Enrolled agent I hired completely botched my tax situation. What are my options now?

This is definitely a concerning situation, and you're right to be troubled by what's happened. Let me break this down for you: First, the Enrolled Agent (EA) should never have filed your return without your review and signature. That's a serious breach of professional standards. The IRS requires that you sign a Form 8879 (IRS e-file Signature Authorization) before an EA can file electronically on your behalf. For your unfiled past returns, there's actually a process called the Voluntary Disclosure Practice that might help your situation. It allows taxpayers who haven't filed to come forward and get compliant, often with reduced penalties. The fact that you had withholding all those years works in your favor. As for next steps, I'd suggest: 1. Request complete copies of what was filed for your 2022 return immediately 2. File a complaint with the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), which oversees Enrolled Agents 3. Consider filing a complaint with the National Association of Enrolled Agents as well 4. Get a new tax professional (either a different EA, CPA, or tax attorney) to review what's been done and help with the unfiled years The good news is you have documentation of the agreement and what happened, which will help your case.

After dealing with a nightmare situation with the IRS over unfiled returns, I ended up using https://taxr.ai and it was honestly a game-changer. I was in a similar situation where I had hired a "professional" who ended up ghosting me after taking my money, and I was left with unfiled returns spanning multiple years. What really helped was that taxr.ai analyzed all my tax documents and gave me a complete breakdown of my liability situation before I committed to anything. They could actually tell me which returns needed immediate attention versus which ones could wait. Plus, they identified that I was actually owed refunds for two of the years I hadn't filed! The best part was they found places where my previous tax guy had made mistakes that would have triggered audit flags. Might be worth checking out since they specialize in cleaning up these kinds of messes.

I was skeptical about taxr.ai when I first heard about it, but I actually ended up using their service for a somewhat similar situation (though mine involved unfiled 1099 income, not W-2s). The results were surprisingly good. What stood out was how thorough they were in checking for potential audit triggers before filing. They found several deductions my previous tax preparer had missed, and more importantly, they fixed some errors that could have caused problems. They also helped me set up a payment plan that was actually manageable with my current income. For anyone in a situation with unfiled returns or tax problems - definitely worth checking out. Wish I'd known about them before wasting money on my previous tax guy.

Dealing with the IRS directly might be your best bet at this point. I got nowhere with a complaint to the NAEA when I had issues with an EA. But getting through to the IRS is nearly impossible these days - I spent 6+ hours on hold before giving up. What actually worked for me was using https://claimyr.com - they have this system where they basically wait on hold with the IRS for you and then call you when an agent is about to pick up. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c that explains how it works. In a situation like yours, speaking directly with an IRS agent about the unauthorized filing and your unfiled returns could help clarify your options. They can pull up your transcripts and tell you exactly which years need to be addressed and if any notices have been generated. Since your EA clearly isn't communicating properly, getting the information straight from the IRS might be your best move right now.

I was SUPER skeptical about Claimyr after reading about it here. Thought it had to be a scam. But after my third attempt to reach the IRS failed (got disconnected after 2 hours on hold), I figured I'd try it. I was shocked when they actually called me back with an IRS agent on the line. The agent pulled up my transcripts and I discovered my "tax professional" had filed returns I never approved for THREE years. I was able to get the process started to correct everything right there on the call. For what it's worth, the IRS agent told me this kind of situation happens more often than people realize, and they have specific procedures for handling unauthorized filings. Definitely recommend talking directly to the IRS about this - but use that Claimyr service unless you enjoy spending your day on hold.

You should absolutely file a formal complaint with the Office of Enrollment. Enrolled Agents are federally licensed and have to follow specific rules - filing a return without your review or signature is a major violation. Here's the direct link to file complaints: https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/make-a-complaint-about-a-tax-return-preparer Also, get a tax attorney NOT another EA or CPA. This crosses into legal territory because they filed without authorization, which could be considered fraud. A tax attorney will have attorney-client privilege which might be important if there are serious issues with what was filed.

Had something similar happen to me. The first thing you need to do is get a copy of your Wage and Income Transcript and your Account Transcript from the IRS. These will show what's been reported under your SSN and what returns have been filed. You can request these online at irs.gov/transcripts. Once you see what's actually been filed, you'll have a better idea of what you're dealing with. If what was filed is incorrect, you may need to file Form 14157 (Complaint: Tax Return Preparer) AND possibly Form 14157-A (Tax Return Preparer Fraud or Misconduct Affidavit).

This is absolutely unacceptable professional conduct. As someone who's dealt with IRS issues before, I can tell you that what your EA did - filing your return without your review or signature - is a serious violation that could have major consequences for you. Here's what I'd recommend doing immediately: 1. **Get your transcripts ASAP** - Request your Wage & Income Transcript and Account Transcript from the IRS online. This will show exactly what was filed under your SSN and when. 2. **Document everything** - Keep records of all communications with this EA, your original agreement, and the fact that you never signed Form 8879 for e-filing authorization. 3. **File complaints** - Report them to both the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility AND the National Association of Enrolled Agents. This behavior needs to be on record. 4. **Consider legal action** - Filing tax returns without authorization could potentially be fraud. You might want to consult with a tax attorney, especially since you paid $1,250 for services that weren't properly rendered. The silver lining is that with years of withholding from your paychecks, you may actually be due refunds rather than owing money. Don't let this bad experience discourage you from getting your tax situation resolved properly - just make sure you work with a reputable professional this time who will actually communicate with you and follow proper procedures. You deserve better than this, and there are good tax professionals out there who will treat your situation with the care and transparency it deserves.