• Home
  • Advertise with Us
  • About
    • About & Contact
    • Advertise with Us
    • Legal
  • Holiday Loop
  • Good News
  • Get Involved
    • Nominate an Inspirational Person of the Week
    • Submit Your Video, Photo or Story
  • Podcast
  • Events
  • Subscribe to Newsletter

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest good news and other great things from STN.

What's Hot

Taylor Swift is a Hero to Food Banks Across the U.S. at Each Stop of Her Eras Tour

September 21, 2023

POTW: William “Guy” Burney, Community Initiative to Reduce Violence

September 20, 2023

A New Study Finds that Performing #ActsofKindness Improves Mental Health Symptoms

September 20, 2023
Facebook Instagram LinkedIn YouTube
Facebook Instagram LinkedIn YouTube
Spanning the Need: Good News, Inspiring, the Uninspired.
Subscribe Login
  • About
    • About & Contact
    • Advertise with Us
    • Legal
  • Halloween Loop
  • Podcast

    E131: Beyond the Cap and Gown: Noah Minor, Lisbon David Anderson High School

    June 13, 2023

    E131: Beyond the Cap and Gown: Madelyn Lowther, Lisbon David Anderson High School

    June 6, 2023

    E130: Beyond the Diploma: Determination and Growth; Nikolas Hendrix, Hubbard High School

    June 6, 2023

    E129: Paving the Path: Inspiring Tales of Graduating Seniors; Margaret Byers, Western Reserve High School

    May 30, 2023

    E128: The Power of Purpose: Honoring Graduating Seniors; Aidan Rossi, Warren JFK

    May 23, 2023
  • Good News
    1. Education
    2. Community & Activism
    3. Person of the Week
    4. Sports
    5. Travel
    6. View All

    Local School Ranks in top 50 in Ohio According to Latest US News Report

    September 11, 2023

    Dickinson alum underwrites scholarship for 5 Ukrainian students, $2M Gift

    September 8, 2023

    Embracing a New School Year with Optimism and Purpose with OEA President

    September 6, 2023

    Good Luck on Your First Day of School, Students

    September 6, 2023

    Taylor Swift is a Hero to Food Banks Across the U.S. at Each Stop of Her Eras Tour

    September 21, 2023

    Children’s Hospital Receives Largest Gift in System History

    September 14, 2023

    ‘My Brother Died a Hero’ Going Back to Save 4 Seniors in Maui Wildfire

    September 11, 2023

    Share the Love Community Event

    September 7, 2023

    POTW: William “Guy” Burney, Community Initiative to Reduce Violence

    September 20, 2023

    POTW: Phil Kidd, City of Cleveland

    September 13, 2023

    POTW: Mr. Ralf Urbach, Northeast Ohio Impact Academy

    May 31, 2023

    POTW: Joseph Caruso, Compass Family and Community Services

    May 24, 2023

    Friend of John Adams wanted the beat to go on for the Cleveland Guardians

    July 11, 2023

    Honoring the State Champions, Austintown Fitch Falcons: A First for the Falcons at Eastwood Mall this Wednesday

    June 12, 2023

    Curbstone Coaches HOF Spotlight: Mike DeNiro, Football (Deceased)

    May 31, 2023

    Borg-Warner Trophy® Awarded to 2023 Indianapolis 500 Winner Josef Newgarden

    May 30, 2023

    #TravelTuesday: Step into the Magic, Immersive Disney Animation Brings Timeless Stories to Life

    September 19, 2023

    #TravelTuesday: Best of the Best Places to Travel in the U.S. for 2023, According to You

    September 12, 2023

    #TravelTuesday: 13 Pet-Friendly Trips in Northeastern Ohio: Exploring Nature with Your Furry Friends

    July 18, 2023

    #TravelTuesday: 12 Steps to A Great Road Trip

    June 13, 2023

    Taylor Swift is a Hero to Food Banks Across the U.S. at Each Stop of Her Eras Tour

    September 21, 2023

    POTW: William “Guy” Burney, Community Initiative to Reduce Violence

    September 20, 2023

    A New Study Finds that Performing #ActsofKindness Improves Mental Health Symptoms

    September 20, 2023

    #TravelTuesday: Step into the Magic, Immersive Disney Animation Brings Timeless Stories to Life

    September 19, 2023
  • Get Involved
    • Nominate an Inspirational Person of the Week
    • Submit Your Video, Photo or Story
    • Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Christmas Loop (Coming Soon)
  • Events
Spanning the Need: Good News, Inspiring, the Uninspired.
Home » Good News » Maximizing Your Tax Refund: Why You Should Choose A Qualified Tax Preparer
Fashion & Lifestyle

Maximizing Your Tax Refund: Why You Should Choose A Qualified Tax Preparer

Sandra JonesBy Sandra JonesMarch 2, 2023Updated:March 2, 2023No Comments5 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp VKontakte Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

With tax season underway, it is important to make sure you have a qualified preparer handling your most sensitive personal information.

By Sandra Jones

It’s tax season…and some of you may be cringing at the thought of completing your taxes. But who you allow to do your taxes could be problematic, if you don’t have an experienced and trained tax preparer who knows tax laws. “Your tax preparer should be an individual or business that you trust. Not only do they have access to your most personal information, but you are trusting them to give you professional advice, including possible credits and deductions,” Melissa Ames said, President and CEO, BBB Youngstown.

The Better Business Bureau says there are different types of tax preparers and their qualifications. Only enrolled agents, certified public accounts, and attorneys may represent their clients to the IRS on matters such as audits, collection issues, and appeals. The agency offers these tips to finding someone you can trust with your finances and personal information:

Updated: How You Can help the East Palestine Community: Spanning the Need Created a List of Resources for Individuals or Groups to Help

Enrolled Agent or EA is a tax preparer that has been approved by the IRS to represent taxpayers. An EA must either have prior qualifying employment with the IRS or pass an intensive two-day exam on federal taxation and complete a background check. An EA may work independently or as part of a firm and specialize in specific areas of tax law.

Certified Public Accountants or CPAs have a college degree (or the equivalent in work experience). They are licensed after passing a state professional qualifying exam and are highly skilled in accounting. This makes them good candidates for complex tax planning and preparation because they are abreast of constant changes to tax laws. If you have a complete tax return, a CPA may be your best choice, but they will charge much more than basic tax preparers.

Tax attorneys often charge the highest fees as tax preparers. If you’re looking to shelter part of your income legally or if you need specialized advice on municipal bonds, estate planning, hiring a tax attorney is a good option.

Non-Credentialed tax preparers are those who often work part-time or only during the tax season. These preparers must have an active preparer tax identification number (PTIN) through the IRS, but beyond that, regulating tax preparers is done at the state level. In most states, anyone can prepare tax returns for others without having to take an exam, get a license, or comply with other government regulations.

According to the BBB, most tax preparers are legitimate and competent, but keep in mind that without a national license requirement, they may be working off of their own personal research and experience. So, it is important you conduct a thorough interview with the tax preparer before you hire them.

So, how can you pick the right tax preparer? The BBB has this advice to help you choose a trustworthy and competent preparer:
Review the tax preparer’s credentials. EAs, CPAs, and tax attorneys are all qualified to represent their clients to the IRS on all matters. Other preparers can help you with forms and basic matters but cannot represent you in case of an audit. Don’t be afraid to ask about their qualifications before hiring them.

Be wary of big promises. If a tax preparer guarantees you larger refunds than the competition, this is a red flag. Many such tax preparers base their fees on the amount of your return and may be likely to use shady tax preparation tactics. And avoid offers like “refund anticipation loans” because you’ll probably lose a large percentage of your return to commission fees.

Boardman’s Rob Luklan Chosen to work Valero Alamo Bowl this Past Thursday between #20 Texas and #12 Washington

Get referrals from friends and family. One of the best ways to find a trustworthy tax preparer is to get recommendations. Once you have a few options, check BBB.org, and read the consumers’ reviews or complaints. This will give you a clear picture of what to expect.

Think about availability. If the IRS finds errors in your tax forms or decides to perform an audit, will your tax preparer be available to help you with the details? Find out whether you can contact the tax preparer all year long or only during tax season.

Ask about fees ahead of time. Before you agree to any services, read the contracts carefully and understand how much the tax preparer charges for their services. Ask about extra fees for e-filing state, federal, and local returns, including fees for any unexpected complications.

Ohio Auditor Completes Special Audit of STRS Ohio Public Retirement System..Finding No Evidence of Fraud

If things don’t add up, find someone else. If a tax preparer can’t verify their credentials, has a record of bad reviews, or their business practices don’t seem convincing, don’t do business with them. Remember that if you hire them, this individual will handle your sensitive personal information. “No one wants to have an issue with their tax return,” Ames said, “depending on the individual’s situation, there could be errors which would flag the individual for an audit.”

Ames said Identity theft can happen in a variety of ways. “The BBB has seen many reports of individuals having a con artist file a fraudulent tax return in their name. Therefore, Ames points  we recommend that you contact any entities that may be affected. We also recommend filing a local police report, get a credit report, and, if necessary, putting a credit freeze to prevent any new accounts from being created.” She points out, that IdentityTheft.gov, created by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), is an excellent resource for Identity theft victims.

The deadline to file your income tax forms is April 18th.

This article was produced by Sandra Jones. She’s served as an investigative reporter for nearly two decades. She has received numerous awards for her broadcast reports.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
Previous ArticleEncouraging our Children to Read and foster through our Schools
Next Article Classic film TOMMY to be screened at the Robins Theatre this Spring
Sandra Jones

Sandra Jones served as an investigative reporter for nearly two decades. She has received numerous awards for her broadcast reports.

Related Posts

By STN StaffSeptember 20, 2023 News

A New Study Finds that Performing #ActsofKindness Improves Mental Health Symptoms

By STNSeptember 18, 2023 Family & Parenting

Group Partners to Bring Spooktacular Halloween Loop to Northeast Ohio and Mahoning Valley Communities

By STNSeptember 5, 2023 News

Spanning the Need looking to Expand

By STN StaffJuly 31, 2023 News

Four Local Journalists Join the Youngstown Press Club Hall of Fame 2023

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest good news and other great things from STN.

Demo
Demo
Recent Posts
  • Taylor Swift is a Hero to Food Banks Across the U.S. at Each Stop of Her Eras Tour September 21, 2023
  • POTW: William “Guy” Burney, Community Initiative to Reduce Violence September 20, 2023
  • A New Study Finds that Performing #ActsofKindness Improves Mental Health Symptoms September 20, 2023
  • #TravelTuesday: Step into the Magic, Immersive Disney Animation Brings Timeless Stories to Life September 19, 2023
  • Martina McBride Christmas Special to Warren This December September 19, 2023
Follow Us
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
Don't Miss
Community & Activism

Taylor Swift is a Hero to Food Banks Across the U.S. at Each Stop of Her Eras Tour

By STN StaffSeptember 21, 202303 Mins Read

Economists told CNN recently that Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is becoming such a massive phenomenon…

POTW: William “Guy” Burney, Community Initiative to Reduce Violence

September 20, 2023

A New Study Finds that Performing #ActsofKindness Improves Mental Health Symptoms

September 20, 2023

#TravelTuesday: Step into the Magic, Immersive Disney Animation Brings Timeless Stories to Life

September 19, 2023

Martina McBride Christmas Special to Warren This December

September 19, 2023
Newsletter

Facebook Instagram LinkedIn YouTube
  • Home
  • About & Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Good News
  • Newsletter
  • Events
© Copyright 2023. STN | Spanning the Need. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy & Legal Disclaimer. Website design by Gallagher Website Design

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Sign In or Register

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below.

Lost password?