Writing from the editors of AtoZ Tax — on what the letters after a name mean, how fees are actually set, and the small details that separate a routine return from a multi-year IRS correspondence.
The full vetting checklist: PTIN lookup, credential verification, the questions to ask before engagement, and the fee ranges that tell you whether a quote is reasonable.
Three credentials, three different things. A breakdown of what each can do, who grants it, and which one to look for when the return is more complicated than a W-2.
The document checklist — identification, income forms, deductions, credits — that turns a two-hour appointment into a forty-five-minute one and a better-prepared return.
Refund promises before your W-2 is on the desk, fees tied to refund size, and the preparer who will not sign the return. Some red flags are subtle; these seven are not.
Baseline fee ranges by return complexity — simple W-2, Schedule C freelancer, rental property, S-corp. The number at either extreme is telling you something; here is how to read it.
Most IRS notices are resolvable with a short, calm response. The first step is not calling the IRS. The first step is calling the preparer who filed the return.
This is an editorial companion to the directory, not a tax-advice column. We do not answer individual tax questions in print — tax law is fact-specific, and a generic answer is usually the wrong one. We do explain how the profession works, what to expect at an appointment, and how to tell a good preparer from a bad one.
If you have a specific return question, a listed preparer near you is the right place to start. If you have an editorial suggestion or a topic you'd like us to cover, write to the editor.