We're in the midst of the tax season and if you haven't yet filed, it's likely that you're at least thinking about doing so soon (or should be). Just in case you're planning to use a tax pro to complete your returns, here's a piece from Money Central on the three signs of a good tax pro. Their suggestions:
A good tax preparer starts by asking a lot of questions. The only way you’re going to get your money’s worth is if the preparer understands what you do and how you do it, and then searches for deduction opportunities in your financial transactions.
A good preparer understands where you’re coming from and your risk tolerance.
A good tax preparer is a teacher who educates you on not only what’s allowable as a deduction, but also how to structure your actions to minimize your tax exposure. The good preparer should focus not only on your 2005 transactions but on what to do to reduce your 2006 taxes as well. The interaction should be proactive, rather than just reactive.
These are three of the reasons I use a CPA to do my taxes. She does all of these three as well as many other tasks that make her services well worth the money.
Want some more information on preparing your taxes? Here are some posts from Free Money Finance that should help:
- Six Don't-Miss Tax Breaks
- Need Help this Tax Season?
- Eight Ways to Avoid an Audit
- Tax Law Changes You'll Need to Consider for 2005 Income Tax Returns
- Top 10 New Year Tax Resolutions
- The Fastest Tax Refund Possible
- 3 Keys to Choosing the Best Tax Pro
- Five Common Tax Filing Mistakes
- Tax Savvy Ways to Save for an Education
- The Basics of Tax Record Keeping: What Should You Keep?
- As Audits Increase, Taxpayers Should Seek Professional Assistance to Avoid Trouble with the IRS
FMF recommends Emigrant Direct.
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