While many of us will not be getting our W-2s for another couple of weeks (employers have until the end of the month to distribute them), tax preparation services are already advertising their services.

Remember, just like any advertising, what you see is not always what you get.  Some services may promise expedited refunds…but these “refunds” are actually loans.  High cost Tax Refund Anticipation Loans.  We weary of any tax preparer who seems more interested in selling you products or services than in filing your taxes quickly and accurately.

The IRS actually can direct deposit your refund in about 10 business days.  You don’t have to go to a paid preparer to do it, either…Wake County VITA and Tax Aide sites can e-file returns allowing you to get your refund back quickly without costing you any money, up front or out of your refund.

Another popular claim is that going with the advertised preparer will get you more money.  It’s important to remember that there IS an accurate amount you should get back.  Any refund larger will be the result of fraud (even if you don’t know that they are doing it, you will suffer the consequences!) or error.  Anything less will likely be the result of carelessness or poor training.

The best thing you can do to ensure you’re getting your accurate refund (or amount owed) is to get your taxes done by a preparer who has received adequate training.  All VITA and Tax Aide volunteers are trained and certified by the IRS to prepare and file the returns that they are preparing.

You can plug in your city or zip code here to find a convenient site to you.