If you recoil at the thought of preparing your own tax return and wonder how you can find a good certified public accountant (CPA) or tax accountant, you’re not alone. According to the IRS of the more than 138 million tax returns e-filed through November 22, 2019 (for the 2018 tax year), about 58 percent were prepared by a tax professional.
At Wirecutter, a product review site owned by the New York Times, we have found that hiring a CPA or tax pro can take the time-consuming and often frustrating task of deciphering IRS rules and forms off your shoulders. However, hiring the wrong person can do more harm than good.