Choosing a Tax Preparer: 5 Things to Consider

It’s almost tax time again, which means that you have to find someone to prepare your taxes. As much as we’d like to think we can do our own taxes, it can help to have a professional organize our books and get the most out of our returns. Plus, who actually likes doing their own taxes? So, if you are like the rest of us and don’t like to prepare your own taxes, you need to know how to find the right tax preparer. Not only do you want to make sure to find someone who is truly qualified, but you also want to make sure that this person can be vouched for by peers. Here are some things to consider when choosing a tax preparer.

  1. Is your tax preparer certified and experienced? Granted all certified personal accountants must go through a rigorous certification process, but that doesn’t mean that they all keep up to date with the ever changing American tax laws. You want to be sure that your accountant knows the ins and outs of tax law in your particular line of work. Not only that, but you want to make sure your tax preparer is experienced. For instance, Yudichak CPA PC is a tax accounting firm that is not only experienced, but also certified.

  2. Does your tax preparer have references? You want to make sure that you find someone who can be vouched for. This is why it’s always important to search for your potential accountant’s name or firm online. If you get a decent percentage of positive reviews, you can probably trust that you’ve found someone who knows what they’re doing. If you get nothing but negative reviews, there’s no question that you don’t want to trust this person with your money.

  3. Are the rates affordable? Some tax preparers charge an arm and a leg to do someone’s taxes. If you don’t have the budget, you may want to find a firm or accountant with much more affordable rates. You always want to know how much someone is going to charge right off the bat. The last thing you want is for a tax preparer to do your taxes and then send a big bill in the mail. So, make sure to be communicative about your fiscal expectations sooner rather than later.

  4. Is your tax preparer available at all times? Some people are on a quarterly tax schedule, which means that you need a tax preparer that works all year long. The reason why this is important is because some tax preparers only work during tax time. So, be sure to familiarize yourself with your accountant’s schedule before you make a hiring decision.

  5. Can your tax preparer handle complicated tax structures? For some people, tax time is a little more complicated. If this is the case, you want to make sure that your accountant is ready to take on any case – no matter how complicated. So, before you get things started, you may want to ask some specific questions about your tax issues. The last thing you want is to stump your tax preparer and then end up paying double when you have to hire a new one.