Don't Get Ghosted This Tax Season

Don't get "ghosted" by your tax preparer!

During the 2025 filing season, the IRS will send letters to taxpayers whose tax returns appear to have been completed by a paid tax preparer who did not sign or include their preparer tax identification number (PTIN) on the tax return.

The letters are meant to educate the taxpayer about “ghost preparers” and to help the IRS identify those who are being paid to prepare returns and are not signing or including their PTIN on the return. The IRS continues to see instances where ghost preparers dupe taxpayers into filing inaccurate tax returns for bigger refunds. The preparers later vanish like a ghost, leaving the taxpayer exposed to inaccurate claims.

Remember, you are responsible for filing a true and accurate return regardless of who prepares it.