It's time to select a tax preparer for your business and personal taxes. The IRS has some advice on selecting and working with a tax preparer.
IRS Requires Tax Preparers to Register
The IRS has new requirements that all paid tax preparers must register with the IRS, and all tax returns prepared by a paid individual must include that tax preparer ID (PTIN). While that registration doesn't affect you directly, you should know if your tax return preparer has not registered, since the IRS won't accept your return if the PTIN is not included.
Investigate Tax Preparers
The IRS says you should "Investigate whether the preparer has any questionable history with the Better Business Bureau, the state's board of accountancy for CPAs, the state's bar association for attorneys or the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) for enrolled agents or the oversight agency in states that license or register tax preparers."
You might also want to check out the IRS Return Preparer Compliance and Enforcement Center, which documents civil and criminal penalties filed against preparers. These lists include the names of preparers who have been sanctioned.
Most Important - Remember Your Responsibility
No matter who prepares your business tax return, you are responsible. The IRS says, "Remember, no matter who prepares a tax return, the taxpayer [that's you and your business] is legally responsible for all of the information on that tax return."
