Fitzpatrick, Bongiovanni & Kelly, PC - Certified Public Accountants & Consultants

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Contact:  Kerri Neiderer, (609) 390-8855

FBK ANNOUNCES COMMUNITY SHREDDING EVENT.  $250 PRIZE TO BE AWARDED FOR OLDEST TAX RETURN.

MARMORA, NJ (May 3, 2010) ---  Fitzpatrick, Bongiovanni & Kelly, PC (FBK) is pleased to announce a Community Shredding Day to be held Tuesday, May 11, 2010 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  The event will take place at FBK’s main office location at 293 S. Shore Road, Plaza 9, in Marmora.  Thomas J. Fitzpatrick, Founding Partner of FBK, said “This is something we have wanted to do for the community for quite some time.  With the tax deadline extended to May 11 this year, it is a perfect time for CPAs to celebrate the end of tax season and for us to give back to the local community…to recognize their support.”  Note the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) deadline for individual tax returns is typically April 15, however, this year it was extended in Atlantic and Cape May Counties to May 11 due to the flooding in March.

The on-site shredding service will be provided by Romano Instant Document Destruction (RIDD) of Vineland, NJ.  RIDD will bring a large truck that will be parked in FBK’s parking lot…close to Route 9.  People can bring up to five boxes of shreddable materials and will have the opportunity to see their documents shredded in person.  A prize of a complimentary 2010 individual tax return preparation or other financial service (value up to $250) will be awarded by FBK to the person who brings in the oldest tax return document to shred.

The IRS stipulates that tax returns typically should be kept for three to seven years…depending on the nature of the return and whether there were credits/losses involved.  Furthermore, employment tax records should be kept on file for a minimum of four years.  However, there are cases in which an insurance company or creditor may require a person to keep a return longer than the IRS guidelines.  Additionally, bills, credit card statements and bank records all have an expiration date of one year or more…depending on an individual’s situation.  It is advised that an individual consult with an expert prior to shredding anything in question.  For more information on how long records should be kept go to www.FBKcpa.com and click on “Community Shredding Event”.

Shredding documents is the safest way of insuring that social security numbers, account numbers and other vital pieces of information are adequately destroyed.  “We all know identity theft is on the rise and presents a real problem,” Fitzpatrick noted.  “Having an event like this provides a safe and secure means of disposing of sensitive materials.  Not to mention, it’s a great incentive to spring clean!  It’s our way of saying thank you to the local community who has supported us over the years.”

With offices in Marmora and Linwood, FBK has been servicing businesses and individuals in Atlantic and Cape May Counties for more than 20 years.  In addition to individual and business tax preparation and accounting services, the firm offers financial, operational and systems-based audits, financial planning, business valuation and business consulting.  For more information on FBK please visit www.FBKcpa.com or call (609) 390-8855.