A few years ago, Congressional investigators issued a report that should've caused Oregonians to swell with pride. And irritation.It goes on to give some good definitions of what LTPs, LTCs, EAs and CPAs are and what they do.
Oregon's tax returns, the investigators found, were more likely to be accurate than the rest of the country's -- about $250 more accurate as of 2001, the Government Accountability Office found.
Unfortunately, that meant 1.56 million individual Oregon taxpayers paid $390 million more in federal taxes than they would have if they lived elsewhere, the report said.
Oregon: We do our taxes right. And we pay for it.
Last year, I reviewed online tax prep sites. This year, I figured I'd help those wanting live person helping.
As you see, you're in good hands in Oregon.
Still, you can overpay for your service. Not everyone needs to pay a Certified Public Accountant by the hour to do their returns. [...]
His follow-up column was also instructive:
Selecting a tax professional? It's OK to be picky
[...] So, where to start looking for a tax pro? Ask a friend or someone whose judgment you trust whom he uses. If you shop around, interview more than one in person. You'll get a better feel for pedigree, fees, specialties and personality.It goes on to offer advice, including questions you should ask.
"Some tax pros are not great communicators," said Joseph Anthony, a licensed tax consultant with Joseph Anthony & Associates Inc. in Portland. "You should know going in what you should expect from your tax pro." [...]
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