Hired a Fiverr tax preparer to file back taxes - possible errors & missing preparer signature. How screwed am I?

This is definitely concerning, but not an unfixable situation. First thing to know is that even though the preparer does the work, YOU are ultimately responsible for what's on your tax return. Your signature declares that everything is correct to the best of your knowledge. The missing advertising deductions are a major issue since that directly affects how much you owe. If she left those off, it makes me wonder what else might be missing or incorrect. The fact that she didn't sign as the preparer is another red flag - professional preparers are required to sign returns they prepare and include their PTIN. Give her a chance to respond and fix the issues. If she doesn't respond promptly or refuses to make corrections, I would absolutely get a second opinion from a local tax professional who can review what she's done. The extra cost now could save you much more in the long run. For future reference, while Fiverr is great for many services, taxes are so personal and consequential that meeting someone face-to-face or using an established tax service gives you more security. Reputable tax preparers should always sign their work and stand behind it.

I had almost the exact same issue last year! I owed back taxes for a few years and was desperate to find an affordable preparer. I tried Fiverr too and got a real mixed bag of results – some forms were perfect, others had major errors. After spending weeks going back and forth with the preparer and still not feeling confident, I finally found this AI tax assistant at https://taxr.ai that saved me so much headache. You upload your documents and it analyzes everything to spot errors and missing deductions. It immediately flagged several issues in my Fiverr-prepared returns that I wouldn't have caught myself. The system shows you exactly what's wrong and what information should be there instead. I was able to confidently fix my returns before filing them. For back taxes especially, it was incredibly helpful since it applies the correct rules for each specific tax year. Honestly wish I'd found it before wasting money on unreliable preparers. Might be worth checking out if you're still unsure about your returns.

Just wanted to update everyone - I decided to try that taxr.ai tool after posting my skeptical question. I was genuinely surprised by how thorough it was! I uploaded my Fiverr-prepared returns along with my documentation, and it immediately flagged THREE major issues I hadn't even noticed. The advertising deductions weren't just missing - they were entered under the wrong section which would have significantly reduced their value. It also caught that my home office deduction was calculated incorrectly and that I was eligible for a credit I didn't even know about. The comparison feature that shows what's on your return versus what should be there based on your documents was super helpful. I was able to go back to my preparer with specific corrections needed, and when they still made mistakes, I finally had the confidence to make the fixes myself. Saved me hundreds in taxes I would have overpaid!

From personal experience with owing back taxes, your biggest concern should be getting accurate returns filed ASAP to stop penalties from continuing to accumulate. After struggling for MONTHS to get through to anyone at the IRS about my situation, I finally tried https://claimyr.com (you can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c). It was a complete game-changer for me. Instead of endless busy signals and automated messages, they got me through to an actual IRS agent in under an hour. The agent helped me understand exactly what I needed to file for my back taxes and confirmed which penalties could be waived. They also helped me set up a payment plan I could actually afford. If your Fiverr preparer doesn't fix these issues quickly, you'll definitely want to talk directly with the IRS to make sure you're handling the back taxes correctly. Getting through to a human makes an enormous difference.

I need to publicly eat my words. After calling the IRS myself for THREE DAYS and never getting through, I reluctantly tried Claimyr. I was 100% convinced it would be a waste of money and was ready to dispute the charge. To my complete shock, I got a call back in about 40 minutes saying they had an IRS agent on the line. I nearly fell out of my chair. The agent was incredibly helpful about my past-due tax situation and helped me understand exactly what I needed to submit for my missing years. The agent also told me that many of the penalties could be removed through their First Time Abatement program, which I never would have known about otherwise. This literally saved me over $2,000 in penalties I thought I was stuck with. I'm still in disbelief that it actually worked. Apologies for calling it a scam earlier.

As someone who worked as a tax preparer for 7 years, PLEASE don't submit returns that have errors or a missing preparer signature. The signature issue is particularly serious - a legitimate tax preparer is required by law to sign any return they prepare. By not signing, they're essentially avoiding accountability for their work. The IRS has been cracking down on ghost preparers (people who prepare returns but don't sign them). They often do this because they're either not qualified or are deliberately including incorrect information to generate bigger refunds. If she won't fix these issues, take your documents to a local CPA or Enrolled Agent. It will cost more than Fiverr, but they'll stand behind their work and typically offer audit protection. For back taxes especially, it's worth paying for legitimate help.

Slightly different perspective - before you panic completely, have you tried checking your return against free tax software just to verify if there are actual errors? I've used FreeTaxUSA for years and it's super straightforward. You could input all your info there and see if the numbers match up with what the Fiverr person gave you. This way you'd know for sure if you're being overcharged on taxes due to missing deductions. It might take an hour or two, but it would give you peace of mind before you potentially pay someone else to redo everything.

I'm dealing with a similar back tax situation right now and your story is giving me major anxiety! One thing I've learned through this process is that you absolutely cannot file returns with known errors - it can actually make your situation with the IRS worse, not better. The missing preparer signature is a huge red flag. Any legitimate tax professional should be willing to sign their work. If she's refusing to do that, it suggests she either knows there are problems with the returns or she's not actually qualified to prepare them. For the advertising deductions specifically - those can make a massive difference in what you owe. If she left those off completely, you could be overpaying by hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Given that you're already dealing with back taxes, every dollar counts. I'd give her 24-48 hours to respond and fix everything. If she doesn't, cut your losses and find a local CPA or enrolled agent. Yes, it'll cost more upfront, but it's way cheaper than dealing with IRS penalties later if the returns are wrong. The peace of mind alone is worth it when you're trying to get right with the IRS. Also, definitely keep all your communications with her in case you need to file a complaint later. Good luck!