Hiring a Tax Consultant

A tax consultant can affect every part of youran audit letter in the mail.
business. Tax consultants are financial experts2. Find out what you should be able to expect by
that are specifically trained in tax law. Althoughusing their service. Find out what paperwork they
some countries require companies of a certainwill provide you with, and what is their goal for an
size to verify their balance sheets, many peopleend result. Make sure that you never sign a blank
use tax consultants to minimize the amount oftax for, and that they provide you with a signed
taxes they pay, avoid learning in depth tax laws,copy of your return.
or to become more familiar with the laws. In the3. What is their schedule of availability. Although
United States, tax consultants are regulated butthere is no need to call your consultant at three in
not licensed by the Internal Revenue Service.the morning, it is important to know that they
They are subject to penalties relating to nothave regular hours that you can contact them.
revealing the identity of the preparer of the tax4. Ask them for references. This provides you
return, failing to give a taxpayer their copy of awith the feeling that you have not hired a person
return, or for negligence in filing out the form.who is going to scam you. Make sure to check
Finding a tax consultant may be a challenge, butthe consultant's record at the Better Business
there are a few things to look for when hiringBureau. You can also check with state boards,
one.and other professional organizations for more
1. Ask them how much do they charge. Neverinformation.
hire anyone who wants to charge you a5. Also, ask to see their credentials. Are they an
percentage of your refund, and never hireEnrolled Agent, Certified Public Accountant, or
anyone who claims that they can get you a largerAttorney? Depending on their qualifications, they
refund than other tax consultants. It is importantcan represent you in different manners to the
to make sure that they fill out the formsIRS.
correctly and are not competing with otherUsing a tax consultant can help you with all areas
consultants for who can get a customer thedealing with tax law. It is important to hire a
largest return. It is better to pay for a consultantconsultant that you feel comfortable with, and
who is willing to do the job right, and avoid gettingfeel that they will do the best job possible.