In 2020, there were quite a few changes to tax laws due primarily to COVID-19. Because of this, the NATP, the National Association of Tax Professionals, recommends that as a taxpayer you work with tax professionals to make sure that you have the most accurate tax return possible.
There are a lot of benefits that working with an expert can give taxpayers including peace of mind. You are not worried that something is inaccurate or not according to IRS policy. At the end of the day, the person responsible for your tax return is you, the taxpayer, no matter who prepares it.
When looking for a tax professional, look for:
- A qualified, educated, and ethical professional to prepare your returns.
- NATP has a way to search on their website to find a tax professional in your area
- Check the history of the tax professional with the Better Business Bureau.
- You are able to check an agent’s status on IRS.gov
- You are able to verify a CPA’s status on cpaverify.org
- Ask how they calculate their fee.
- You should avoid tax professionals that base their fees off of a percentage of your refund, or who offer to deposit any part of your refund into their financial accounts
- Be careful with professionals that claim they can get you a bigger refund than other agents or CPAs.
- Find out if they plan to e-file.
- Make sure that the tax preparer you use signs and includes their PTIN on your form (Preparer Tax identification Number)
If you would like a referral to a CPA we know and trust, feel free to reach out to us at 310-534-5577 or [email protected].
