2022 BLOG NINE

The Arizona Department of Revenue cautions taxpayers to be aware and don’t get haunted by “ghost” prepared returns any time of the year.

A ghost preparer is someone who is paid to prepare a tax return, but does not sign it or include other necessary information to identify themselves. ADOR warns taxpayers that if a preparer won't state their name on the tax return, it could be a possible scam. By not providing the required information, it will appear that the return was self-prepared, which benefits the ghost tax preparer by staying under the radar. A ghost preparer may promise a larger refund and charge fees based on a percentage of the refund, which is prohibited. It is also a red flag potentially indicating a frightening array of problems.