An Open Letter to Taxpayers and Tax Professionals

Dear taxpayer and tax professional,

Today February 12th, 2018, out of frustration, I've decided to write an open letter to the taxpayer and to "tax professionals".

The following words are coming out of my experience with taxpayers and tax professional in the Hispanic / Latino community.

I've been working as a part-time tax professional officially since 2013, but my relation to tax preparation goes back to 2005. One of my primary duties as a tax pro is to educate the taxpayer, which becomes more difficult every year.

But this year, I've come across questions and opinions that just make me rethink the nature of this business and why I keep doing this. I've been told many things, but I'm going to focus this writing on four things that just blew my mind this tax season.

These are four things I've been asked or in a way told or heard by a client and/or a "tax professional":
  • - How much can you get me? (this is a question I get every year from most people)
  • - Tax preparer "X" did an estimate for me and I see that he is getting me more money than you.
  • - Person "X" told me she/he did their taxes with preparer "X", and it was for free.
  • - This software does not help me to get more money for people. (this came from a tax partner and this was what triggered me to write this open letter). 

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