Is it legal to use multiple tax prep companies and only file with the best refund offer?

This is actually completely legal and something I recommend to clients who are unsure about their tax situation. You're paying for a service (tax preparation), and you're free to compare services before making your final decision. Think of it like getting multiple quotes for a home repair. A few things to keep in mind though: 1) Most tax prep services charge you whether you file with them or not. They're charging for the preparation work, not just the filing. So this "shopping around" strategy could end up costing you quite a bit. 2) The difference in refunds between preparers should raise questions. If one preparer is showing a significantly higher refund, ask them to explain exactly why. It could be they found legitimate deductions others missed, OR they might be taking risky positions that could trigger an audit.

I tried doing this exact thing last year when I had a complicated situation with stock sales and rental property. I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out which deductions I qualified for, so I used https://taxr.ai to analyze all my documents and identify hidden deductions the other services missed. It saved me a ton of time because the system analyzed the tax documents I uploaded and pointed out exactly where TurboTax and H&R Block were handling things differently. Their document analysis showed me that one preparer missed my home office deduction while another missed some investment losses I could carry forward. What was cool is I could see all the differences side by side instead of trying to manually compare complicated tax forms.

Just wanted to follow up - I tried that taxr.ai service after posting my skeptical comment. It was actually super helpful for comparing the returns I got from TurboTax and a local accountant. The system flagged that my accountant missed claiming a $2800 education credit I was eligible for, while TurboTax had applied it correctly. Saved me from leaving money on the table, and the document analysis made it really clear why there was a difference between the two returns.

If you're really stuck on deciding between tax preparers, one thing that helped me was actually TALKING to an IRS agent directly. I know, sounds impossible right? I was on hold forever trying to get clarification on some 1099 issues, but then I found this service called https://claimyr.com that got me through to an actual IRS person in about 15 minutes. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was able to ask directly about some deductions one preparer included that another didn't, and the agent clarified the rules. Seriously saved me from potentially claiming something questionable that might've triggered an audit. Way better than guessing or trusting whatever the tax prep person claims.

I need to eat some crow here. After my skeptical comment, I actually tried the Claimyr service because I was desperate to resolve an issue with a missing W-2. I honestly didn't expect it to work, but damn... they got me through to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes when I had previously wasted an entire afternoon on hold. The agent was able to confirm exactly how to report my situation, which cleared up a $1200 difference between what two tax preparers told me. Saved me from potentially filing incorrectly and dealing with a mess later. Consider me converted.

Something nobody mentioned yet - if you're comparing multiple tax preparers, pay attention to the KINDS of deductions and credits they're claiming, not just the bottom line refund amount. I did this "shopping" thing last year, and one place showed me a huge refund that seemed too good to be true. When I asked them to explain, they were claiming business deductions for stuff that was clearly personal and taking some super aggressive positions. Would've been an audit nightmare waiting to happen.

Hahahaha I laughed at "having them all prepare my returns"... bro do u know how much tax prep COSTS? You're gonna pay like $300-500 at EACH place just to compare. Seems like an expensive experiment when you could just use free online software and do it yourself!

I actually work for the IRS (though obviously speaking for myself here, not the agency), and I can confirm this is completely legal. We don't care how many preparers you consult before filing - we only care that you file ONE accurate return. That said, a few professional observations: If you're getting wildly different refund amounts, that's concerning. The tax code is the tax code - legitimate preparers working with the same facts should get similar results. Big differences usually mean either 1) someone found deductions others missed (good), 2) someone is being overly aggressive with questionable positions (bad), or 3) there's an actual error somewhere. My advice? If you do this, ask each preparer to walk you through their major deductions and credits line by line. Don't just go with the biggest refund - go with the one who can best explain and justify their positions. Trust me, dealing with an audit because someone took aggressive stances to inflate your refund is way worse than getting a smaller legitimate refund upfront. Also, most preparers charge whether you file with them or not, so this could get expensive fast. Consider it an investment in understanding your tax situation better rather than just refund shopping.