Who provides tax preparation or are the best tax preparers?

Are you looking for the best tax preparers in the area?  Then this local directory could be one source you use to find them!  Tax Preparation is an important part of our lives with our current tax code.   In fact, the tax code actually changes so often you really need a good tax preparation service to help guide you in preparing your tax return.

Did you know when It’s time for many taxpayers to choose a tax preparer to help file a tax return you should do it with this understanding? The taxpayers should choose their tax return preparer wisely.  This is because taxpayers are responsible for all the information on their income tax returns. That’s true no matter who prepares the return.  

There are various types of tax return preparers, including certified public accountants, enrolled agents, attorneys, and many others who don’t have professional credentials. You expect your preparer to be skilled in tax preparation and to accurately file your income tax return.  So make sure you determine which category of tax preparer they fall in.  You trust him or her with your most personal information. They know about your marriage, your income, your children, and your social security numbers – the details of your financial life.

Eligible paid preparers fall into the following categories depending on their education, certification by professional organizations, and continuing education requirements:

Attorneys: These professionals have earned a law degree and passed a bar exam. They are licensed by states or state bar associations to practice law and are subject to continuing education requirements and a code of ethics.

CPAs: Certified public accountants have passed the Uniform CPA Examination and are licensed by state boards of accountancy; they also have continuing education requirements. Some CPAs specialize in tax preparation and planning.

Enrolled agents: Enrolled agents (EAs) have passed a three-part Special Enrollment Examination demonstrating competency in federal taxation and are licensed by the IRS. They must complete 72 hours of continuing education every three years.
Annual filing season program participants: This voluntary program recognizes tax return preparers who are not attorneys, CPAs, or enrolled agents. Participants have completed an IRS program and obtained continuing education in preparation for a specific tax year.

PTIN holders: These individuals have an active PTIN, but they don’t have professional credentials or participate in the annual filing season program. They are not subject to any oversight by a state, a professional board, or the IRS, and they have no authority to represent clients before the IRS (except for returns that they prepared and filed before Dec. 31, 2015)

Determining the best Tax Preparer is based on your personal needs or your organizational needs.  Now that you know the different types of preparers its important to understand generally any of them can help most people.  Yet, often people have complex matters such as a divorce, settlement, death of a spouse, unfiled returns, delinquent taxes or maybe even criminal activities that may need a more qualified preparer.  Thus choose wisely.  If you have any matter that may have legal consequences then you need to explore a tax lawyer who can not only guide you but also provide the proper legal advice.

The next highest skilled Tax prepare is a CPA who can guide you in complex tax preparation situations.  These folks have a code of ethics and in many cases continue their education accordingly.

So it’s not just straightforward to find the best tax preparer because you need to make efforts to find the best fit for your needs.

This is another great local listing in this local directory and a good place to find information about tax preparers near you and companies offering tax preparation.  However, this information does not constitute a warranty or imply the competence of the professionals that may be linked or connected with this article.  Tax return preparer fraud is on the list of common tax scams according to the IRS.