Its tax season time again so let’s review what to look for in a good tax
preparer. People with relatively simple tax returns can prepare their own
documents without paying a professional. This works well for those who
believe they have the knowledge to prepare their own return but if you have
a complicated tax situation or you would rather not prepare your own return
without help, you need a tax preparer.
When you look for tax preparer, look for someone not just with general
experience preparing taxes but experience with preparing taxes like yours.
If you’re a small business owner, you don’t want somebody who only
prepares individual returns. If you have complicated investments, paying the
extra money for a CPA or a professional with experience in that area is a
must.
Stay with tax preparers who can give you an upfront fee. Don’t pay by the
hour, don’t accept an estimate, and don’t be satisfied with hearing that
they won’t know until they actually start your return. The price should be
dictated by the number of forms they need to prepare for you. That is easy
to figure out by asking you the right questions about your finances.
During the early parts of a year, we’re subjected to the many
advertisements for retail tax franchises. They not only have their own
dedicated locations but they also appear inside of grocery stores and like
the Halloween stores, may take up temporary locations in strip malls.
One prominent tax franchise proudly boasts on their franchisee website that
being an owner requires no prior tax preparation experience. Don’t assume
that a preparer working for one of these places is any more qualified than
an independent tax preparer.
