Choosing a Tax Professional: Red Flags to Watch Out for

When it comes to income tax preparation in Weston, you’ll want to work with a tax professional to ensure you file taxes accurately without succumbing to tax-time stress. However, not all tax preparers are legitimate. If you don’t want to make the mistake of trusting the wrong one with your tax return, it’s best to watch out for the red flags. 

Signs of a Bad Tax Professional

Makes Grandiose Promises of a Large Tax Return

You should be cautious if the preparer promises you an amazing tax return even before they’ve had a chance to look at your financial information. Don’t fall for something that sounds too good to be true. Your tax refund shouldn’t show drastic changes from year to year unless your income, family situation, or tax law changes significantly. 

Refuses to Sign a Tax Return

Since tax preparers play a crucial role in the tax filing process, the law requires them to sign the form of any return they complete before submitting it to the IRS. When they sign the return, they’re attesting to the accuracy of the information it contains and take full responsibility of any errors or omissions. If you want to protect yourself in case of an investigation or audit by the IRS, you shouldn’t include your signature in an income tax return until you see the tax preparer sign it first. 

Charging a Fee Based on Your Tax Refund

It isn’t ethical for a tax professional to charge a fee based on your tax refund. Besides creating a conflict of interest for the tax preparer who has the incentive to inflate deductions or credits to increase the size of the refund, this predatory practice could lead to inaccuracies and errors on the tax return. For these reasons, the preparer’s fee should be based on their expertise and the time required to prepare your tax return instead of the amount of taxes owed or the size of the refund. 

Looking for an Expert in Income Tax Preparation in Weston?

At Tax CPA1, we’re here to take care of your taxes and ensure that everything is filed correctly. Contact us today if you’re ready for a completely satisfactory experience from start to finish.