Terms of Service

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your engagement with HYK Tax, PLLC ("HYK Tax," "we," "us," or "our") for tax preparation, bookkeeping, advisory, IRS representation, and related professional services, as well as your use of our website at hyktax.com and our client portal.

01Agreement to Terms

By engaging HYK Tax for any service or by using our website, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you are entering into this agreement on behalf of a business or other entity, you represent that you have the authority to bind that entity.

Specific engagements (annual tax preparation, monthly bookkeeping, etc.) are governed by a separate signed Engagement Letter that takes precedence over these Terms where there is conflict.

02Services Description

HYK Tax provides the following professional services:

• Tax preparation — federal, state, and local tax returns for individuals, businesses, trusts, estates, and non-profits
• Bookkeeping — monthly transaction categorization, account reconciliation, and financial statement preparation
• Tax advisory & planning — strategic tax planning, entity structuring, and projection modeling
• IRS representation — audit defense, notice response, offers in compromise, and installment agreements
• Business formation — entity selection, state filings, EIN application, and S-election
• Payroll & sales tax — multi-state payroll processing and sales tax compliance

The exact scope of services for your engagement will be defined in your Engagement Letter.

03Engagement Process

A formal engagement begins when:

1. You complete a free 30-minute consultation
2. We send you a written proposal outlining scope and fees
3. You sign an Engagement Letter and pay the retainer (if applicable)
4. We send you portal access credentials to begin secure document upload

No advice given during the consultation phase constitutes a professional opinion or creates a binding engagement.

04Fees & Payment

Our fees are quoted as flat fees in your Engagement Letter. We do not bill hourly except for unusual matters where flat-fee scoping is impractical, in which case rates are disclosed in advance.

Payment terms

• Monthly engagements (bookkeeping, advisory) — billed on the 1st of each month, net 7 days
• Tax return preparation — 50% retainer at engagement, balance due before filing
• Project work — milestone-based, defined in the Engagement Letter

Late payments

Invoices unpaid 30 days past due accrue interest at 1.5% per month. We reserve the right to suspend services and withhold work product until outstanding invoices are paid in full.

Refunds

Retainers are refundable only for work not yet performed. Once a return has been prepared and reviewed, fees for that return are non-refundable regardless of whether the return is filed.

05Client Responsibilities

To enable us to deliver high-quality work, you agree to:

• Provide complete, accurate, and timely documentation as requested
• Respond to information requests within reasonable timeframes
• Review and approve work product before filing or distribution
• Notify us of any changes in your circumstances that materially affect your engagement (new entity, marriage, sale of business, etc.)
• Maintain backup copies of source documents
• Pay invoices in accordance with the agreed terms

We are not responsible for penalties, interest, or missed deadlines caused by delays in receiving information from you.

06Our Responsibilities

We commit to:

• Performing all services in accordance with applicable professional standards (AICPA, IRS Circular 230, state CPA licensing rules)
• Maintaining the confidentiality of your information
• Providing clear communication and reasonable response times
• Notifying you promptly of any material errors or omissions in our work
• Carrying professional liability insurance throughout the engagement

07Confidentiality

Your information is protected by both our Privacy Policy and applicable professional standards including IRC §7216 (which prohibits the disclosure of tax return information without your consent).

We may disclose information only:

• With your written authorization
• To respond to a valid subpoena, court order, or other legal process
• To meet professional review requirements (peer review, ethics review)
• As permitted under IRC §7216 for processing the engagement (e.g., to our offshore preparation team under written confidentiality agreements)

08Limitation of Liability

HYK Tax's total liability for any claim arising from or related to an engagement is limited to the fees paid by you for the specific service giving rise to the claim, except in cases of gross negligence, willful misconduct, or fraud.

We are not liable for:

• Indirect, consequential, special, or punitive damages
• Penalties or interest assessed due to inaccurate or incomplete information you provided
• Tax positions taken in reliance on facts you represented to us
• Changes in tax law occurring after a return is filed

Any claim must be brought within one year of the act giving rise to the claim, or it is permanently barred.

09Termination

Either party may terminate an engagement with 30 days' written notice. Upon termination:

• You will be invoiced for all work performed through the termination date
• We will return your original documents within 14 days
• We will provide work product completed and paid for in our standard delivery format
• Confidentiality obligations survive termination indefinitely

We reserve the right to terminate immediately for non-payment, fraud, or if continuing the engagement would violate professional standards.

10Dispute Resolution

Any dispute arising from this engagement will be resolved as follows:

1. Direct negotiation — both parties agree to make good-faith efforts to resolve disputes through direct discussion within 30 days
2. Mediation — if direct negotiation fails, parties will participate in non-binding mediation under AAA Commercial Mediation Rules
3. Arbitration — unresolved disputes will be settled by binding arbitration under AAA Commercial Arbitration Rules in Miami, Florida

This agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Florida without regard to conflict-of-laws principles.

11General Provisions

Entire agreement

These Terms, together with your signed Engagement Letter and our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and HYK Tax.

Severability

If any provision is held unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full effect.

No waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision does not constitute a waiver of that right or provision.

Assignment

You may not assign this agreement without our written consent. We may assign this agreement in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of substantially all assets.

Modifications

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated to active clients at least 30 days before they take effect.

12Contact Us

For questions about these Terms or your engagement, please contact us: