Ledgermill Tax & Books (the “Practice”) prepares tax returns and keeps monthly books for approximately 600 households, farms and shops in El Dorado and the rest of Butler County, from a storefront on Central Avenue. The ledger pad on this page is the Practice’s actual drop-off schedule for the 2027 season (the “Season”). As in each prior year, it is expected to fill from the bottom up.
Marcy Pruett, enrolled agent, 22 seasons. Telephone calls are answered by Ms. Pruett until approximately March 25, and by Dale Ostrander’s daughter from that date.
| Week of | Slots | Booked | Open | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25 | 40 | 6 | 34 | W-2s not out yet |
| Feb 1 | 44 | 19 | 25 | best week to come in |
| Feb 8 | 44 | 22 | 22 | |
| Feb 15 | 44 | 17 | 27 | |
| Feb 22 | 44 | 14 | 30 | |
| Mar 1 | 36 | 31 | 5 | farm week, Dale's |
| Mar 8 | 44 | 15 | 29 | |
| Mar 15 | 44 | 18 | 26 | last new clients 3/20 |
| Mar 22 | 44 | 21 | 23 | |
| Mar 29 | 44 | 30 | 14 | |
| Apr 5 | 48 | 46 | 2 | everyone, every year |
| Apr 12 | 30 | 30 | 0 | three days. full. |
| Season | 506 | 269 | 237 |
Returning clients book the following year’s week when they collect the current year’s return. For this reason, April is substantially booked by October.
Tax work continues for twelve months of the year. Dates in red carry a penalty or interest if missed. Striped months fall within the Season, when appointments should be booked ahead and telephone waits are expected. Federal and Kansas dates are shown as currently published and are subject to change by either agency.
The fees below are those charged in the 2026 season and will apply unchanged for the Season. Federal and Kansas returns are charged as one fee. Where a return is expected to exceed its estimate, the client is called before the work proceeds.
Individual and farm returns, with the small-business returns attached to them. E-filing is included in every fee.
For shops, contractors and farm operations that prefer not to keep QuickBooks themselves. Each month is closed by the 15th of the next.
Services not offered. The Practice does not prepare returns for cryptocurrency day traders; such clients are referred to another preparer. The Practice does not arrange refund advance loans, under which a client pays interest on the client’s own refund.
Ms. Pruett is responsible for town returns and monthly books; Mr. Ostrander, for farm returns. A client with both is seen by both principals at one appointment.
Enrolled agent, licensed by the IRS to represent you. 22 seasons.
Ms. Pruett began at a franchise office on the west side of Wichita and left in the year that office required its preparers to sell refund loans. She prepares individual returns and the monthly books, and answers every IRS letter received by the Practice.
Unsorted records (a “Shoebox”) are sorted at $45 per hour and should be delivered in January.
Accredited business accountant and tax preparer. 17 seasons.
Mr. Ostrander grew up on a wheat and milo farm east of Towanda and helps cut it each July. He prepares the farm returns and partnerships, and rebuilds depreciation schedules where required.
No farm return is started without the prior year’s depreciation schedule. Where the client cannot locate it, Mr. Ostrander requests it from the previous preparer directly.
For approximately twenty years, the status of a return could be confirmed only by telephone. The functions below are now available without a call.
Pick a week
Tuesday, February 2, with Marcy
Text the reminder to
Drop-off booking. Fifteen minutes at the counter to hand over the paperwork and note what changed. Collection is expected approximately ten days later.
Secure document upload. The list is drawn from the prior year’s return, so missing forms are identified in advance.
Return status. A text message is sent at each change of stage.
Most returns are expected to fall within $40 of this estimate. Any excess is notified before the work proceeds.
Fee estimator. The same arithmetic Ms. Pruett runs on the adding machine at the counter.
Books dashboard. Months closed, and receipts still outstanding, for each business client.
Each is asked approximately forty times a week in March. The answers are set out here once.
Paperwork may be dropped off. The booked fifteen minutes is used to record what changed in the year: a new job, a baby, a sold house, a cow herd. Most appointments conclude within that time. Paperwork may also be mailed or uploaded.
The prior year’s return, if not prepared by the Practice; every W-2 and 1099 received; the 1098 for the mortgage; the Butler County property tax statement; child care receipts showing the provider’s tax ID; and a voided check for direct deposit. Farm clients should also bring grain settlement sheets and the prior year’s depreciation schedule, which Mr. Ostrander will otherwise request.
The IRS generally pays e-filed refunds within approximately three weeks of acceptance. Where the earned income credit or the additional child tax credit is claimed, the law holds the refund until mid-February, and the earliest payments are expected around the start of March. The Practice cannot accelerate this. An offer to do so is, in substance, a loan.
Yes. Please bring the letter and the return to which it relates. The first half hour is free of charge. Most letters concern a mismatch on one form and are resolved by one reply. As an enrolled agent, Ms. Pruett may represent the client before the IRS directly.
Not for a full appointment. After March 20, the Practice accepts returning clients only. A new client is offered an extension, at $35, and an appointment in May. An extension extends the time to file and does not extend the time to pay: any tax owed remains due April 15, and is estimated first.
The office is on Central, a block west of Main. Clients are drawn from across Butler County, including El Dorado, Augusta, Towanda, Rose Hill and Leon, and from a number of Andover families who prefer a smaller office.
| Day | Jan 25 to Apr 15 | Rest of year |
|---|---|---|
| Mon to Thu | 8 to 6 | 8:30 to 4:30 |
| Friday | 8 to 6 | By appointment |
| Saturday | 9 to 1 | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed | Closed |
100 block of W Central Ave, El Dorado, KS 67042. Parking is out front and in the lot behind the building. The rear entrance is level; the front entrance has two steps.
A locked drop slot is fitted by the front door. Items left after hours are logged the following morning, and a text confirms receipt.
Between March 25 and April 15 calls are returned the following morning. Texts to (316) 555-0151 receive a faster reply.