8 questions to ask before you hire a tax preparer

I read a lot of reviews of tax offices around Clifton Park and the Capital Region. The bad ones almost never say "they got the math wrong." They say nobody called back, the bill was double what they expected, someone they never met did the return, or it got filed before they saw it.

Every one of those can be screened out with a phone call before you hand anything over. Here are the questions I'd ask, including of me.

1. Who will actually prepare my return?

At a lot of offices, the person you talk to isn't the person doing the work. Your return gets passed to whoever has time, and when you have a question in June, nobody remembers it.

Ask for a name. Ask if that person will be the one answering your questions after it's filed.

2. Will you give me the price in writing before you start?

New York requires paid preparers to post their fees and hand you the state's Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Tax Preparers, Publication 135 (NY Tax Law §32). A preparer who can't tell you what drives the fee is a preparer who will surprise you.

Good answers sound like: "Here's the base price, here's what adds to it, and here's your quote in writing before I start."

Red flag: a fee tied to the size of your refund. Contingent fees on an original return aren't allowed (Treasury Circular 230 §10.27).

3. How fast do you return calls and emails, and what happens in March?

Everyone is responsive in November. Ask what happens during the busiest weeks. Ask how they'll tell you where your return stands, and how you'll send documents.

4. Will I see my return before it's filed?

You should. The IRS requires the preparer to have your signed authorization, Form 8879, before your return is e-filed (IRS Publication 1345). If anyone files without walking you through it and getting your signature, that's a problem. More on this in what should happen before you sign your tax return.

5. Can you explain things in plain English?

You hire a preparer because you don't live in tax forms. You shouldn't be made to feel dumb for asking what a Schedule C is. Pay attention to how the first call feels. That's what every call after it will feel like.

6. What's your PTIN, and are you registered in New York?

Anyone paid to prepare federal returns needs a Preparer Tax Identification Number (Treas. Reg. §1.6109-2), and it goes on your return. In New York, preparers who aren't CPAs, attorneys or enrolled agents must also register with the state. Ask for both numbers. A real preparer gives them without hesitation.

7. What don't you do?

This one saves the most grief. Preparing a return and representing you before the IRS are two different jobs (Circular 230 §10.3). If you might need help with an audit, a collections case or a payment plan, ask up front whether they can handle it. You don't want to find out after you've paid.

8. Where does my refund go?

Straight into your bank account. Never into the preparer's account.

How I answer these

• Who does the work: I do, start to finish. No handoffs.
• Price: posted on our pricing page, quoted in writing before any work starts, and honored for 30 days.
• Contact: messages get a reply the same business day. Documents go through a secure client portal, never regular email.
• Before filing: we go through your return together on a call, screen by screen, and nothing is filed until you e-sign.
• What I don't do: I'm a New York State registered tax return preparer and IRS PTIN holder, not a CPA or enrolled agent. I prepare and file returns. I don't represent clients in IRS audits, collections or appeals, and I'll tell you on the first call if you need someone who does.

Frequently asked questions