It ‘s hard to find a tax preparer if you have never used their services before. It doesn’t mean there are not plenty to be found. You will see as tax season draws near many small storefronts and ads in local papers regarding tax preparation. You will be doing yourself a favor if you set some guidelines as to what to look for when shopping for this type of professional service.
Is this tax preparation firm known?
If the name of the tax preparer is a well known one, then they have built their credibility. You may see them set up in small temporary locations, which is fine. Their area of expertise is taxes, and they only require business space during that time. It makes good sense that they would utilize temporary locations.
Does this tax preparer have a good reputation?
Many people use these types of tax preparation services. Word soon gets around as to who is professional and who isn’t. If you are finding that an established tax service is not busy, yet it is getting close to the tax filing date, you should be a little concerned. The good firms are extremely busy almost right up to the deadline.
Cheaper is not always better?
Looking for the cheapest tax preparer is not always a sure thing that you are going to get a bargain. If the tax preparer has no experience or training, you could end up losing far more on your taxes than what it would cost for reputable tax preparation services.
Privacy of Information
You need to be able to trust your tax preparer with your documents and personal information. If your neighbor happens to be a formal tax preparer, then he should be professional enough that he does not disclose your personal information. If possible, you are better to have someone that is not affiliated with you complete your tax return, even if your friend is a professional tax preparer.