Tax Preparation Crooks Can Maximize Your Deductions And Jail Time

Anyone who knows taxes knows that the Home Office deduction is watched pretty closely by the IRS. That didn't stop one crooked East coast tax specialist from convincing his client to write off his entire home. Then, there's the New Jersey tax preparer who claimed medical expenses for a bubble of air needed by his client in order to avoid pollution.

In a 2008 study effort to gauge the quality of tax preparation (and the honesty of the preparers themselves) staff members of the Treasury Department made anonymous visits to 28 tax preparation specialists. The resulting returns were wrong far more often than right.

61% were wrong, with two thirds errant due to misinterpretation of the tax code, and the final third of those through intentional misconduct.

No matter who prepares and signs your return, you are ultimately responsible for the information in your return. Keep that in mind when selecting your tax preparer. We suggest you get references and check them.