Choosing the Right Tax Professional

tysllpTax Accounting

Accountant's hands using a calculator and reviewing financial documents, illustrating the process of tax preparation and the importance of choosing a qualified tax professional.

Choosing the Right Tax Professional:

As taxpayers begin to prepare to file their 2022 tax return, they may be considering hiring a tax return preparer. Based on your needs and situation, it is important to find a good fit. Remember, you are responsible for all the information on the return, regardless of who prepares it. A tax preparer with experience, knowledge and talent, can help you find deductions that might otherwise be overlooked. 
There are a variety of tax preparers to choose from, and a taxpayer's needs will help determine which kind of preparer is best for them. With that in mind, here are some quick tips to help people choose a tax preparer.
Hands using calculator and pointing at tax-related documents, illustrating tax preparation and financial analysis.

When choosing a tax professional, taxpayers should:

  • Look at reviews. Past performance has a way of predicting future performance. See what your tax preparer’s clients have said about them. 
  • Ask about fees. Taxpayers should avoid tax return preparers who base their fees on a percentage of the refund or who offer to deposit all or part of their refund into their financial accounts.
  • Be wary of tax return preparers who claim they can get larger refunds than others.
  • Ask if they plan to use e-file.
  • Make sure the preparer is and will be available. A good indicator is how long they have been in business.  People should consider whether the individual or firm will be around for months or years after filing the return. Taxpayers should do this because they might need the preparer to answer questions regarding the preparation of the tax return in the event of a future audit. 
  • Ensure the preparer signs and includes their preparer tax identification number (PTIN). Paid tax return preparers must have a PTIN to prepare tax returns.
  • Check the person's credentials. Are they legit? Only attorneys, CPAs and enrolled agents can represent taxpayers before the IRS in tax matters. Other tax return preparers who participate in the IRS Annual Filing Season Program have limited practice rights to represent taxpayers during audits of returns they prepared.
  • Check the IRS Directory of Preparers. While it is not a complete listing of tax return preparers, it does include those who are enrolled agents, CPAs and attorneys, as well as those who participate in the Annual Filing Season Program.
  • Check the preparer's history with the Better Business Bureau. Taxpayers can verify an enrolled agent's status on IRS.gov.
With tax laws constantly changing it is getting almost impossible for individuals and small businesses to file tax returns themselves. If you haven’t done so, learn more about how TYS does business. We do more than taxes, we help change people’s lives for the better.
Consider us to help you this tax season.
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