Shelly Clark, EA - Tax & Business Services

10/06/2026

🚨 LAST CALL, TAXPAYERS! 🚨

The October 15th deadline is quickly approaching for those who filed an individual tax extension! If you haven’t reached out to your tax preparer yet, now is the time.

Don’t wait until the last minute. Get your documents together and make sure your return is filed on time!

Have questions or still need help?
📞 Call us at (318) 909-1895

10/02/2026

🧾 Not every tax professional has the same qualifications!

When choosing someone to handle your taxes, it’s important to know the difference between a tax preparer and an Enrolled Agent (EA).

While many professionals can prepare tax returns, an Enrolled Agent is a federally licensed tax practitioner who has earned the right to represent taxpayers before the IRS. EAs are also subject to IRS requirements for continuing education and professional standards.

At Shelly Clark, EA – Tax and Business Services, we believe your taxes deserve knowledgeable, qualified, and personalized attention. 💼📊

✨ Know who you’re trusting with your taxes, and know the difference!

10/01/2026

📅 October Tax Deadlines Are Here! 🍂

October may be all about pumpkins and fall weather, but there are still important tax deadlines to keep on your radar! 🧾

✔️ Mark your calendar
✔️ Gather your documents
✔️ Don’t wait until the last minute!

Need help staying on top of your tax deadlines? We’re here to help! 📲💼

Questions? Message us on messenger or call (318) 909-1895

09/30/2026

🔐 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐖𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐒𝐨 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲🔐

Tax records contain some of the most sensitive information a person or business has — Social Security numbers, dates of birth, bank information, income records, payroll information, and much more.

That is why our firm is extremely careful about how sensitive information is sent, received, stored, and accessed. We do not send or receive sensitive client information through unsecured methods such as regular email when a secure option is available.

Sometimes that means an extra login measures, a secured upload link, or waiting until we are connected through a secure system before responding. Protecting your information is more important to us than convenience.

This is not simply an internal office preference. Federal law requires tax and accounting professionals to maintain a Written Information Security Plan (WISP) to protect client data. Failing to properly safeguard taxpayer information can lead to regulatory, legal, and professional consequences.

Cybersecurity incidents also remind us that breaches do not always begin with sophisticated attacks. Sometimes they begin with something as ordinary as an unsecured file share, email attachment, support ticket, or sensitive information being stored in the wrong place.

One recent reminder really stood out to me:
“𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑊𝐼𝑆𝑃 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑏𝑒𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑐𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎 𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒. 𝐴 𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑖𝑠.”

At Shelly Clark, EA - Tax & Business Services, data security is part of how we protect the people and businesses who trust us.

**𝑪𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒅𝒖𝒆**
My post is inspired by a cybersecurity reminder shared within our industry by Joshua L. Youngblood, EA, USTCP. His point about where client data actually lives versus where we intend for it to live was too important not to share.

09/28/2026

A quick reminder: if you’re looking for us this week, we are out of our offices through Wednesday, September 30. 📚

Kathy and I are both at the Louisiana Chapter NATP Fall Continuing Education Conference. I’m attending, Kathy is teaching, and we are both collaborating with tax professionals from across Louisiana, Texas, & Mississippi. We are meeting new colleagues and catching up with some colleagues we haven’t seen in years!

09/25/2026

Did you know the IRS has launched a new app and expanded digital services to give taxpayers more ways to securely access IRS tools and account services from their mobile devices.

You can use it to:

✅ Check your refund or amended return status
✅ View available balance and payment information
✅ Make a payment
✅ View select IRS notices and letters
✅ Access available tax records and transcripts
✅ Manage certain account preferences
✅ Access your Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN)

Already have IRS2Go? If automatic updates are turned on, it should update to the new IRS app—no separate download needed.

🔒 A quick safety reminder: Use the verified app links at IRS.gov, or find the official IRS app in the Apple App Store or Google Play. Be cautious of links sent by text or email claiming to take you to your IRS account.

The app currently offers selected individual account features; business tax accounts are still accessed through IRS.gov.

IRS2Go has a new name and more features!

The IRS app gives taxpayers secure access to services from their phone. View available balance information, make a payment, access certain notices and letters, review tax records, and more. Current IRS2Go users don't need to download a new app. If automatic updates are enabled, the app will update on its own. You can also update it through the Apple App Store or Google Play.

For verified links to the official app and to help protect yourself from scams, start here: IRS.gov/app

08/19/2026

🚨 A Friendly PSA from Your Tax Professional 🚨

Tax professionals are currently coexisting in a world where a five-second Google search, a social media influencer who became a “tax expert” overnight, and a confidently delivered AI response are all being presented as more reliable than years of education, experience, and training—or even the actual documents filed with the IRS.

Yes, we are being hit with all three at once. What a time to be alive! 😂

Plot twist: None of them outweigh the facts, official records, or a qualified tax professional’s review of your specific situation.

Internet searches and AI-generated summaries can be helpful starting points, but they cannot establish what happened on your specific IRS account.

Google snippets often leave out important context. Social media posts may contain outdated or incorrect information. And yes, AI can provide a completely wrong answer with remarkable confidence!

AI does not have access to your IRS account, transcripts, notices, supporting documents, or all the facts surrounding your situation.

It is not a substitute for:

✅ Reviewing your actual tax return
✅ Reading the complete IRS notice
✅ Examining official IRS transcripts
✅ Applying current tax law to your specific circumstances
✅ Consulting a qualified tax professional

If your tax professional requests documents or signed authorization to investigate an issue, screenshots of Google results or AI responses will not provide the information needed to resolve it.

Ask questions? Absolutely.

Request an explanation? Please do!

But presenting an AI-generated response as proof that AI or Google knows the best path to take to resolve your issue??
Let’s not do that. Take a breath and let's review the official IRS records first. 😉

The internet can offer possibilities. Your records provide evidence. That is a very important difference.

And one final reminder—for the sake of all humanity—please stop entering personal and confidential information into free, public AI tools!

Do not upload tax returns, IRS notices, Social Security numbers, banking information, dates of birth, photo identification, or documents containing anyone else’s private information.

Free consumer AI tools may store your conversations or use submitted content according to their individual data policies and privacy settings. If you have not reviewed and fully understood those policies, assume the tool is not an appropriate place for sensitive information.

AI can be a useful assistant. It is not your tax professional, the IRS, or a secure filing cabinet. 🔐💻📄

Call now to connect with business.

08/17/2026

Don’t fall for an impersonating scam urging users to enroll in a bogus "Digital Asset Compliance Portal." Learn more about tax scams at www.irs.gov/scams

08/06/2026

Reason why my firm doesn't file tax returns at the last minute? Mainly because life happens and the unexpected things come up.

• Jury duty (I just found out I got summoned for September 14th, the day before
the business extension tax business deadline!)
• Hurricanes & severe weather
• Power or internet outages
• Illness or family emergencies
• Missing tax documents
• Computer, software, or IRS e-file issues
• Last-minute questions that need answers

I've seen all these happen over the years, from big box tax firms to small tax firms. Any one of these can delay a return, which could create unnecessary penalties and interest, if your return is filed late.

Don't wait until the tax deadline, get your tax return finished early!

07/25/2026

For my fellow Louisiana and Texas folks! Be sure to sign up. Can’t wait to see everyone there. Oh and in case you missed it on the graphic, our girl Kathy Morgan is teaching it.