The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration has identified accuracy problems with returns prepared through the IRS’s volunteer program, which offers free tax return preparation and e-filing for low and moderate income, elderly, and disabled individuals, among others.
TIGTA found that accuracy problems persisteven though the IRS emphasizes to volunteers the necessity of reviewing the intake/interview sheets with taxpayers during tax return preparation, and even thoughtraining and resource materials were adjusted to clarify and underscore the due-diligence obligations of volunteers.
Of the 39 tax returns prepared for auditors posing as citizens in need of assistance during the 2013 filing season, about half were prepared incorrectly.
The IRS agreed with recommendations to ensure that volunteer return preparers, quality reviewers, and site coordinators annually complete intake/interview and quality review training.
