Tax & Accounting Services

I have used this tax and accounting firm for over 10 years. their prices, their service, and the results are incredible. I live out in the burbs and have driven down to Belmont and Broadway where they’re located for all of these years and it is so worth the drive. Jim, the owner and his entire staff are beyond knowledgable and all the people I have sent there all say the same as I do and will go no where else! simply the best place to get your taxes done in the entire Chicagoland area

Don’t waste your time here (unless you wanna loose money, time and your patience!)
Besides questionable billing practices and shoddy work, if your looking for problems with your taxes than this is the right place.
Read other reviews — this many Unilocalers can’t be wrong.
Stay away!

Been going to Jim and his staff for years. Never disappoints. Drop the paperwork off, take a nice winter stroll down Broadway, go to dinner at Joy’s Noodles and before you know it, the taxes are done. And done right. True, not the cheapest place to get your taxes done, but you get what you pay for. Two thumbs up.

If you are «cute as a button» then you will see wonderful service, if you have lots of money that works well as well. To the people that had all records lost — trust me you are way back in the line. to the individual to whom Jim held the records hostage — I believe that is a Federal crime. I spoent a very short time doing some contractural work in fixing some «issues» that have surfaced, mostly from office operations — I did not sign as confidentiality or any other agreement — soon after I cut the rope so to speak and have since then filed an official operational complaint against the office, its lack of security, lost records, charges based on «likability «on and on — to the US Treasury service — you are not alone people…

I wouldn’t give it any ratings if I could… short story, long headache, I work for a non profit and they were to file extentions for us… uhm, they never did, the org has now paid $ 100 in penalties for the State of Illinois, and now I’m working with the IRS for them to forgive a $ 2540.00 federal late fee penalty, total headache and totally unecessary. Why wouldn’t you just tell me you didn’t to it??? hmmm… dip-sh#ts

When I was first looking for an accountant, I knew absolutely nothing about the service. Picked this place because it was close to my favorite veggie dog joint, Flub-​A-​Dub-​Chub and by Reckless Records. Now that I’m much more acquainted with bookkeeping and accounting, I’m happy I chose this place.
Jim is always available to answer my questions and the rest of the staff is super friendly. The reviewers that say the staff is rude here probably just need to chill out. In my 6 years coming here, I’ve never been disrespected or felt under served.
I own two businesses and Jim has done a great job keeping my business and personal tax situation in order. No complaints.

I have been using this firm for years and always appreciated their help. Recently I decided to start my own business and went to them, Jim was great in helping me sort it all out. I am very grateful for their service and highly suggest them to anyone, but especially those starting a new business.

Bottom line, they lost all of my original receipts and when I asked about them I was told they «had nothing for me». That’s simply unacceptable!
I wouldn’t trust this firm to handle anything further for me.

My New York client (I’m an attorney) used this firm for several years during the time her mother was a disabled elderly person living in the neighborhood. My client was quite satisfied with their services, and found them to be professional and knowledgeable. I read the previous review by Liz Q. It sounds like she was just having a bad day — the office is not an «apartment» (I have visited there several times on matters related to my client), the person does not look like «meatloaf», and the staff is very professional and curteous.

I used their services last year to file a couple of returns, the service that I received was very disorganized and the staff there are not friendly in any way. I had to constantly call their office for updates and getting a return call was not part of their customer service.
The cost of the returns were much more than the estimate for the services rendered and I had to call several times to demand the return of a payment I made up front that they failed to apply to my final invoice. I finally got my deposit after showing up several times and demanding it, they wanted to keep it and apply it to the next time I came in.
Like an idiot, I called them this morning for some advice on a stock payout I received from my employer relating to a W9 filing. I spoke with Jim and he reminded me why I would NEVER return there, he was so blatantly condescending and rude that I was aggravated enough to take time out of my work day to share my complete dissatisfaction.
I am in business where I deal with clients all day and I would NEVER EVER get away with treating people the way Jim treats their clients!

I have been working with Jim Barr for years. He has helped me through the purchase of two different homes, a marriage and a child. He is available to me all throughout the year for questions or advice and is very accessible. I have and continue to recommend him to friends, co-​workers and business contacts.

I couldn’t agree more with the prior review. This is the worse place ever. To think they are in the business of providing professional services to people — and yet, they are the rudest, most unprofessional individuals I have ever encountered.
I have had the unfortunate, unpleasant experience of dealing with them, and unless you don’t value your dignity and sanity, stay away. Avoid at all costs! I would rate this business at ZERO stars but the system requires me to make a selection of at least 1.
I was spoken down to; they refuse to be held accountable; the office is in disarray; and they are constantly playing the blame game. — Unheard of and completely unacceptable when you’re in a professional services business like providing accounting services — where the utmost attention to detail is mandated.
Based on what I observed when visiting the office (which was in shambles), I decided to sit down and waste my time by going through my tax return, even though I just paid this place to do that — and guess what — I found errors in my return!!! When I brought this discovery to their attention, I was further treated like I was wasting their time. Rude, unprofessional, no apology, ‘management’ blaming the employees.
Stay away — stay far away! This is literally the worst business I have encountered. The fact that they haven’t yet gone out of business or have been involved in heavy litigation due to their business practices shocks me.

Let me start this review out right:
TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE!!!
I wish there was an audio feedback button on here so you could hear the frustration and fury in my voice right now! A friend recommended me to go here, she has gone here for a few years now, and loves them. I took her advice and got over the fact that I had to pay someone to do my taxes (I’ve always done them myself) and made an appointment for myself AND a co-​worker. Our appointment was today, Feb 18^th at 1 o’clock. We arrived about 5 minutes early because we knew we were going to have to fill out some kind of paper work since it was our first time there. As we entered the dirty old apartment that they call their «office» we were not greated in a friendly matter, more of the «what are you here for» tone of voice. We said we had an appointment at 1 o’clock, yada yada yada, and proceeded to fill out the form to get it started. A man who resembled a very overweight Meatloat impersonator came in to the «waiting room» I guess that’s what you would call it, and told us FRIEDA was not there yet, and was running late coming back from a doctors appointment… my friend and I thought– okay? And then he proceeded to tell us that he knew she was awake because he had woken her up at 10am when he called her… WHY WOULD A PROFESSIONAL TAX ACCOUNTANT BE SLEEPING AND NEED A WAKE UP CALL AT 10AM??? That’s all we could think of? So we waited… and waited… at 1:20 the chubby man came in again and said he had just talked to her and she was in a cab– my friend asked did he know her expected time of arrival? and he replied «no, all she said was she was in a cab and that’s all I can tell you» HOW RUDE!!! My friend also said that when they called the day before to confirm our appointments she had mentioned she had another appointment at 2pm she had to attend would that be a problem and the lady on the other end calling from the office said no. FINALLY at 1:30 my friend had to leave me sitting alone in this waiting room that looked like it belong in the movie The Shinning so she herself could make her other appointment. She told the man in front that she could no longer wait for Frieda and all he said was «well she had an appointment scheduled with you» and my friend replied «yes, over a ½ an hour ago, I honored my appointment, she did not» and left… So again I waited… and waited… until he came back into the little room and said «well I just talked to Frieda, she’s now in a cab on her way here, before she was going to the doctor»!!! I was furious (and still am) WHO GOES TO THE DOCTOR WHEN YOU HAVE ALREDY MADE TWO APPOINTMENTS AT THE SAME TIME??? This lady is very unprofessional and obviously does not care about her job!!!
Finally at 2:25– 1 hour and 25 minutes after my appointment was supposed to have started I walked up the front and asked who was in charge because I needed to talk to them. The semi-​English speaking receptionist said «he is» and pointed to Meatloaf… aka… Jim Barr. I said I wanted to speak to him and she said he was busy, and he must have heard because he yelled back «in a minute» so I waited again– in the mean time FRIEDA shows up looking like she ran from her doctors appointment– hair all a mess– clothes wrinkled– just gross… plain gross… She puts her things away very slowly, talks to some people in the office, walks out and says «you must be my next appointment?» and I say «no, I was your 1 o’clock» and she said she would be right with me. I said «no hurry or anything, I’ve already been waiting over an hour and a half for you» and she said she was at the doctor in ELMHURST!!! If I would have known that I wouldn’t have waited!!! I asked why no one told me that, she said they didnt know, so I asked why she didn’t tell them she was in Elmhurst so they could have told me? She had no answer… I asked if I was going to be compensated for my time spent waiting and she said «well, you can stay or you can leave, your choice» then walked away!!! I have never been to some place more unprofessional than this one!!! If she can’t be on time for an appointment — one she scheduled– she’s irresponsible!!! I will never allow someone like that the touch my finances– and neither should anyone else!!! You’ll most likely get audited!
Never go here, I hope my story helps when making the decision on who to trust with your money and your social security number!!!