MACON, Ga. (41NBC / WMGT) – The deadline to file your taxes is normally April 15. Because of the pandemic, nonetheless, the IRS prolonged the deadline to Might 17.

Kelvin Collins, president and CEO of the Higher Enterprise Bureau of Central Georgia, says they see loads of scams all through the tax season and the prolonged deadline isn’t any completely different. He recommends checking BBB stories on licensed public accounts and tax preparers.

“Ensure you have somebody who will resolve any complaints you’ve gotten,” Collins says. “And ensure they’ll characterize you if you’re audited for any cause.”

He says to not signal a clean kind or a accomplished pencil kind. He provides that you have to be comfy with what the tax kind says as a result of as soon as it’s signed it’s your accountability. Collins additionally says the paperwork ought to clearly state what you might be charged. He recommends staying away from tax companies which cost primarily based on a share of your return.

“If it is primarily based on that share of what you get, store extra as a result of your prices needs to be fairly related all over the place,” Collins says. “And it should not be primarily based on how a lot you get again.”

Lamecia Humphrey, proprietor of GML Monetary Options, believes the tax deadline extension is an efficient factor.

“It offers folks extra time to file their tax returns. If you have not obtained your stimulus, we will file it in your tax return and that provides you an additional month to return and handle it, ”Humphrey says.

Humphrey says they’ve seen extra folks this 12 months in comparison with years previous.

“With every part occurring, quite a lot of places of work are closed so it is lots more durable for folks to stroll into the places of work and prepare to file their taxes,” Humphrey says. “So it is a good factor that it is good for everybody.”

What to do in the event you want a tax preparer

• You’ll be able to contact GML Monetary Options by calling (478) 259-6573 or by accessing their web site
• To view stories from CPAs and tax preparers, you’ll be able to go to the BBB web site
• Or you’ll be able to examine the Georgia Board of Accountancy or the IRS web site to confirm {that a} tax preparer is reputable