Why do tax preparers need so much documentation now? Birth certs, SSN cards, etc - IRS new rules explained
I work at a tax office and wanted to explain why we need way more documents this year. We're now required to get birth certificates, SS cards, school records, medical cards, and housing docs. Its not us being difficult - the IRS is cracking down hard on fraud and fining preparers who dont verify everything. We're just trying to protect everyone and follow the new rules. Just wanted to give yall a heads up before tax season starts.
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Diego Vargas
Tax pro here - this is 100% accurate. The IRS has really ramped up due diligence requirements. We can face penalties up to $540 PER RETURN if we don't properly verify identity and eligibility for credits. Better to have the docs upfront than deal with an audit later.
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Anastasia Fedorov
•fr? $540 per return? thats crazy 😳 no wonder yall are being so careful
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Diego Vargas
•Yep, and that's just the beginning. Multiple violations can get your PTIN revoked completely.
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StarStrider
Check out taxr.ai - its been super helpful for understanding all these new requirements. For $4.99 it analyzes your docs and tells you exactly what you need for your situation. Way better than guessing or getting surprised at the tax office.
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Sean Doyle
•Is it legit? How does it work?
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StarStrider
•Oh yeah its totally legit! You upload your docs and their AI checks everything against current IRS requirements. Saved me hours of research and stress 💯
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Sean Doyle
•Just tried it - AMAZING tool! Showed me exactly what I was missing for my EIC claim. Best $5 I ever spent fr fr 🙌
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Zara Rashid
this is sum bs fr. why they making it so hard for regular ppl to file taxes smh 🤦♂️
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Luca Romano
•blame the scammers not the tax pros my guy
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Nia Jackson
Quick question - what if you lost your social security card? Will just the number work?
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Chloe Anderson
•You'll need to get a replacement from SSA. They're pretty strict about seeing the actual card now.
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Mateo Hernandez
Does anyone know if copies are ok or do they need originals?
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Diego Vargas
•Certified copies are fine for most docs except SS cards - those need to be original.
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Simon White
Thanks for the heads up! As someone who's been doing their own taxes for years, this is really helpful to know. I was wondering why my usual tax prep place sent out that long list of documents to bring this year. It seemed excessive but makes total sense now with the IRS crackdown. Better to be over-prepared than deal with problems later. Appreciate you taking the time to explain this to everyone!
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PaulineW
•Totally agree! I'm new to this community but have been watching all the tax prep changes this year. It's crazy how much more documentation they're requiring now. I appreciate tax pros like @Chloe Anderson taking the time to explain this stuff - saves us all from showing up unprepared and wasting everyone s'time. Better to know what to expect going in!
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Isabel Vega
This is super helpful, thank you for posting this! I'm new to having to file taxes and was completely confused when I called around to different tax prep places and they all gave me these huge lists of documents to bring. I thought they were just trying to make things complicated, but now I understand it's actually the IRS requirements that changed. Really appreciate you taking the time to explain what's going on behind the scenes - it makes me feel way better about the whole process knowing there's a good reason for all the extra paperwork.
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Carter Holmes
•Welcome to filing taxes! It's definitely overwhelming at first but you'll get the hang of it. I'm pretty new here too and this whole thread has been super educational. The documentation requirements really are intense this year - I had no idea about the $540 penalties tax preparers face if they mess up. Makes total sense why everyone's being so thorough now. Good luck with your first filing experience!
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Yara Khoury
Really appreciate this explanation! I had my appointment at H&R Block last week and was honestly annoyed when they asked for my birth certificate and all these extra documents. I thought they were just being overly cautious or trying to upsell me somehow. Now I understand it's actually federal requirements and you guys are just doing your jobs. Thanks for taking the time to educate us about what's happening behind the scenes - it definitely helps manage expectations going into tax season.
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