So we hadn't t spoken with the CPA we used last year (used a different one this year). We'd already done our taxes months ago with the new CPA. Then out of the blue, the old CPA sent an email saying they'd filed an extension on our behalf and to send them our documents asap to lock in their 2022 rates yadda yadda...


I'm frankly shocked they would do this...seems like an obvious thing not to do without giving them fiduciary responsibility. So I must be mistaken, and this is somewhat common practice?


Thinking about complaining to the state and federal powers that be, if anything just to stop this behavior and doing it to others. If this is the egregious error I think is, bet they don't want to be investigated for fear of what else they'd find.

How ticked should I be?

ETA: The first and last time we used the "old" CPA was last year. Do those agreements you sign before you do your taxes each year apply, or could they be construed to apply, to multiple years such that they felt empowered to do this?

Time is running out. This sale won’t last forever. While supplies last.

Im thinking it’s just a sales pitch. Don’t think it rises to the level you feel betrayed but it does feel a bit icky sales pitch wise. Hurry to lock in 2022 rates…lol.

My wife is a cpa and she says that shifty shops do that. She truly had your best interest to extend though so don't be too mad. I would email her and tell her that she is fired and you went with another.

Eta: yes until you fire them...

It is not a common practice unless you have an on going relationship

Eta:I'm an not a CPA but have insight of several firms business practices.

IRS may get confused and send you correspondence.  Hopefully you got your refund or payment cleared before they filed the extension.

If you file an extension but due taxes before the April 18 deadline it doesn't matter.  There really isn't a downside to the extension.

Filing automatic extensions for people you think are still your clients is a good thing.
If they already filed, the extension is ignored. If they didn't already file, they're covered on the filing deadline but not the payment deadline.

30 years ago, the firm's founder and I used to walk to the post office on the 15th with an envelope full of extensions for every repeat client we hadn't yet filed, and then celebrate the start of our next ten days off work before the two of us came back and did a pile of SBT returns before the 30th.

I think you are overreacting.  That wouldn't bother me at all.

I concur, they're looking out for you. Although the line about locking in the 2022 rates is a batch of BS.

Thanks guys, based on the input I’ll hold off filing a complaint.

I just couldn’t believe they’d file any kind of paperwork on my behalf without explicit concurrence, and especially since we’d only used them once. From the context of our interaction, from their point of view, I would think the guy (me) wasn’t going to be using them that year.