Tips for Picking a Tax Person
Preparing your taxes by a professional can save you time and money in the long run. However, choosing the right tax person to handle your tax return must be done carefully. After all, you cannot trust your financial information to any flight-by-night practitioner.
Kelly Erb, a Forbes tax expert, advises on picking a reliable tax person by pointing out the important points to consider before hiring someone to do your taxes.
1. Get a referral. Referrals can assure you of some trust and competency of a tax person you are meeting for the first time. The easiest way is to ask your friends who they use and go from there.
2. Check the tax preparer’s credentials. All tax preparers must have a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) to prepare taxes for others and receive remuneration for their service.
3. Be weary of tax practitioners who do not charge a flat fee for their service but want to be paid a percentage of your tax return. The nature of this agreement may encourage the tax person to inflate your tax return by claiming rebates you may not qualify for.
4. Make sure your tax practitioner is open all year. Some tax people open their service only during tax season and may be unavailable to answer any queries arising from the return submission.
Following that sound advice will help you choose the best tax person to do your taxes this year.
