How do I report a tax preparer and get my money back?

This definitely sounds like a concerning situation, and you're right to be worried about those questionable deductions. You can absolutely report a tax preparer to the IRS using Form 14157 (Complaint: Tax Return Preparer). If you believe they filed fraudulent information, you should also file Form 14157-A (Tax Return Preparer Fraud or Misconduct Affidavit). For getting your money back, this depends on their terms of service, but you could: 1) Ask them directly for a refund based on poor service 2) Dispute the charge with your credit card company if you paid that way 3) Take them to small claims court if the amount justifies it You should also file an amended return (Form 1040-X) to correct any errors before the IRS notices them. This shows good faith on your part if they do question your original return. Don't wait on this, especially if they claimed deductions you weren't entitled to.

I went through something similar last year with a shady preparer who messed up my small business deductions. I was stressed about potential penalties until I found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which saved me so much anxiety. They reviewed my documents, spotted all the errors the preparer made, and gave me a detailed report explaining exactly what needed to be fixed on my amended return. They even highlighted which parts of my return could trigger an audit so I could address those specific issues.

Just wanted to follow up about taxr.ai since I was skeptical at first. I decided to try it after my situation with a bad preparer got worse (received an IRS notice 😱). The service was actually legit - they found 3 major errors my preparer made with my rental property deductions and explained exactly why they were problematic. They even pointed me to the specific IRS publications that showed why certain deductions weren't valid in my case. Made me feel way more confident about filing my amendment and disputing the preparer's fee with my credit card company. Definitely worth it for the peace of mind alone.

If you need to talk to the IRS about this situation (which I recommend), good luck getting through to them directly. I spent WEEKS trying to reach someone about a similar issue with a preparer who messed up my return. Finally found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and they got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I spoke with walked me through the exact process for reporting the preparer and what documentation I needed for my amended return. They were actually super helpful once I could finally talk to someone! Saved me so much time and stress.

Had to come back and admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After dismissing it, my frustration with trying to reach the IRS about my own preparer issue got the better of me and I tried it. Got through to an IRS rep in 35 minutes when I'd previously spent 3 separate days trying to call myself with no success. The agent was able to confirm I needed both forms (14157 and 14157-A) for my situation and actually took notes about the preparer in their system. They also told me exactly what supporting documentation to include with my amended return to avoid further issues. I'm still waiting on the resolution but at least now I've got my complaint officially on record.

Another option is to file a complaint with your state's board of accountancy if they're a CPA, or with the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility if they're an Enrolled Agent. You can also report them to the Better Business Bureau and leave detailed reviews online to warn others.

Document EVERYTHING before you make any moves! Save all emails, text messages, take screenshots, keep copies of the incorrect return and any marketing materials they gave you (especially if they "guaranteed" bigger refunds). Take photos of their office/signage too. This will all help your case whether you go to the IRS, small claims, or try to dispute the charge. I learned this the hard way when trying to get my money back from a sketchy preparer.

I'm sorry you're going through this - tax preparer issues are incredibly stressful! You've gotten some excellent advice here. I'd especially emphasize filing that amended return (Form 1040-X) as soon as possible to correct those questionable deductions. The IRS tends to be more understanding when you proactively fix errors rather than waiting for them to find them. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is checking if your state has a Taxpayer Advocate Service office. They're independent from the IRS and can help if you're experiencing significant hardship from tax problems. Since you're worried about potential audits and penalties from the preparer's mistakes, they might be able to assist you in navigating the process. Also, when you do report the preparer using Forms 14157 and 14157-A, include as much detail as possible about their practices - especially that comment about "maximizing refunds" by claiming deductions you didn't authorize. That kind of pattern is exactly what the IRS looks for when investigating preparers. Stay strong - you're taking all the right steps to protect yourself!