Tax filing is complicated. There’s your 1040. Schedule A to 1040, Schedule C to 1040, your 1099, 10-99 INT, 1099 G, 1099 MISC – an alphabet soup of letters and numbers that make your head spin. So you may decide to get help. But you have to make sure you’re getting the right help. I read stories about imposter preparers who stole money from the government and their clients by claiming folks owed money they didn’t, imaginary tax credits, and kids clients didn’t raise. So when preparers promise a big return before they’ve even seen your finances, that’s a big red flag.
With the help of the criminal investigation arm of the IRS, here’s Deanna’s Do List for finding a tax preparer.
- Look for a preparer who’s available year-round.
- Ask your preparer for their IRS PTIN, or Preparer Tax Identification Number. All paid preparers are required to have one. You can search for a professional preparer here.
- Don’t use a preparer who is not willing to sign the return they prepare for you.
- Never sign a blank return.
- Your refund should be deposited in your account, not your preparer’s.
- Report fraudulent tax preparers. You can do so here.
On that note, the IRS is facing a huge backlog from last tax season, so you may have to wait a while for your money. And it may be tempting to take out a tax refund loan in which your preparer or a third party gives you your tax refund immediately in the form of a loan, and you pay it…
