Visiting Preparers Filing Highly Questionable Returns

Another tier of our Preparer Compliance Program is educational visits to preparers. A revenue agent and criminal investigator visit preparers who filed EITC claims with a high chance of error. The visits are educational. The goal is to help preparers understand the errors and how to avoid them. See EITC Preparer Compliance-Targeted, Tailored and Tiered for information on other parts of the program.

During these outreach and education visits, agents

• Talk about the errors on the claims;
• Offer tips and tools for improving accuracy;
• Answer any questions; and
• Explain the potential costs of not improving accuracy. (Read more about Consequences of Filing EITC Returns incorrectly here); and

We do not charge these preparers penalties because of these visits. But, we monitor the claims they file to find out if accuracy improves. If a preparer's claims do not show improvement, we may do a due diligence audit. Click here to read more about due diligence audits.

Additional Resources Links (click on any topic listed below for additional information on the subject):

• EITC Preparer Information on irs.gov
• Consequences of Filing EITC Returns Incorrectly
• EITC Preparer Compliance - Targeted, Tailored and Tiered
  • Reaching Out to Preparers
  • Real Time EITC Preparer Pilot
  • Auditing for Due Diligence Compliance
  • Barring Non-Compliant EITC Preparers from Filing Tax Returns
  • Additional Forceful Actions Taken Against Return Preparers Filing False EITC Claims

Last updated: 6/20/2012