@AHHHH-taxes wrote:
@pk
That’s what bothers me the most: the individual filer is held responsible to ensure that a professional, college-educated tax preparer filled out all the forms correctly, even though we don’t know what we’re doing in the first place.
From the IRS point of view, the taxpayer is always ultimately responsible. But when you use a professional, they have some responsibility, probably determined by your contract, and the various professional societies (like AICPA or the Bar Association) probably have professional standards as well.
If someone does get in a situation where they are audited and owe more tax, the taxpayer is always going to pay because the taxpayer always owes their own correct tax. But the preparer might be liable for any interest or penalties if they were caused by the preparer's mistake.
