Most Americans will get
assistance from a professional tax preparer or tax software when filing their
taxes this year. Better Business Bureau encourages taxpayers to use caution
when selecting tax preparation help or they may get hit with headaches and
mounting fines and fees if the return isn’t correct or filed late.
According to the IRS, 80 percent of Americans enlist the
help of a tax preparer or tax software when filing their taxes. Unfortunately,
every year BBB receives thousands of complaints from consumers against tax
preparers. Commonly, complainants state that the tax preparer made errors in
their return which resulted in fines and fees.
“Even though the tax preparer completes the return, it’s
the taxpayer who is ultimately responsible for the return’s accuracy and
whether or not it’s filed on time,” said Michael Clayton, President/CEO of the
Better Business Bureau in Southeast Texas. “The fines, fees and hassles can mount if you choose an
unreliable tax preparer and that’s why it’s important to do your research.”
BBB offers the following advice to find a trustworthy tax
preparer:
·
Ask around.
Get referrals from friends and family on who they use and check the BBB
Reliability Report on tax preparation services at www.bbb.org.
·
Look for credentials. Ideally, your tax preparer should either be a certified
public accountant, a tax attorney or an enrolled agent. All three can represent
you before the IRS in all matters, including an audit. Also, find out if the preparer is affiliated with a professional
organization that holds its members to a code of ethics.
·
Don’t fall for the promise of a big refund. Be wary of any tax preparation
service that promises larger refunds than the competition, and avoid any tax preparers who base their fee on a percentage of the refund.
·
Think about accessibility. Many tax preparation services only set up shop for the
months leading up to April 15. In case the IRS finds errors, or in case of an
audit, you might need to be able to contact your tax preparer throughout the
year.
·
Read the contract carefully. Read tax preparation service contracts closely to
ensure you understand issues such as how much it is going to cost for the
service, how the cost will be affected if preparation is more complicated and
time consuming than expected and whether the tax preparer will represent you in
case of an audit.
For more
advice on finding professionals you can trust, visit www.bbb.org. For more information, call 409/835-5348 or 855/BBB-SETX.
