How to Find Qualified Income Tax Preparation Services

Income tax preparation is not something that many people want to tackle on their own. All of the math and the monotonous wording in the tax law makes it very difficult for the average person, leaving tax preparation one of those things that are usually better left to a professional. Therefore, finding a qualified person to do your taxes is important. With so many different businesses out there trying to get your attention during tax time, deciding who you can trust is difficult. Here are a few ways that you can find a qualified income tax preparation service. 

Ask around

Don't be afraid to ask around for recommendations.  One good source is to ask someone that has a similar job or lifestyle because you know their tax preparer will have experience handling returns. Also, another good source would be to ask a wealthy person because they tend to be connected and only gives their business to someone that they can trust. If you give your business to the same company, you can feel better about trusting them with your taxes than with some company out of the phone book.

Check Better Business Bureau

The Better Business Bureau is the leading authority on how businesses treat their customers. If a business has been around long enough, they will have a profile on the Better Business Bureau's website. This will allow you to check out their track record with customers. You can see how they treat people, how people rate their services, and the grade assigned to them by the Better Business Bureau. If a tax preparation service has a low grade on the website, you should probably look elsewhere for your tax preparation needs. 

Get a Guarantee

If you are worried about getting your taxes done incorrectly, some companies will offer you a guarantee of their work. This is a fantastic tool that will rest your fears of a faulty tax return. Some companies are so confident in their work that they will pay the difference if your return was filed incorrectly. It might cost a little extra for this form of insurance, but it is usually well worth the peace of mind that it provides. Ask any possible tax preparation services if they offer such a guarantee. If they do not, you might want to keep looking until you find one. 

Independent Reviews

There are plenty of websites out there that offer reviews of local businesses. These websites will have independent reviewers that will tell you their experiences with the company. They are receiving no endorsement money from the company and they are simply telling it like it is. These sites also commonly allow user feedback. This allows regular people to get on and rate the services provided by each company. They can leave comments and help other people make smart decisions on which service to use.