Paid Tax Preparers: Most Taxpayers Believe They Benefit, but Some Are Poorly Served

In tax year 2000, over half of individual filers paid someone to prepare their tax return. These taxpayers paid an estimated $14.7 billion for individual return preparation. Despite the importance of paid preparers' role in the tax system, little data exist on the quality of the services they provide. In light of this, GAO surveyed and interviewed taxpayers and gathered examples of the range of outcomes experienced by taxpayers who used paid tax preparers.