Hiring and Getting Started
Choosing the Right Tax Provider: CPA, EA or Preparer?
A decision guide for matching your situation to a CPA, enrolled agent, tax attorney or preparer, plus how to verify credentials and what to ask in an interview.
Hiring and Getting Started
Step-by-step help to choose a professional, prepare documents and understand the timeline.
Hiring a tax professional goes more smoothly when you know the steps: decide what kind of help you need, verify credentials, gather documents, sign a clear engagement letter and understand the deadlines that apply to you.
These guides walk through that process in order. You will learn how to verify a preparer in IRS and state databases, which documents nearly every preparer asks for, what an engagement letter should say, how the tax calendar works for individuals and small businesses, and when IRS authorization forms such as Form 2848 come into play.
A practical tip: the best time to hire is before you need help in a hurry. Preparers are busiest from late January through April, and a rushed engagement is the most likely to produce errors or surprise fees. The pre-hire checklist pulls the most important steps into one printable list. Everything here is general education, not tax advice for your specific facts.
Guides in this topic
Hiring and Getting Started
Documents to Bring to a Tax Preparer: Complete Checklist
The documents and information a tax accountant needs for individual and small-business returns, grouped by situation, plus tips for organizing them to cut your fee.
Hiring and Getting Started
Engagement Letters, Form 2848 and Form 8821: What You Sign
Learn what a tax engagement letter should say and how IRS Form 2848, Form 8821 and Form 8879 work, so you know exactly what authority you give your preparer.
Hiring and Getting Started
How to Hire a Tax Accountant: Step-by-Step Guide
A clear seven-step process for hiring a tax accountant or preparer in the US: define your needs, verify credentials, get written quotes and sign an engagement letter.
Hiring and Getting Started
Tax Preparation Timeline: Key Deadlines and What to Expect
A month-by-month look at the US tax calendar for individuals and small businesses, including extensions, estimated payments and when a preparer needs your documents.