What you should look for in a Licensed Tax Preparer or Consultant

What Should you look for in a Licensed Tax Preparer or Consultant?

Tax Preparer Qualifications –Oregon Licensed Tax Preparer and Licensed Tax Consultant. Oregon requires 30 continuing education hours each year a Preparer is licensed. Each Preparer must pass an 80 hour course and pass a 4 hour Oregon State Board of Tax Preparers exam. The IRS requires that each Preparer has a registered PTIN number. Each Tax Consultant must have 3 years supervised experience and pass a 5 hour test at the Board.  Each Preparer at AccounTax of Oregon is duly licensed.

Tax Preparer History—The Oregon State Board of Tax Practitioners keeps a list of Licensees in good standing.  This is available at their website:  www.oregon.gov/obtp  All of AccounTax’s Preparers are in good standing at the Board.

Service Fees—AccounTax posts its basic fees in the lobby. We will check your last year’s return for free and give you a close estimate on what it would have cost to have us do that return. We cannot “quote” fees over the phone.

Engagement letter—AccounTax provides an engagement letter, spelling out what you can expect from us.

Confidentiality for clients—AccounTax has separate interview rooms with closeable doors. We take extra precautions to protect our clients’ confidentiality.

Electronic Filing—AccounTax offers e-filing for Federal, Oregon, and most other state returns and for business returns as the states allow. There is no extra charge for this.

Accessibility—AccounTax is open year round to serve you for preparation and consulting. Check our website for seasonal ly adjusted hours or just call for an appointment 503-619-1040. We are wheelchair accessible with our level parking lot and our 1 level building.

Completeness of Client interview—AccounTax gives every client a full interview.  Call to request our organizer or download it from our website. We have to ask more personal questions for certain tax benefits now.   Make sure that you get all your client documents and worksheets associated with the return in your free copy.

Review of the Return before signing it—Never sign a blank return! AccounTax reviews the return with each client for understanding. We prefer to do this in person.  We enjoy your questions (There is no quiz!). We insist that all forms be completed before asking for a final signature.  Each current year return is checked by another licensed tax preparer for accuracy and for theory.

Preparer signatures—AccounTax Preparers are proud to sign their name to each tax return and will include their Oregon License number and federal PTIN on each return.

Business returns and consulting—AccounTax staff has varied experience and is excited to share their capabilities with small businesses.  Get started right and stay right.

 

YIPPEE! It’s Tax Time! –Please call for your appointment today. 503-619-1040 We are looking forward to serving you.