Are you a freelancer who doesn’t have or need a CPA, but wants someone to do your taxes?
Use the following checklist to compare possible tax preparers.
Print out, and complete a checklist for each candidate you consider. Some questions to ask include:
- What professional training, licenses and credentials do you have? (Licensed attorneys, enrolled agents and certified public accountants can represent their clients in case of an IRS audit; preparers without these credentials cannot.)
- What types of continuing education courses do you take to stay up-to-date on new tax laws?
- How long have you been preparing taxes?
- How many returns do you typically prepare a year?
- What experience do you have with freelancers in my industry?
- How are your fees calculated? What can I do to minimize my costs?
- Do I need to meet with you in person, or can we handle communication via email, conference call, etc.?
- Do you offer assistance beyond tax preparation, such as advising me on how to reduce taxes in the future?
- And more…
