Business Focus: Tax Express

Photos by Libby Rogers

As children, we are taught there are four seasons in the year: summer, fall, winter, and spring, but as we transition into adulthood, we discover that there is yet another season…TAX season! Although it is true not too many people refer to this season as their “favorite time of year,” there is still a sense of anticipation leading up to tax season. Nancy Reeves began operating Tax Express in Huntsville, Texas in 2007. She assures her long-time and prospective customers that “tax season” does not have to be a dreadful time of year. Staying well-informed and seeking advice and assistance from the right tax preparer can make all the difference in the world. According to Nancy, who has over 28 years of income tax preparation experience, “Preparing taxes is like putting together a puzzle and  figuring out where the pieces go.”

Originally, Tax Express was owned and operated by Wayne Lawrence and had been serving the Huntsville community in the early 80s. Nancy started working for the company in December 2003, and in 2007, when Lawrence retired due to health reasons, she bought the business from him. She became an Enrolled Agent (EA) in 2008 and is well-versed in all types of tax preparation, including personal, small business and corporations, partnerships, rentals, and specializes in the areas of farms/ranches and trucking.

Nancy was born in Tomball, Texas. When she was only seven years old, she and her family moved to the small community of Bedias, which is where she and her four siblings grew up. She graduated from Madisonville High School, attended Texas A&M University, receiving her degree in dairy science in 1982, and was married that very same year.

The following year, she and her husband moved to Huntsville, and she began working for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice up until the birth of her first child. She is the proud parent to ve wonderful children. She became a stay-at-home mom and was able to homeschool her children for many years. After the birth of her fourth child, her husband decided to start his own business. Because she was also working at her husband’s business as his assistant, this meant she would no longer be able to continue homeschooling her kids. During this time, she enrolled her kids into Huntsville Christian Academy, which later became Summit Christian Academy. While her kids were in school there, she would occasionally “sub” to be close to her kids. Later, she decided to start a Pre-K program there, then she taught second grade, soon after became the administrative assistant, and then was named the director. Shortly after, she and her family left for Kyrgyzstan, a small USSR country, and stayed there for a year, working with two schools and an orphanage.

After returning to Huntsville, her kids started going to public school, and she began working for Tax Express. When they bought a house, they decided to seek the help of a professional tax preparer, but Nancy soon realized she could prepare their own personal taxes and those for her husband’s business.  Then, people started asking if she could prepare their taxes as well, and before she knew it, she was well into starting her own business. She utilizes software programs from Drake’s and Quickbooks. Nancy admits math was never her forte, but she insists preparing taxes is really not that difficult.

According to Nancy, new tax laws went into effect in 2018 and are not expected to change again until 2025, but there are no guarantees. For the most part, said Nancy, “if you do things right, the IRS will treat you right.”

There are a few common mistakes or misconceptions people have about their taxes:

• Most people assume they will get a refund.

• People often forget to include income.

• If you get into a bunch of credit card debt and settle those accounts for a lesser amount, the unpaid amount is considered income. You will receive a 1099 and will be expected to pay taxes on that unpaid amount.

• If you have stock, you will pay taxes on the gain.

• In cases of custody, two people cannot claim the same child. Ordinarily, the mother receives custody and claims the child.

• Pets cannot be claimed as dependents.

Tax Express knows tax-related issues can occur any time during the year, not just during tax season. Since her business has grown and added payroll services in 2015, her daughter Jessica Salazar joined Tax Express. She serves as an office manager and payroll processor. Both Nancy and Jessica attend classes on a regular basis to stay current on all the payroll laws and regulations. Nancy indicated about 40% of her clients are businesses, but more than half of her customers include new and repeat clients. As stated on their website, taxexpresshuntsville.com, “Whether you need help preparing a 1099 or a W-2, Tax Express is your hometown choice for all your tax needs.”

As an Enrolled Agent, you are required to complete continuing education hours every year. Nancy advises it is always better to find a tax preparer that has an established reputation. “If your tax refund is too good to be true, it probably is,” and it’s a good indicator it may not be reliable. Furthermore, “if that business gets audited, they won’t have to pay anything back, you will.”

Tax Express is located at 1719 11th Street, Suite 100 in Huntsville, Texas.  e bene t of seeing Nancy for your tax preparation needs is that she is available year-round and has many years of experience. “I won’t say I never make a mistake, but if there is a mistake, I will do my best to fix it.” According to Nancy,  ling electronically is very secure and convenient, especially for her out-of-state customers. She says they can submit their forms via email through a secure portal, and they can even sign and pay electronically. If you do submit online, she recommends you print your return to keep for your records.

Nancy is a long-time Huntsville resident, and she is an active member in the Huntsville community. She attends the First Assembly of God Church, is a member of the Huntsville/ Walker County Chamber of Commerce, and this past December became a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for Children. Nancy enjoys reading and gardening, but since planting season begins at the same time as tax season, she doesn’t have an opportunity to do much gardening! She also enjoys traveling. In fact, for the past five years, she has been going to Cooper Landing, Alaska, where her son works managing Grizzly Ridge, a lodging/ country store/gas station. She also has four adorable grandchildren and enjoys spending time with them as often as she can.