Garland R Taylor, CPA, PC

Garland Taylor is my third accountant in 31 years in business.
This is my first Unilocal review and I signed up just to let others know there really is a great choice for an accountant in Portland. Garland is the perfect mix of attention to detail and pleasant to work with every March (five years now).
If you use Quickbooks for your business he is also very knowledgeable with their software.
Do yourself a favor and give him a try; you will be happy.

Taxes are never fun, but I always enjoy my visits with Gar. He has really helped me to navigate through the growth process as a small business owner. He is not intimidating or up tight, but rather personable and approachable.
I always feel comfortable asking Garland anything about my small business or personal taxes. If he does have the answer, he is quick to guide me to someone who will. He sends out regular tax newsletters to make sure you are keeping up throughout the year. After I consulted him yesterday he even followed up with an email providing me with links to resources that I asked for.
If you are looking for a detail oriented CPA who is approachable Gar is the man for you!

I was so impressed with Garland, I was inclined to start a Unilocal account. I actually ended up not using his services, let me tell you why. I made an appointment with Garland for a free 30 minute consultation. I had all my paperwork ready to go, but after reviewing all my info, we decided that it would be more financially sound for a small business such as mine to just do their own taxes. But before I left, Garland provided me with more information than I could dream of. Taxes I didn’t know I needed to pay, he explained estimated taxes, told me what I need to track, and gave me lots of literature. I will definitely recommend him, and if I do ever need the services of a CPA, you know who I’ll be calling.

I met with Garland the first time today and was incredibly impressed with his knowledge, dedication to his clients, and expertise. He provides personal, one on one service which is rare these days.

I’ve used Garland for my business’s taxes and my personal taxes. He is outstanding. Garland is clearly a good accountant, easy to talk to, and he encourages your to ask questions. Garland’s services cost more than the on-​line systems; however, I have found it well worth the money. Garland is great at what he does and easy to work with.
Pros:
— Garland does all the tax work himself. He does not source work or use junior accountants. When you talk with him about your taxes he knows everything because he is the one doing the work.
— Garland has lots of experience and has been doing this for years.
— Garland’s turn around time has been fast. About a week each for my business and personal taxes.
— Everything is prepared for you to sign and send in. It makes doing taxes very easy. Garland does make sure that you first look over everything with him.
— Garland is very easy to talk to. You can ask him pretty much anything, even over the phone. He does not bill for quick questions. If he thinks the question requires lots of time, he’ll let you know that it’ll be billed before doing the work.
— Garland is great with Quickbooks and Quickbooks on-​line.
Cons:
— Garland’s office is a bit far south of the city.
— It’ll probably cost a few hundred to get your personal taxes done. More if they are complex. The trade off is that you aren’t doing it and you can deduct his costs.

Accountancy zen — is that even possible? Regardless, Garland’s experience, practical advice, and solid communication make me a happy client. You’ll probably interview 3 – 5 accountants during your search; these points differentiate Garland:
— He does the work personally (no ‘sweatshop’ of bookkeepers on staff)
— Other software/​web clientele — he’s technology fluent.
— Personable and direct communication. Look up tough issues like S Corp compensation before interviewing accountants. Garland was the only CPA I met that thoroughly explained the issue, said what documentation you’d need if you faced an audit, and discussed common approaches and risks. This is the type of accounting advice you’re paying for, not some simple ‘rule of thumb’ you can find on Google.
Overall, Garland left me feeling calm and confident about taxes and miscellaneous state and county filings. Definitely a 5 star professional that should be on your list to interview.