BBB Offers Tips on Avoiding Trouble with Taxes

Tax season is in full swing, which means many Sacramentans will be seeking the assistance of an individual or business to get the tax paperwork filled out completely and, hopefully, accurately. Better Business Bureau reminds those filing taxes to carefully evaluate businesses before seeking the help of a tax professional.

Better Business Bureau continuously receives complaints from consumers who run into issues of inaccurate information reported on their forms supposedly by the tax preparer or worse yet, their taxes never actually being submitted to the IRS.

When seeking the assistance of a tax preparer, BBB’s Gary Almond warned that consumers can never be too careful. “It’s important to read everything before you sign anything. If the wrong information is reported, it may fall back on you,” said Almond.   

BBB offers the following tips for those seeking assistance in filing taxes:

Ask for referrals. Ask family and friends for recommendations. After, check the business out at necal.bbb.org.

Check credentials. Ensure the individual or business is properly licensed or registered. Whether you use a California Tax Education Council registered tax preparer, tax attorney, enrolled agent or CPA, ask for background information.

Read before signing. When an audit occurs, the burden of proof falls on the individual the IRS is auditing. Make sure all information is accurate and truthful before signing and submitting.

For more tips on filing your taxes in 2013, read the full press release on bbb.org.

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