COVID-19 Information

Dear Clients & Friends,

The office of Davidson, Holland, Whitesell & Co, Morganton (formerly Smith Miller Buff) is open for business!

We are here and our hours haven’t changed. However, beginning Monday March 23rd,  in an effort to keep clients and staff healthy by minimizing lobby foot traffic, we’ve made some changes to our drop-off and pick-up logistics.  Because our lobby and reception areas are small, we have employed the following procedures to continue to serve you:

Dropping Off Tax Return Information or Other Work for Us to Prepare

  • Utilize our secure back door drop box.  Accessed from the parking lot on N. Green Street behind our building, look for the DHW-Morganton (formerly SMB) name on the black awning over our back door. We check this box continuously.
  • Leave your package at the front desk.  Your DHW-Morganton (formerly SMB) contact will open it and call you to discuss, as needed.  If you need a phone meeting, let our front staff know. 
  • Curbside!  Call us when you’re out front and we’ll come to your car for a handoff.  828-437-8060.

Picking Up Completed Tax Returns or Other Work That You've Been Notified is Ready for You

PREFERRED:  Pick up your package at the front desk and review and sign all documents at your own home, office or car (we’ve seen this before).  SEE RETURN OPTIONS BELOW.

  • Pick up at our front desk and please do not open it in the lobby or reception area.  We have two conferences rooms where you may review and sign your documents. Please be aware, these rooms become less available as deadlines approach.

Returning Your Signed Tax Forms, Payments with Vouchers and Engagement Letters

Place these in the designated drop box in the airlock of our front lobby and ring the bell to alert our staff you’ve done so.  We will be checking for these continuously.

  • Utilize our secure back door drop box.  Accessed from the parking lot on N Green Street behind our building, look for the DHW-Morganton (formerly SMB) name on the black awning over our back door. We check this box continuously.
  • Curbside!  Call us when you’re out front (or back) and we’ll come to your car for a handoff.  828-437-8060.

Saturday Hours

  • The front lobby airlock will be available from 10-3 for returning your signed forms, payments with vouchers & engagement letters. Please place these in the designated drop box and ring the bell.  Our front staff will retrieve these on a continuous basis.
  • Saturday drop off and pick up by appointment only:  If you need to drop off your tax return information or other work OR you need to pick up a package that you’ve been notified is ready, you will need to make an appointment before Saturday.

Additional Notes

One other note, our staff who normally meet with you in-person will begin phone conferences only until further notice.  

As most of you already know, the U.S. Government and the NC Department of Revenue have extended the April 15 tax filing deadline for individuals and businesses income tax returns and payments to July 15. This includes all 2019 income tax returns as well as estimated taxes for first quarter 2020. Extensions are not required to be filed and there is no cap on the amount of taxes that can be deferred.  As a reminder, this change does NOT affect payroll taxes, estate taxes or excise taxes. Also, 1st quarter 2020 estimated taxes are now due July 15.  Currently, 2nd, 3rd & 4th individual tax estimates are remain at original dues dates of June 15, 9/15 and 1/15, respectively. NOTE:  The IRS will not charge any penalties or interest on payments received after 4/15 and by 7/15.  However, the NC Department of Revenue will not charge penalties BUT interest accrued on these payments will be charged.

Lastly, there will be unavoidable delays in your completed returns during the next several weeks.

Many of you who typically file in March, may not file until April, May and so forth.  As we manage volatile staff resources and other outside factors that are affecting us all, we will navigate these unsettling and ever-changing events as operationally close to “business as usual” as possible.  We appreciate your patience, your willingness to adapt and most of all, your continued business.  We will update you in the event our procedures change.  It is a pleasure working with you and we look forward to seeing you and shaking your hands again very soon! 

The Partners, Managers & Staff of Davidson, Holland, Whitesell & Co, Morganton (formerly Smith Miller Buff), CPA, PA