Date: 2007-03-22
Thinking about Choosing a Tax Preparer for Help with Filing a 2006 Tax Return?
Jackson Hewitt® Shares Some Tips for Getting Started
PARSIPPANY, N.J., March 22, 2007 – As America’s workforce continues to organize their documents in order to have their 2006 individual income tax return prepared and filed, Jackson Hewitt Tax Service®, an industry leader providing full service individual federal and state income tax preparation, notes what to look for in choosing a tax preparer.
“Many Americans are anxious about preparing their own tax return because of the time involved or confusion about tax rules,” notes Mark Steber, Vice President of Tax Resources, Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc. “The IRS has indicated that over 80 million Americans filed a return through a professional tax preparer in 2006.* This may be because each year there are new or changed tax rules that can be difficult to stay abreast of. A knowledgeable tax preparer can add value by asking the right questions in order to ensure that each taxpayer is accurately claiming all the credits and deductions they are due.”
For example, many newlyweds have questions about going from filing as a single person to filing jointly as a married couple. Similarly, the adoption credit for new parents has many rules governing the amount and timing of the credit, including who qualifies. Even new homeowners may find value in working with a preparer who understands the tax considerations associated with buying or owning a home.
Many times filers are unsure of how to find a tax preparer and what initial questions to ask. Each individual’s situation is different, but there are some general issues to explore to get started:
Reputation: Select a preparer who works with a reputable firm that has been in business for a number of years to ensure that he or she has experience in handling many different types of returns.
Qualifications: It is advisable to look into the training that the preparer has received and to be sure this knowledge is recent. Because the tax laws change each year, preparers must be working with up-to-the-minute information. Steber notes that Jackson Hewitt offers a widely diversified tax preparer training curriculum, including an up- to-the-minute tax update course, as well as basic, intermediate and advanced courses each year. All course curriculum is prepared by tax professionals including CPAs, enrolled agents and tax attorneys.
Accuracy: A tax return leaves no room for error. Verify that your tax preparer has mechanisms in place for ensuring that a return has been completed accurately and in accordance with all of the latest tax laws. In fact, one of the ways that preparers are helping customers ensure accuracy is by electronically filing (“e-filing”) tax returns. Check to be sure that your tax preparer is an authorized IRS e-filer, which allows you to take advantage of the latest technology to ensure accuracy and speed up the refund process. The IRS also provides timely acknowledgement that they have received returns that have been e-filed.
Guarantee: As with many things, mistakes can happen, but it is wise to determine in advance if the tax preparer stands behind the work. This adds another level of quality and also instills confidence in every return prepared, including those that may be questioned by the IRS. “Jackson Hewitt stands behind every return prepared under the company name,” claims Steber. “All paid tax preparation services at Jackson Hewitt include a free Basic Guarantee which entitles the customer to reimbursement of penalties and interest charged by a taxing authority if a Jackson Hewitt tax preparer makes an error preparing a return.” (An additional guarantee, the Gold Guarantee®, provides an extra level of coverage for a fee: such coverage includes reimbursement for any additional tax liability, or reduction in your refund amount up to $5,000.)
Business continuity: Finally, be sure that the tax preparer is available year-round, providing access at any time should tax-related questions or concerns arise.
“The bottom line is that people don’t want to leave money on the table,” said Steber. “A knowledgeable tax preparer can make a difference in helping taxpayers claim all the relevant credits and deductions so that they can keep more money in their pockets or get more money back in return.”
For questions on locating or selecting a preparer, taxpayers are encouraged to visit the Jackson Hewitt website (www.jacksonhewitt.com) for information, tips, and advice on getting started, including a “What to Bring to Your Tax Preparer” checklist.
Jackson Hewitt has offices open around the country to assist customers with getting started or for help preparing a 2006 individual income tax return. To find the Jackson Hewitt office nearest to you, call 1-800-234-1040.
* IRS Tax Year 2005 Taxpayer Usage Study (TPUS) Weekly Report 15 (8.25.06)
About Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc.
Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc., with over 6,500 franchised and company-owned offices throughout the United States during the 2007 tax season, is an industry leader providing full service individual federal and state income tax preparation. Most offices are independently owned and operated. The Company is based in Parsippany, New Jersey. More information may be obtained at www.jacksonhewitt.com. To locate the Jackson Hewitt Tax Service office nearest to you, call 1-800-234-1040.
CONTACT:
Melissa Connerton
CooperKatz & Company for Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc.
212-455-8001