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Tax season can be a stressful time for many Americans, which is why it helps to get a head start and dial in the details well before the final deadline.

Securing a solid tax preparer is one of the biggest keys to make that happen, says Scott Schumacher, associate dean for academic administration and director of ºìÌÒÊÓƵ’s Taxation LL.M. program.

Given the ongoing changes to U.S. tax law, working with a qualified tax adviser is pretty much essential these days. And with several organizations in the Pacific Northwest offering free tax preparation services, Washingtonians have ample available opportunities to ensure they receive a maximum — and accurate — return.

Learn how to leverage the right resources to make your taxes work for you in this first installment of "Legal Tips in Three Minutes."

Read the Transcript

Scott Schumacher: I'm Scott Schumacher. I'm the associate dean here at the University Washington School of Law. I'm also the director of our tax program.

Three-Minute Legal Tips: What advice do you have for people during tax season?

SS: There's been a lot of changes in the last couple of years in the tax laws that have affected just about everyone and what I would like people to know is to go see a qualified tax advisor. It may be TurboTax, it may be going to a return preparer, but there's a lot of great benefits to individuals—tax credits that are available to low income people and traps for the unwary.

TMLT: Why is it important to see a qualified tax preparer?

SS: It's so important because it's, for many people, their one interaction with the federal government every year. And it also can impact how much they pay in taxes, whether they get a refund. With the Earned Income Tax Credit, low-income people can receive thousands of dollars in refunds from the Internal Revenue Service and the federal government that helps support their families and themselves in meeting daily expenses.

TMLT: Are all tax return preparers trustworthy?

SS: There is also a lot of really bad tax return preparers that will try to get, will promise you, a refund that is more than you've received in the past. So, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

TMLT: What happens if I don’t have a good tax return preparer?

SS: You know, if you don't find a good tax return preparer, we've had clients here at the law school where we help people that are in disputes with the IRS, and it came because there were things on their tax return that were just incorrect. And so, you could have the IRS come after you and repay the taxes and refunds that you've received. There's penalties and other problems with that. So, it's really just best to get the accurate return. Get the refund or the tax treatment that you're entitled to, but no more.

TMLT: Where can someone go to find a good tax return preparer?

SS: There's free tax preparer services: United Way of King County has what's called a VITA. V-I-T-A. Volunteer Tax Assistance Program and the VITA program provides free tax return preparation and they have them at various sites around King County. So, if you just look at VITA at IRS, the IRS website will have a list of VITA-trained and certified return preparers. And so that, for many people, is the best first option.