Most tax return preparers are professional, honest, and provide excellent service to their clients. However, dishonest tax return preparers who file false income tax returns do exist. We will discuss what you need to do to ensure you are selecting a competent tax return preparer. We will also discuss what you need to do if you fall victim to an unscrupulous preparer and are financially impacted by that preparer's misconduct or improper tax preparation practices. 

This workshop will cover the following topics.

1. Steps to Take to Find a Tax Return Preparer.

2. The different types of tax preparers.

3. The difference between “credentialed” and “non-credentialed” preparers.

4. How to check a preparer’s qualifications and history.

5. How to identify and avoid “Ghost” preparers.

6. The difference between limited and unlimited representation.

7. What is a Preparer Tax Identification Number or PTIN.

8. What to do if you fall victim to an unscrupulous preparer.

This Webinar is presented by Marcia North.

Marcia is a Stakeholder Liaison in the state of Florida. She engages and work with external partners to help taxpayers understand and meet their tax responsibilities.

Marcia’s prior experience include working with the Small Business/Self Employed (SBSE) Division both as Revenue Agent and Revenue Officer.

She was a Revenue Agent with the Large Business and International (LB&I) Division. In LB&I her specialty included working with:

• permanent residents and non-resident aliens who have a U.S. tax filing requirement

• U.S. citizens and resident aliens who hold income producing assets in foreign countries

• U.S. citizens and resident aliens who claimed the foreign earned income exclusion and/or the foreign tax credit 

Marcia came to the Agency with 10-years of retail bank management and mortgage bank experience gained while working at Bank of America, SunTrust, and TD Banks. 

She completed a Master of Science, Taxation, from Florida Atlantic University. She graduated Palm Beach Atlantic University with a Bachelor of Science, Organizational Management and an MBA, Finance.