Question 1

Do you do retirement tax planning for The Villages?

Accepted Answer

Yes — it's core work for me, not a sideline. Required minimum distributions, Roth conversion windows in the years before RMDs begin, Social Security taxation, IRMAA brackets that quietly raise Medicare premiums when income crosses a threshold, qualified charitable distributions, and estate-and-gifting strategy. I plan those moves with you across the year, not just file the result in April.

Question 2

How much does a CPA cost in The Villages?

Accepted Answer

Individual returns start at $425 (Form 1040), quoted flat before the work starts — retirement returns with brokerage activity, K-1s, or rental property are quoted on the same call. Business returns start at $1,625 and monthly bookkeeping at $500 flat. My pricing calculator at timcpa.com/pricing-calculator gives you an instant written number.

Question 3

Do you come to The Villages, or is everything remote?

Accepted Answer

Both work. My office is in Mount Dora, about 35 minutes southeast via US 441 through Leesburg and Lady Lake. Most clients run everything through my secure portal — upload documents from the lanai, see the return before signing, pay online. When a face-to-face meeting matters, the drive is short.

Question 4

The Villages spans three counties — does that change my taxes?

Accepted Answer

Your federal return doesn't care which county you're in, but plenty of practical things do: Sumter, Lake, and Marion counties each have their own property appraiser, tax collector, homestead filing, and local rates. When you move within The Villages or own property across the lines, I make sure the homestead exemption, the tangible-tax filings, and the addresses on every return line up correctly.

Question 5

I run a business that serves The Villages — do you handle bookkeeping?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The businesses serving this community — golf-cart sales and service, home services, landscaping, medical and home-health vendors, restaurants near the squares — are exactly the recurring-revenue operations that benefit from a monthly CPA close. Books run $500/month flat with the software included, and the same CPA files the business return.

Question 6

We just moved to The Villages from up north — what changes on our taxes?

Accepted Answer

Usually a lot, in your favor. Florida has no state income tax, but the moving year takes care: establishing Florida domicile properly (declaration of domicile, driver license, voter registration, homestead), filing the final part-year return in your old state, and re-checking withholding and estimated payments against the new picture. I handle the transition year and the cleaner years after it.

Question 7

What's the difference between a bookkeeper and a CPA in The Villages?

Accepted Answer

A bookkeeper records and categorizes transactions; a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is a state-licensed accountant who can also sign tax returns, represent you before the IRS, and provide tax strategy. For a Villages-area business, my clients get one continuous engagement — the same license (#AC62625) on the ledger and on the return.

Question 8

Do I still need to pay quarterly estimated taxes in retirement?

Accepted Answer

Often, yes — retirement income rarely has enough withholding by default. IRA distributions, brokerage gains, and Social Security can add up to a balance due plus an underpayment penalty if nothing is paid in during the year. I set a safe-harbor plan: either withholding on the IRA distributions (often the cleanest fix) or quarterly estimates sized to your actual picture.