How to Choose the Best Tax Return Professional

Income tax return deadline is always knocking at your door before you even know it. If you keep forgetting to fill your tax return year in year out, you need a professional to help you fill the returns in time to avoid penalties. An IRS Professionals is a person who possesses a PTIN (Preparer Tax Identification Number) and has the expertise in the IRS sector.

These professionals have varied skills regarding accounting and tax in general. That is the reason why choosing the best tax return professional is a very challenging process. Reason being; it requires more time and effort to choose the best out of many on either online and offline platforms. However, with our simple guidelines, you will surely make an informed decision. If you need a professional tax advisor, here are tips for choosing the best in the business.

Do some Creeping

Always ensure that you hire an individual who meets the law requirements. Do the creeping by ensuring that the latter has an IRS Preparer Tax Identification Number which is popularly denoted (PTIN). Always ensure that the tax preparer has the necessary education and certification to go about their day to day business. The qualification can be searched on the IRS directory. Consult with the IRS website to verify their status.

Qualification Review

Secondly, conduct a qualification review to ascertain whether or not they are qualified for the job. There are many scammers, especially on the internet. That is why it is important to review the qualifications of every IRS tax preparer you come across or desire to work with. Conducting a qualification review is very important before handing over your money. The recent IRS regulations require every professional tax preparer to have a valid PTIN as aforementioned.

Enrolled on the IRS Website

Always ensure that the professional you choose to work with is enrolled in the IRS system or website. An enrolled agent can represent you or your company in any tax-related issues. Also, make sure you hire an agent that has passed the IRS exam and go for training for every three years since tax policies are ever changing.

Review their History

Before you make up your mind ensure that you review the professional’s history with other clients. Checking the history of the agent will help you to understand the kind of person you will be working with. If they have a bad history whereby their previous clients have aired many complaints about their services, avoid such an agent. Just because a given agent meets all the above-mentioned aspect, they do not automatically qualify for the job.