Interviewing a Tax Professional
Whenever you hire somebody to do a service, you need to make sure that you get the right person on board. When it comes to hiring a tax professional this is very important. After all, if they make even one mistake it could cost you big time with the IRS. For this reason, you need to properly interview a tax professional before hiring him or her.
Here are three questions to ask during the interview process.
1. What type of experience do you have with my type of situation? If a tax professional has been helping others for 25 years, it is safe to say that they know what they are doing. But if they are new to the game, they may not be knowledgeable enough to deal with the complexities that you will present to them.
2. How much money do you charge? This will differ based on the services you are asking for, so have an idea of what you need before you call. Do not shop based on price alone, but at the same time, do not spend more than you have to.
3. Do you offer any guarantee on your work? Some tax professionals will guarantee that if the IRS audits you that they will be there to help for free. Obviously, this is a good guarantee to have on your side. Not only does it show their confidence, but it also means that they are willing to stand by you until your situation is straightened out.
Make sure that you ask these three questions when interviewing a tax professional. If the first person you speak with does not work out, keep trying. No matter where you live, there are sure to be at least a couple tax professionals close by.
