09/22/2026
Your tax preparer should NOT be learning taxes while preparing YOUR return.
I said what I said.
A lot of taxpayers walk into a national tax chain because the name feels familiar.
Big company. Big sign. Lots of locations.
It feels safe.
But here’s the question taxpayers should be asking:
Who is actually preparing YOUR return?
Tax preparer positions in the Detroit area have been advertised around $15 an hour.
And yes, employees may complete tax training and pass an assessment before preparing returns.
But I personally had a tax preparer send me the Quizlet link they used to help pass their training.
That should make taxpayers think.
Not because every person working for a national tax chain is inexperienced. There are knowledgeable tax professionals working everywhere.
But because a recognizable company name does not automatically tell you the experience, education, judgment, or tax knowledge of the individual sitting across from you.
And when it comes to your taxes, that matters.
Because your return is more than:
W-2? Check.
Dependents? Check.
1099? Check.
Click. Click. Click.
Print.
Next taxpayer.
The tax code does not know your situation.
Your tax preparer should.
Did you start a business?
Pick up a side hustle?
Go back to school?
Have a baby?
Become responsible for an aging parent?
Pay for childcare?
Buy equipment?
Use your vehicle for business?
Purchase a home?
Make energy-efficient improvements?
Experience a major change in income?
Get married or divorced?
Have business expenses you didn’t even realize might matter?
A W-2 or 1099 only tells part of the story.
The conversation tells me the rest.
And sometimes that conversation is exactly where a missed credit, deduction, filing issue, or tax-planning opportunity is discovered.
That’s why I don’t want to simply process your tax return.
I want to know the taxpayer behind it.
I want to know what changed this year.
I want to understand your family.
Your business.
Your financial situation.
Your goals.
And what we might need to do differently before December 31 so we are planning for taxes instead of reacting to them months later.
And here is something else I believe taxpayers should ask before choosing a preparer:
What happens if the IRS has questions AFTER the return is filed?
I participate in the IRS Annual Filing Season Program.
I maintain an active PTIN.
Miller Bookkeeping & Tax is an Authorized IRS e-file Provider with an EFIN.
I also serve as a VITA tax preparer.
I invest in continuing tax education because tax preparation is not something I pick up for a few months and forget about when April ends.
And for returns that I prepare and sign, I have limited representation rights before the IRS within the scope allowed under the Annual Filing Season Program.
So if the IRS has questions about work I prepared?
I stand behind it.
I prepared it.
I signed it.
I’ll explain it.
I’ll answer questions about my work.
And within my authorized scope, I’ll represent my client before the IRS at no additional professional fee.
You shouldn’t have to wonder whether your tax preparer disappeared when tax season ended.
And here’s another important difference.
If I ask more questions, dig deeper, and discover a legitimate credit or deduction that increases your refund or lowers your tax liability…
My fee does not suddenly increase because I found you more money.
My fee is my fee.
If I uncover another $500, $1,000, or $3,000 in legitimate tax savings, I don’t suddenly deserve a percentage of it.
Finding the tax benefits you legally qualify for is the job.
Not an upsell.
Not a bonus.
Not a reason to charge you more.
I work for you.
And yes, I’m a taxpayer too.
Well…kinda. 😂
I’ve spent years looking at my own life through the lens of an accountant.
I don’t wait until February to hand somebody my paperwork, cross my fingers, and ask:
“So…do I owe?”
I calculate.
I estimate.
I plan.
I look at my projected income.
I consider my expected tax liability.
I understand which deductions and credits may apply.
And then I make financial decisions accordingly.
That is the difference between simply filing taxes and actually planning for taxes.
Tax preparation tells us what happened.
Tax planning asks what we can legally do about it before the year is over.
So this tax season, don’t choose your preparer based only on the logo outside the building.
Ask questions.
How much experience do you have?
What tax education do you complete every year?
What types of returns do you regularly prepare?
Do you understand self-employment and small-business taxation?
Will you review my prior-year return for things that may have been overlooked?
Will you ask questions beyond what appears on my tax documents?
What happens if the IRS sends me a letter about the return you prepared?
Can I reach you after April 15?
Will you still know who I am next year?
Because you are not paying someone simply to enter numbers into software.
Software can enter numbers.
You are paying for knowledge.
Judgment.
Experience.
Accountability.
Attention.
And someone willing to stand behind their work.
Choose your tax professional accordingly.
Miller Bookkeeping & Tax
Michele Miller, MBA
The People’s Accountant
Clean books. Smart tax moves. Less stress.
