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Finding the
Right Income Tax
Professional
By Tina Moe, CPA
Tax time quickly approaching
– ok, so is Thanksgiving and
Christmas but it’s the right
time to start thinking about
your taxes too. You may
be considering using a tax
professional to make sure that
your taxes are prepared timely
and accurately and to help you
navigate the ever-changing
complexities of our tax code.
If so, here are some important
tips that you should know.
All legitimate tax preparers are
required to register with the
Internal Revenue Service and
obtain a PTIN, or a preparer tax
ID number. But still, this does
not mean that all tax preparers
are qualified to handle your
specific tax needs.
Certified public accountants,
enrolled agents, and attorneys
are suggested by experts
as your safest way to go as
these professionals are highly
educated and require many
hours of training and continuing
education to stay abreast of
the new tax law developments.
I recommend beginning your
search for a tax professional by
tapping into your resources; your
network of family and friends
by asking who they use and if
they’re happy with their services.
You can also go online to the
American Society of Accountants
or the American Institute of
Certified Accountants, both of
which have a directory on their
website to help you get linked up
with a professional in your area.
Once you find the names of
a couple of tax experts, take
action now and give them a
call. Ask them if they’re taking
on new clients. What their
availability is. What their fee
schedule is. Do they charge by
the hour, by the form, or a flat
rate? Do they have a niche or a
specialty for which they provide
tax services?
Youcanfinda full listof questions
to ask them on the website
for the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants.
Be sure to research this
professional by checking with
the Better Business Bureau, the
State Boards of Accountancy,
or even googling their name for
some potential online reviews.
Everyone wants to get their
taxes done quickly and
painlessly, but here are a few
tips of things not to do. Don’t
agree to pay contingency fees.
This means that your preparer
12
SOAR TO SUCCESS
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NOV. 2015
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Core Business Strategies