1. Your Name, Your Signature, Your Return
Before you hand over your Social Security number and bank details, spend five minutes checking who is preparing your return. This matters whether or not Congress changes the rules for preparers.
2. Why It Is in the News
The Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act — which has passed the Senate and is now with the House — would add suitability and continuing-education requirements for paid preparers, raise penalties for preparer misconduct, and give the IRS authority to deny, suspend, or revoke a preparer's PTIN for serious violations. It is not law yet; see our overview of the TAS Act. The checklist below is useful today, whatever Congress does.
3. The Checklist
**Ask for their PTIN.** Anyone paid to prepare a federal return must have a Preparer Tax Identification Number and must put it on the return. **Ask about credentials.** CPAs, attorneys, and enrolled agents can represent you before the IRS. Other preparers — including participants in the IRS Annual Filing Season Program — can prepare your return, but their authority to represent you is limited. Ask what your preparer is and is not allowed to do for you. **Make sure they sign the return.** A paid preparer must sign and include their PTIN. Walk away from anyone who will not sign. **Never sign a blank or incomplete return.** Read every page before you sign. **Ask how they are paid.** Be cautious if fees are a percentage of your refund, or if the price is only quoted after they see your refund. **Confirm your refund goes to you.** It should be deposited into an account in your name, not the preparer's. **Ask how your documents are handled.** A legitimate preparer uses a secure portal, not email attachments or text messages, for your SSN and bank information. **Get a copy of your return.** You should leave with a complete copy.
4. Red Flags
Promises of a big refund before seeing your documents. No office, no phone, or no way to reach them after filing. Refusal to sign or to share their PTIN. Asking you to sign a blank form. Pressure to claim credits or deductions you do not qualify for.
5. How We Handle This
Every return we prepare is reviewed against documentation, signed by the preparer, and delivered through our secure client portal. Learn more on our process page or book a consultation. This article is general information, not tax or legal advice.
6. The TAS Act Series
This article is part of our coverage of the Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act: What the TAS Act Means for Taxpayers (start here), What to Do While the House Decides, How to Check That Your Tax Preparer Is Legitimate, and Why Tax Documentation Matters More Than Ever.