How to Choose the Best Tax Professional to File Your Return?

More often than not, filing your taxes can become a complicated ordeal. Especially for the tax year 2021 where most taxpayers have already received their Child Tax Credit in advance and the pending stimulus money can be claimed through an additional tax credit, the paperwork may become overwhelming. Add to that the numerous tax limitations that you need to keep in mind while filing deductibles and one humble mistake can put you in the IRS’s bad books. The best way to bypass all these is to hire a professional who knows his/her way around this intricate IRS maze.

But how do you choose the best expert to do your taxes? Do you simply search online and pay a visit to the first name that pops up? There is naturally a process that you need to go through, that is simpler than filing your taxes, to land the best tax professional for the job out there.

Here’s what you need to do.

1. Decide if you need a tax professional at all

Whether you hire a professional chain tax filing company or a personal expert, they do not necessarily come cheap. And if you can do without one, in the first place, you can pocket the entire refund if eligible. Try to get over your apprehensions and research a bit about your tax filing process. Access your return files from the past years and use those as references. If you still feel that the process is getting complicated because of a life or investment decision that you made in 2021, go ahead and hire a tax professional.

2. Ask around for reference

The best way to get the best tax professional to file your return is to ask your friends and family for reference. Even a trusted attorney or insurance agent can direct you to a trusted source who can file your taxes right. Sure, this is a time-consuming process when compared to an online search but at least you will not end up with a random person claiming to be a tax expert with a flashy website. Call up the trusted people in your network and do not hesitate to ask.

3. Be sure to verify the professional’s expertise

One, the tax professional you intend to hire must have a Preparer Tax Identification Number or PTIN. This makes him/her eligible to file taxes to the IRS on your behalf. And two, check if the professional’s expertise lies in filing individual taxes. Some tax professionals only deal with corporate taxes or handling audits and may not get you the best possible results. Run a quick online search of the name you come across. Read the bio and then place the call.

4. Interview the tax professional before the final deal

Ask as many questions as you need to and an interested professional should answer them with patience. Both parties know that trust is important in the process because you will be sticking with this tax professional for more than a year. Inquire about his/her payment system, past experiences, what he/she can get you by filing your return on your behalf, the safety of your personal information, his/her association with any firm, and others. The more information you get, the better it is for your decision-making process.

Expect what you deserve

Hiring a tax professional does not guarantee a higher refund rate. Neither can you expect the expert to work some magic to lower your tax burden. He/she can only help you file your taxes better, claim all eligible tax credits and deductions, meet important deadlines, and assist with any tax-related decisions. You may or may not get a refund but if you do, that is an added bonus.

However, it is also true that a tax professional will try his/her best to get you a tax refund. And that refund can cover your hiring costs and leave you something extra. This tax season, you are likely to get more in refund because of the added tax breaks, and now is the best time to invest in a quality used car in Spartanburg.

Without denting your savings, you can start financing a used car in Uncle Joe’s with your tax refund money. In certain cases, for just $500 as down, you can pick the best vehicle from our massive inventory of used cars and used trucks for sale in Spartanburg. We also offer you a hard-to-beat trade-in deal along with a comprehensive 2 years/36,000 miles warranty. Financing a used car or used truck from Uncle Joe’s with your tax refund money is one of the best investments you can make this or any other year.