What to do when your tax preparer makes a mistake on your return?

So I went to a tax preparer yesterday and I'm a bit confused about the process. Are they supposed to give me a physical copy of my tax return and like a breakdown of all the fees they're charging me before I leave their office? Like shouldn't I know exactly how much my refund will be after their fees are taken out? Also, here's my bigger concern - what happens if they mess up something and the refund amount changes from what they initially told me? Do I legally need to sign the corrected forms with the new refund amount before they submit everything to the IRS? I'm really hoping that's how it works because my preparer just texted me saying there was an "adjustment" to my refund amount (of course it's lower now 🙄) and I'm wondering if I have any recourse here. Thanks so much for any help on this! First time using a paid preparer and feeling kinda lost.

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19 comments

Javier Morales

•8M

Yes, your tax preparer should absolutely provide you with a complete copy of your return before you leave, along with a clear breakdown of their fees and your expected refund amount. This is not just good practice—it's part of their professional responsibility. Regarding your second question, which is even more important: YES, you must sign any corrected or amended return before it's submitted to the IRS. Your signature on a tax return certifies that you've reviewed the information and believe it to be true and accurate. A preparer cannot legally submit a return without your signature on the final version being submitted. If your preparer made changes that resulted in a different refund amount, they need to explain those changes to you, provide you with the corrected documents, and obtain your signature on the new forms before filing. This gives you an opportunity to review and question any adjustments.

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Javier Morales

•8M

If they e-filed your return with changes without your signature on the corrected version, that's definitely improper and potentially illegal. Your signature authorizes the specific return being filed, not just any version they decide to submit. If this has happened, you should immediately contact the preparer in writing (email or letter) stating you did not authorize the filing of the changed return. Request a complete copy of what was submitted and an explanation of all changes. If they're uncooperative, you can report them to the IRS using Form 14157 (Complaint: Tax Return Preparer). You may also need to file an amended return yourself if the information submitted is incorrect.

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Malik Thompson

•8M

I had this EXACT situation last year and discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which seriously saved me from a nightmare with my preparer. After my preparer "adjusted" my refund down by $780 without my approval, I uploaded my documents to taxr.ai and it flagged exactly where the preparer had made "convenient" errors. They have this document analysis tool that compares what was submitted against what should have been filed based on your actual documents. The site gives you a detailed analysis of your return and highlights potential errors or missed deductions. In my case, it showed my preparer had incorrectly calculated my business expenses AND missed a home office deduction I qualified for. I was able to take this information back to them with actual proof they were wrong.

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Malik Thompson

•8M

It's surprisingly accurate - it uses the same tax calculation models the major software companies use, but focuses on verification rather than preparation. It found three calculation errors my "professional" preparer made, including a completely missed education credit I qualified for. For complex returns with rentals and investments, it actually excels because it's designed to handle those complex scenarios. The system can analyze returns regardless of length - I've seen reviews from people with 50+ page returns who found significant errors. It's especially good at catching incorrect passive loss limitations and depreciation calculations that many preparers get wrong.

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CosmicVoyager

•8M

I was really skeptical about taxr.ai at first (mentioned above), but after my situation with a preparer who "accidentally" didn't include my capital loss carryover (which would have saved me nearly $900), I decided to try it. Uploaded my docs and within minutes it showed exactly where the preparer had made the error. What impressed me most was how it explained everything in plain English - pointed out that my Schedule D was missing the carryover amount from the previous year and even calculated exactly how much I was overcharged in taxes. When I confronted my preparer with this evidence, they suddenly "found" the error and filed an amended return. Seriously saved me from overpaying by nearly a thousand dollars. Worth every penny just for the peace of mind knowing someone isn't messing with your taxes.

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Ravi Kapoor

•8M

After reading these posts, I'm realizing how common these "preparer mistakes" are! When my preparer suddenly "found an error" that reduced my refund by $450, I couldn't even get them on the phone. Spent literally 4 hours on hold with the IRS trying to figure out my options. Finally discovered Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) - they got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under 15 minutes when I'd been trying for days. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent confirmed that my preparer couldn't legally file a changed return without my signature and helped me dispute the unauthorized filing. They also helped me file a complaint against the preparer. Would have been completely lost without actually talking to someone at the IRS who could guide me through the process.

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Ravi Kapoor

•8M

It works because they use an automated system that continuously redials and navigates the IRS phone tree until it gets through, then it calls you and connects you once it has an agent on the line. It's basically doing what you'd do manually but can do it hundreds of times faster. I was super skeptical too! But when you think about it, it makes sense - they're just automating the painful part of calling the IRS. They don't have "special access" - they're just persistent with technology. I wasted three days trying to get through myself before using it, and honestly wished I'd known about it sooner.

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Omar Mahmoud

•8M

Ok I have to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, I decided to try it myself since I've been trying to reach the IRS about my tax preparer who filed my return with a "correction" that somehow reduced my refund by $1,200. Not only did I get connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes (after trying for WEEKS on my own), but the agent was super helpful. She confirmed that my preparer violated regulations by submitting a changed return without my signature and helped me initiate an investigation. She also helped me understand how to file an amended return myself. I've literally never been able to reach an actual human at the IRS before this. Completely changed my perspective on dealing with tax issues.

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Chloe Harris

•8M

Just want to add that if your preparer is a CPA or Enrolled Agent, you can also file a complaint with their professional organization. CPAs are licensed by state boards and have ethical requirements, including getting your approval before filing. I had a similar situation in 2023 and filed a complaint with my state's board of accountancy. The preparer ended up having to refund all my fees plus pay a fine. They take these violations pretty seriously because it's a breach of professional standards.

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Chloe Harris

•8M

Yes, it absolutely works for the big chain tax places too! In fact, those companies are often more responsive to complaints because they have corporate reputations to protect. For chain tax preparation companies, you have multiple avenues: file a complaint with the company's corporate headquarters (they usually have a customer service line specifically for complaints), report them to your state's consumer protection office, and file with the IRS using Form 14157. The big companies typically have internal review procedures and will often resolve issues quickly once formally reported since they're very concerned about their franchise licenses.

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Caleb Stone

•3M

This whole thread is eye-opening! I'm dealing with something similar right now - my preparer just called saying there was an "error" that reduced my refund by $320, but when I asked for documentation of what changed, they got really vague and just said "miscalculation on deductions." Based on what everyone's shared here, I'm definitely going to demand to see the exact changes before I sign anything new. And honestly, after reading about taxr.ai, I think I'm going to upload my documents there first to see if I can spot what they're claiming was wrong. If their "error" doesn't match up with what an independent analysis shows, I'll know something fishy is going on. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's making me realize I need to be way more proactive about protecting myself here!

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