About

Get to Know Russ Merrick, EA & Associates

Russ Merrick, EA & Associates is located in Camarillo, CA and provides tax preparation, tax planning, and tax resolution services.

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Welcome to Russ Merrick, EA & Associates

Russ Merrick at Russ Merrick, EA & Associates has been the steady, reliable tax professional that families across Camarillo, Ventura County, and beyond turn to when they want experience—not guesswork. He’s not the average preparer, and his clients know it. With a deep background in 1040 and 540 preparation, all-state and multi-state returns, Schedule C, Schedule D, and Schedule E expertise, and complex brokerage-account reporting, Russ has become the go-to advisor for seniors, retirees, long-time residents, and independent earners who want accuracy, clarity, and someone who actually picks up the phone.

Year-Round Tax Help For Real People

Russ provides complete year-round services, not just April rush work. He handles:

  • Individual tax preparation & planning

  • Schedule C (self-employed) reporting

  • Schedule D (investments) expertise

  • Schedule E (rental property) expertise

  • All-state and multi-state tax preparation

  • 1041 / CA-541 trust income tax filing

  • Offers-in-Compromise

  • Payment agreements

  • Prior-year and multi-year non-filer cleanup

  • Tough tax problems and past due tax returns collection representation

If you haven’t filed in years, he’s seen it all — and fixed it all. No judgment, no lectures. Just solutions.

(And Yes, the Rumors Are True: Warning! Uncle Sam Wants You…to sweat!! IRS Agents Are on the Loose and Looking For Folks Who Haven’t Filed Their Taxes Yet…Just Like You!)

Credentials That Actually Mean Something

There aren’t many Enrolled Agents (EA) in Ventura County, and even fewer with Russ’s depth of experience. He has been a leader among EAs for decades, including serving as President of the Channel Islands Chapter of the Society of Enrolled Agents.

His additional certifications include:

  • CTRS – Certified Tax Resolution Specialist

  • Fellow, National Tax Practice Institute

  • Accredited Tax Preparer

  • Accredited Tax Advisor

These aren’t just titles—they reflect years of advanced training, representation authority, and real-world results.

A Local Life, A Long Career, and a Few Stories to Tell

Russ has lived in Ventura County since 1980, although his ties to the area go back even further. Before entering the tax profession, he ran multiple restaurants as an owner-operator. Those years gave him an entrepreneur’s perspective and a favorite line he still uses: “We worked on a fraction of the action.”

It’s the kind of lived experience that shapes how he understands clients, especially self-employed filers and rental-property owners.

Why Clients Choose Russ

  • Deep specialization in the forms and schedules most people struggle with

  • One of only a few Enrolled Agents in the county and recognized as a trusted leader

  • Trusted by generations of local families

  • Solutions for non-filers and tax problems without judgment

  • Practical, year-round guidance from a real human being who’s seen everything

When you work with Russ Merrick, EA & Associates, you’re not just getting tax preparation. You’re getting decades of knowledge, a calm hand, and someone who truly cares about keeping you on the right side of the IRS—today, tomorrow, and every year you need help. Call (805) 482-1850 today.