you signature on that form. I wish everythig goes well and you reunite with your family soon. And start using some alergy medications asap!
And they say that Canada is a country with the largest number of foreign doctors and engineers driving taxis and delivering pizzas! I really wonder why is that.....

 

[CanV]

You can file a complaint against your accountant but it won't go anywhere. Neither mistakes nor charging alot of money can be viewed as fraud. You agreed to the charges and one forced you to.

Your issues aren't as big as you made them sound and can be handled by contacting RQ and explain the situation. An agent may be assigned to your case where you can deal with and contact directly. Any amendments to tax return can be done by any most accountants, doesn't have to be a CPA. Go to professional tax service like HR block if you are willing to pay money, at least you get refunded if they make mistakes. Not sure why you would deal with someone from your country, which I have a good idea what area of the world that is.

 

[JMOBhatti]

What a shame! Getting ripped off by one of your own people. Well, nothing new here. You probably should have let him go after the first episode, I mean you knew he was a crook. Going back for a second helping at double rate, bad choice.

Anyhow, I am not an accountant so can't help you there, but I hope you are not going back next year! Get a nice Canadian accountant for a change..

Thanks for your comments.

 

[JMOBhatti]

As I realize, the only advantage of this accountant was that he is from your home country and then also, you say that you come from a country where is no trend of filing tax returns?!?
He is Canadian Citizen with roots back to my home land. I guess that you misperceived that as he is also from my home country, he is unaware of taxation rule. To the best of my knowledge, he is registered accountant and notary.
And, regardless of all that, you went for his servicees again???
He was located at a walking distance.
I guess that you can file a complaint to professional association, but keep in mind that you confirmed all the data with you signature on that form. I wish everythig goes well and you reunite with your family soon. And start using some alergy medications asap!
Thanks for the advise of using allergy medicines, I am already thinking of using few of them. I do understand that I endorsed what else he filled in the form but its just like the case that if we goes to a doctor, we are solely at his discretion. If he mistakenly prescribe a medicine of 500mg with maximum upper limit of 50 mg, its the patient who has to suffer or confront the side effects, but can not he be held responsible for his negligence? If a patience can treat himself, why does he bother to even visit him?
And they say that Canada is a country with the largest number of foreign doctors and engineers driving taxis and delivering pizzas! I really wonder why is that.....
There are no much jobs for them in their fields, I guess.

 

[JMOBhatti]

You can file a complaint against your accountant but it won't go anywhere. Neither mistakes nor charging alot of money can be viewed as fraud. You agreed to the charges and one forced you to.

Your issues aren't as big as you made them sound and can be handled by contacting RQ and explain the situation. An agent may be assigned to your case where you can deal with and contact directly. Any amendments to tax return can be done by any most accountants, doesn't have to be a CPA. Go to professional tax service like HR block if you are willing to pay money, at least you get refunded if they make mistakes. Not sure why you would deal with someone from your country, which I have a good idea what area of the world that is.

Agree but whats about misrepresentation? Whats about not being competitive and meticulous enough for a profession which demands a lot of vigilance and accuracy?

When you are earning minimum wage, it sounds like billion when you even have to pay few hundred to the account. A difference of few dollars is preferred and searched for.

I deal with people in Canada who spend hours (literally) to bargain merely for a couple of cents; here its matter of couple of hundred dollars. But even then I honor your comment that the issue is not big but being exaggerated.