02/17/2026
🚩 A Quick Tax Season Warning: “Ghost Preparers” 🚩
As tax season ramps up, we’re seeing more “preparers” online promising huge refunds and guaranteed results. If it sounds too good to be true… it usually is.
Here’s what to watch for:
⚠️ Some preparers will file a return without signing it — often marking it as “self-prepared.”
⚠️ You may get the refund, but if the IRS audits the return, the preparer disappears and the client is left holding the bag.
⚠️ Promises of massive refunds or fees based on a percentage of your refund are major red flags. Contingent fees like “I got you $15k, so I take 10%” are generally not allowed.
The IRS even maintains a list known as the “Dirty Dozen” — arguments and schemes that have been repeatedly shut down in court and are no longer up for debate. Using them can lead to serious penalties, not savings.
👉 Bottom line: A legitimate tax professional signs their work, stands behind it, and charges transparent, reasonable fees — not miracle promises.
If you ever have questions about whether a tax strategy or preparer is legitimate, ask before you file. It’s much easier to avoid a problem than fix one later.
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🔗 precisiontaxprep.com
