“If something sounds too good to be true, it likely isn’t right,” Nellen said. “Ask questions. Do a Google search on your own. Ask the preparer what they do to keep up to date. Ideally, they regularly attend conferences or webinars and read tax updates daily. What resources do they have to find answers to tax compliance and planning questions?”
“There’s been a large number of retirements as part of the big resignation this year and people should be contacting their preparers early to make sure they’re still in business and will prepare their return,” Kadrlik added. “If you haven’t heard from your preparer since last year, you may want to check in with them.”