If your tax preparer tries to convince you to claim deductions that sound too good to be true or to report income that doesn't line up with what you would have reported, watch out.
You want a preparer that will get you the best refund possible -- but not if it means breaking the law.
You should also be suspicious if the preparer doesn't ask for documentation like receipts or for expenses or deductions you're claiming.
For example, if they write down their own value for the bag of clothes you told them you gave to Goodwill or estimate that you spent $2,000 on home office furniture without going through everything with you, that's a bad sign.
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"A preparer's job is not to suggest a deduction," said Buckingham. "Certainly if [the taxpayer] had a deduction last year, a preparer should ask whether they are still doing this activity, but if a taxpayer says they are, the preparer needs to ask for something that would substantiate it."
The IRS also recommends avoiding tax preparers who calculate their fees as a portion of a taxpayer's refund or promise taxpayers unattainable refunds.
