Stranger, Tallman & Lautz Accounting

"We used Stranger Tallman and Lautz for a handful of years. Additionally, I recommended them to so many people. Steve Stranger was such an awesome accountant to work with. Bar none a great person and tax support. Unfortunately, last year (tax season 2022) we were transferred over to Gina. And it was a horrible experience. Her emails lacked professionalism and her overall communication was less than helpful. We had a pretty straight forward tax return and the date it was to be completed continued to be pushed out, for months! When I asked questions it was always a similar response, they were overloaded and working as hard as they possibly could. Followed with a bulk email about how they wouldn’t be in the office for a long weekend, shortened hours, etc. Even a bulk email about “good staff being harder to find than good clients”. Our tax return was finally complete and submitted after an extension. To then receive a certified letter (not a call, not a personalized anything), yes a certified letter, that informed us that they would not be our accountant for the 2023 tax season as they were heading in a different direction as an organization. It’s unfortunate that a business that was once one that I would recommend people to is now a business I actively tell people to stay away from."

"We've been using STL Accounting since their inception and have always had a positive experience. Gina works overtime and pours her heart and soul into the firm."

"What a disaster! Where to start. We signed up with them well in advance of tax season. I should have known we were in for trouble when the very first communication I got from them before tax season started was essentially a mass email saying "if we pissed you off enough from last tax season that you don't intend to have us do your returns this year, let us know". But we didn't leave at that point, because we are new to the area and didn't relish finding a new CPA at the last moment. We should have. We met their deadlines for submitting our tax info in order to get filed on time. However, as April 15 approached, we were told we'd need an extension. I wasn't happy about that and registered my annoyance. Gina responded with a threat to drop us as a client. By email. No phone call. So I called her and talked it out. All this is on top of several mass email communications that berated clients for treating her staff so poorly. I've truly never seen a service business that has so much antipathy for their clients. Gina never made an effort to forge a relationship with us. In our first meeting, she spent more time looking at her iPad, which she was using to take notes, than she spent giving us eye contact and interacting directly with us. She relies on tech for everything, even when it's more difficult to use than not using it. If it made her firm more productive, I'd say "go for it". But clearly it hasn't. It's just a way to avoid direct contact with the clients she appears to dislike so much. The punchline to our 2022 tax return work? They finished and filed our returns in AUGUST! They had our info since their deadline in early March. That's FIVE MONTHS it took them to prepare and file our returns. Needless to say, we'll be going to another CPA from here forward. I can't stress enough what a bad experience this had been. Preparing tax returns is the least I expect from a CPA. The professionalism, respect, courtesy, customer service, and timely responsiveness to our business is what makes a firm more than just a commodity tax preparer. STL is NOT that firm. Find a different firm."

"I would give no stars if I could. Been with them for a few years very difficult to talk to our CPA, Stranger if needed. Got a notice he was stepping down from clients saying another person taking over then got an email they were going to charge me $1170 for a very basic return and past fees were around $270!! This company has let their ego override their common sense…..beware they evidently don’t want just the average American clients! Shame on the way you have handled this and your timing!!!"

"Our corporation used Stranger Tallman and Lautz for years. We had a different accountant at the beginning until Steve took over our account. We recently moved our business to another firm as we couldn’t get answers to questions, emails and faxes went unanswered, and I kept getting certified letters from the IRS and was told they’d be taken care of. They weren’t. We ended up paying thousands of dollars in penalties and interest. I cannot, in good conscience, recommend this firm even though I hear good things about one of the other principles."