Finding a trustworthy tax preparer

UNDATED (WAVY) - If you're like most people, you'll likely to get assistance from a professional tax preparer or tax software when filing your taxes this year. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) wants you to be careful selecting tax preparation help and warns -- if you're not careful, "you may get hit with headaches and mounting fines and fees if the return isn't correct or filed late."

According to a release from the BBB, thousands of complaints from consumers against tax preparers are filed every year. Complaints, according to the BBB, are mostly related to a tax preparer making errors on a return, resulting in fines and fees.

"Even though the tax preparer completes the return, it's the taxpayer who is ultimately responsible for the return's accuracy and whether or not it's filed on time," said Alison Southwick, BBB spokesperson. "The fines, fees and hassles can mount if you choose an unreliable tax preparer and that's why it's important to do your research."

Tips from the BBB - How to find a trustworthy tax preparer:

Ask around. Get referrals from friends and family on who they use and check the BBB Reliability Report on tax preparation services at www.bbb.org .

Look for credentials. Ideally, your tax preparer should either be a certified public accountant, a tax attorney or an enrolled agent. All three can represent you before the IRS in all matters, including an audit. Also, find out if the preparer is affiliated with a professional organization that holds its members to a code of ethics.

Don't fall for the promise of a big refund. Be wary of any tax preparation service that promises larger refunds than the competition, and avoid any tax preparers who base their fee on a percentage of the refund.

Think about accessibility. Many tax preparation services only set up shop for the months leading up to April 15. In case the IRS finds errors, or in case of an audit, you might need to be able to contact your tax preparer throughout the year.

Read the contract carefully. Read tax preparation service contracts closely to ensure you understand issues such as how much it is going to cost for the service, how the cost will be affected if preparation is more complicated and time consuming than expected and whether the tax preparer will represent you in case of an audit.

For more advice on finding professionals you can trust, visit www.bbb.org .