Mark Christopher Smith
Google Rating
3.9(7 reviews)
- (303) 274-5500
- No email available
About:
I am Mark Smith, and I have been practicing family law across various jurisdictions in Colorado, including the Court of Appeals, for over 31 years. Throughout my career, I have handled every type of family law issue imaginable. My practice encompasses a wide range of family law matters, including custody issues (allocation of parental responsibilities), child support enforcement and collection, adoptions, and disputes over parenting time. I provide both full attorney representation and advisory-only services. My advisory services cover document drafting, including the preparation of financial disclosures, legal direction and assistance, and guidance through mediation and other settlement processes. For family law assistance and a free immediate consultation, please call.
DVLawyers AI Summary:
Smith & Associates P.C. is a dedicated accounting firm located in Lakewood, Colorado, primarily serving small businesses. Although their expertise lies in accounting, tax planning, and business advisory services, they do not seem to focus on legal services related to domestic violence or family law. Instead, their offerings include payroll processing, bookkeeping, and tax preparation, which aim to alleviate financial stress for small business owners. The firm positions itself as a partner to its clients, emphasizing the importance of trust, professionalism, and personalized service. While they provide comprehensive financial guidance to help businesses navigate their fiscal responsibilities, their tone is more business-centric rather than supportive of individuals facing personal crises, such as domestic violence. They prioritize accuracy and reliability in financial data, which can be essential for business owners looking to stabilize their economic situation. For survivors of domestic violence seeking legal assistance, it is important to note that this firm may not be the right fit. Their services are tailored toward businesses rather than individuals in need of legal representation for issues like custody, restraining orders, or family law matters that often accompany domestic abuse situations. If you are looking for empathetic, trauma-informed legal support, it would be advisable to seek firms that specialize in domestic violence cases specifically, as they will better understand your unique needs and challenges.
Jurisdiction:Colorado (Since 1994)
Practice Area
Family Law
Handles divorce, custody, parenting time, and support with DV-informed safety planning, temporary orders, safe exchanges, discovery protections, and long-term financial stability.
Languages
English
Fees
No Free Consultation
Education
J.D.
Associations
Member
Reviews
RATED 5.0
Oct 2, 2022via Google
Peter Psotny
"I have been working with the Smith's for the last 10 years and I could not be happier. They are a great firm who truly know all the loop-holes in tax law. They also have done a phenomenal job organizing the many businesses I run. I would highly recommend thus firm to anyone who owns a business or looking for a tax expert."
RATED 5.0
Oct 2, 2022via Google
Jamie Curry
"This firm was very knowledgeable and professional. They were easy to work with and completed my tax return quickly at a fair cost. They knew all the ins and outs of my specific needs and helped me get the most back. If I had any questions they were happy to address them and always willing to meet in person need be. If you’re looking to support a local small business who will take care of you and give you peace of mind with your taxes, this is the place for you!"
RATED 1.0
Oct 2, 2022via Google
Colin P
"After being charged $630-$830 more than our quote, I wondered if we were the only clients that had been misled by this firm. Looking at the other google reviews, I see we are not. And, don't be confused, Brian Smith is the owner's son. Maybe if every employee reviews their firm they would have better reviews? We are W-2 employees, no rental properties, nothing abnormal. We were told $350-$450 for a joint return. After directing Smith and Associates to file as married, but separate, we expected they would maybe charge us $700-$900. We never expected a bill for $1,500. Brian told us we were charged more for many reasons, including that we had a stimulus check from the government during the pandemic. I guess that takes hours to enter. Then, he said other partners had to review the returns, leading to more hours billed. Then, rather than taking our itemized account of our receipts, he asked me to physically bring them in so he could scan them. They charged for that. Then, they said we needed to sign a special document because we had special circumstances, so they charged us an additional $200 for a one page document that they, "Had to do research on." What's even funnier, they do not have the ability to produce a receipt for my payment. Maybe they don't have the software? I don't know. They said they would only supply a recepit if I paid in cash, and they would have hand-written it. (They only accept check, ACH, or cash). Keep in mind, at no point in this process did they tell us that our "special circumstances" would lead to a tax bill $630-$830 more than our quote. Frankly, this firm is highly unethical. This is one of the worst businesses I have ever worked with in my life. I am also reporting them to the BBB among other remedies. In response to the owner's response below, let me be very clear. They were in no way transparent through the process, nor did they ever say they were charging us extra or adding on extra accountants and services. Again, read the other reviews, this is not the first time someone had this experience here, and I have not experienced this with other accountants, either."
RATED 1.0
Oct 2, 2019via Google
Ginger P
"This was the most unethical company I’ve had the misfortune of working with. We usually do our own taxes, but like many others this year, were estimating to owe a lot in taxes. We thought it’d be best to have them done by a professional as we had questions about my tuition, retirement tax forms, and what our tax rate should actually be. Robin Smith prepared our return. He quoted me $350 at our initial meeting. When I received the return he prepared, there were multiple inaccuracies, from silly things like spelling one of our names wrong to typing in schools we’ve never attended. He also put in a tax credit that my husband was not eligible for to get us a higher return. I asked him to remove this credit twice, which he did not. Because this started to seem pretty shady and I shouldn’t have had to ask him three times, we decided to go with someone else. Once I informed him of this, he changed the fee to $500 for a consultation per the last line of their “Tax Client Info Sheet” that they have you sign. This is basically the equivalent of a health history form in the medical field. Meanwhile, their Engagement Letter lists no costs or fees, even though this is recommended by the Colorado State Board of Accountancy which I now know in hindsight. While I was perfectly willing to pay him a reasonable amount for his time, Robin was insistent on this fee. This company will trap you into filing with them or paying a hefty fee. We chose their ridiculous fee over the possible future tax notice from the IRS. I’d never recommend anyone I know to this company. Little guy beware- they will take advantage of you whenever possible."
RATED 5.0
Oct 2, 2019via Google
Adam H.
"Our business, a 10-person design firm, has used Smith & Associates for over a decade. They provide great service and good counsel. Always have appreciated their availability to answer questions, and their online client portal is a great resource. Highly recommend."