It is that time of year when we all have that painstaking process of gathering all of our financial documents to make an appointment with our tax professional. Have you ever reviewed your W2 or property tax information to see what pieces of sensitive information are on it? Social Security Number (SSN), Date of Birth, Deductions, etc—the list goes on. If this information falls in the wrong hands, the consumers can be adversely affected. Tax consultant background checks could prevent this.
What is the first line of defense?
Minimizing the amount of those whom can view these documents is the first step. Do not trust your information with just anybody. This means vetting the person or company actually handling your information. Aside from validating that they have the proper credentials to provide tax services, determining if they have any adverse information in their background could be vital in determining who should review your taxes.
Many tax professionals are independent contractors offering their services on a case-by-case basis. They are generally not employed by a company who could potentially screen the employee as part of the new hire process. This means that there were not any tax consultant background checks completed on the preparer to determine if they have criminal activity for identity theft, fraud, or even providing services without the proper license. Additionally your information is being stored either electronically or by hard-copy with the individual, who can access it at any time and do what they please with the information.
Do not wait to secure the future of your finances and your relationship with your tax consultant. Ask for a quote on a background check today.
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