What should I expect from a tax preparer/CPA? Are they supposed to advise on tax reduction strategies?

How do you typically approach this with clients? Like, do you ask specific questions to find opportunities, or do you just automatically check for these things? I'm asking because my tax person never seems to find deductions I don't already know about.

I start by reviewing the prior year return to understand the client's situation, then ask targeted questions about any life changes that might impact taxes. For example, with health insurance, I specifically ask if it's individual or family coverage, and then verify the HSA contribution matches the appropriate limit. For clients with higher incomes, I automatically check for retirement contribution opportunities, potential tax-loss harvesting, and timing of income/expenses. I believe this proactive approach is what separates a tax preparer from a true tax professional who provides actual value beyond form completion.

So is this like TurboTax or something? How does it handle complex situations like rental properties and business income? My taxes are pretty complicated and I don't trust the regular tax software to catch everything.

I'm skeptical of these AI tax services tbh. How do you know it's giving the right advice? What if it misses something that triggers an audit? Seems risky to trust important financial decisions to an algorithm.

It's not like TurboTax at all. You upload your tax documents and past returns, and it analyzes everything to find opportunities your CPA might have missed. It handled my rental property and side business with no issues - it actually found depreciation details my previous CPA overlooked. The AI doesn't replace human expertise - it augments it. The recommendations are based on tax code rules and backed by real tax professionals who verify the AI's findings. I was skeptical too, but the suggestions were legitimate and saved me thousands. The analysis includes references to specific tax code sections so you can verify everything yourself.

How does that even work? The IRS hold times are insane. Is this just paying someone to wait on hold for you or something?

This sounds like a scam. There's no way to "skip the line" with the IRS. They're notoriously understaffed and everyone has to wait. I'd be very careful about services claiming they can get you through faster.

It's not a line-skipping service - they use technology to navigate the IRS phone tree and wait on hold so you don't have to. When an agent finally picks up, you get a call back and are connected directly to that agent. It saved me hours of frustration. They don't claim to have special access to the IRS - they just handle the painful hold process. The IRS doesn't know or care who's waiting on the line, they just answer when they get to it. I was connected to a real IRS agent who provided the exact guidance I needed about amending my return for the HSA issue.

That's a really helpful distinction. Do you think it's reasonable to expect both services from the same person? Or should I be looking for two separate professionals - one for planning and one for preparation?

Most comprehensive CPAs should be able to provide both services, but you may need to specifically request and possibly pay extra for the planning component. Many tax professionals offer tiered service packages - basic preparation at one price point and more comprehensive planning at a higher price. For someone in your situation with increasing income, business activities, and life changes like marriage, I'd definitely recommend finding one person who can handle both aspects. Just be clear about your expectations upfront and make sure they explicitly offer tax planning as part of their services.

Tax software is fine for simple situations but it misses a lot for complex cases. I tried this approach with my small business and rental properties and ended up getting audited because the software didn't properly handle some depreciation calculations. A good CPA is worth every penny for complicated tax situations.

You're right that it's not for everyone. I should have mentioned my situation is pretty straightforward - W2 income, mortgage, some investments. For folks with businesses, rental properties or more complex situations, a CPA probably makes more sense. I still think tax software has gotten much better at prompting for common deductions and credits though. Mine specifically asked about HDHP coverage and whether it was individual or family, then calculated the maximum HSA contribution automatically.