How well do you know the person you pay to complete and file your taxes? Are they registered, certified or licensed ? A good place to check and see if they have the qualifications is the PTIN directory. Anyone who prepares or assists in the preparation of a tax return is required to have a valid PTIN number. In NYS you are required to be a registered tax preparer showing a valid certificate of registration. Many new clients bring previous years tax returns with them, telling me they paid someone to do their taxes. Unfortunately most of these returns state they are self prepared. This means it’s very likely they used a free file program and entered the information as if they were you, and then charged you for it. If anything goes wrong, YOU are on the hook. Look at your tax return before signing it, if it does not have the name of the person who did your taxes..that should raise a red flag ! Ask questions !