Taxpayers get burned by Preparers

[kst$]

Many taxpayers getting burned by inept or crooked preparers
ST. PAUL — Maggie Loftus thought her day couldn't get any worse when IRS agents told her that her tax returns were being audited.
Then they told her that the paid preparer who had done her taxes was suspected of submitting dozens of false claims that boosted clients' refunds and defrauded the government of more than $8 million.
For her, the bottom line was expensive: more than $5,000 in tax repayments, plus interest and penalties.
"I was totally shocked that a professional tax person could have done something like this to me," says Loftus, a single mother of three and former client of the preparer based in St. Paul. "I had no idea that there was anything that wasn't right."

read more here: http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/...iability_x.htm

[javie$]

It just goes to show you can’t trust anyone. Who would have thought that the tax prepares would make mistakes, isn’t that their jobs to ensure that they are prepared correctly. . I have always gone to H&R Block to get my taxes prepared but last year I took a venture and did my taxes myself, that was a little scary since I haven’t ever done something like that before. Keeping my fingers crossed as I do them again this year.