Do Not Trust The Tax Preparer Who Does Not Put His Name On The Return

I had a personal injury client come in to sign a release. After we finished the legal paperwork, our conversation drifted to taxes. He asked whether I put my name on the tax returns I prepare. I told him that I do. He then mentioned another tax preparer he knows who does not sign the returns — and said he does not trust that person. He told me he plans to come back once his documents are ready.

I explained that his instinct was correct. A paid tax preparer is required by law to sign the returns they prepare. Think about the amount of information you hand over to a preparer: your name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number. If you request direct deposit, you also provide your bank account number. By reporting your interest income, the preparer can even estimate how much money is in that account. In other words, you are giving someone who is already violating the law all the information needed to impersonate you and steal your identity.

There is usually a reason a preparer refuses to sign a return — and it is not pride in their work. Among the people who come to me after having problems with a prior preparer, roughly three-quarters also have unsigned returns. Those preparers either do not know what they are doing (and know that they do not know what they are doing) or they are “playing games,” which is a polite way of saying tax fraud.

Of course, the Internal Revenue Service cannot easily connect the preparer to the improper return if the preparer never signed it. But the taxpayer’s name is on the return. When the IRS finds the problem, they look to the taxpayer — not just for the unpaid tax, but also for interest and penalties.

The solution is simple: use a reputable preparer. Someone who refuses to sign the return is, by definition, not reputable.

I have practiced law for twenty-seven years and have spent that time building a reputation. Every tax return I file puts that reputation on the line, just like every other case handled by this office. You can be confident that I am filing a proper return.

If you have questions about a prior return, want a second opinion, or simply want to be sure everything is being done correctly, we’re happy to help.

Call or text our office at 978-459-8359 and we’ll point you in the right direction.