Taxpayer Beware California Tax Education Council

Let's face it. Tax law is complex. So complex it's the reason why California requires tax preparers to be educated on tax laws. But is hiring a tax professional the right choice for you? 

Brandon Chanley, chats with Kelly Phillips Erb, tax attorney and senior editor at Forbes, Susie Dimaggio, enrolled agent, and Fernando Angell, CTEC registrant and host of the CTEC Spanish Taxpayer Beware podcast.

Learn when you should hire a tax pro and when it's okay to go it alone.

They're a problem we keep seeing year after year, we call them ghost tax preparers. Every tax season, they'll hang a shingle over a tax preparation service, offering it for a low fee, or sometimes just word of mouth to get business. Once April 15th comes and goes, they disappear like a ghost - leaving their victims to deal with their mess.

Unfortunately, sometimes victims don't even know there's an issue until they get a notice from the IRS or the Franchise Tax Board or year or more later. Brandon Chanley chats with Christella Sanchez of the IRS and Rebecca Landeros with the Franchise Tax Board enforcement team. Learn what to know if this happens to you and where you can go to for help.

It can happen to the most honest of us. It could be fraud. It could be a financial issue. But it happened. You're facing a tax issue. Is there anywhere you can go to for help?

CTEC Chair, Brandon Chanley, chats with the Brenda Voet - Taxpayer Advocate for the Franchise Tax Board. Hear stories of how she's helped taxpayers with taxing situations and who you can trust for help.

There’s a lot of misunderstanding about tax refunds - especially regarding what tax pros can and cannot do. For instance, is it okay for them to take a percentage of your refund as payment? And then there’s the controversial issue of refund loans.
CTEC Chair, Brandon Chanley, chats with tax pro, Marissa Beaman, to set the record straight.
 

From fake phone calls and emails to targeting your social media posts - scammers are getting more creative. Stealing not only your identity, but your tax refund. 

CTEC Chair, Brandon Chanley, chats with Elias Dominguez from the Franchise Tax Board Public Affairs Division. Hear what the state is doing to stop fraud and the state's advice to taxpayers.

You can also find more tips on CTEC.org with links on how to find and verify a legal tax preparer.

It can happen to the most honest of us. It could be fraud. It could be a financial issue. But it happened. You're facing a tax issue. Is there anywhere you can go to for help?

CTEC Chair, Brandon Chanley, chats with Steve Sims - former Taxpayer Advocate for the Franchise Tax Board and nationally-recognized state tax expert. Hear stories of how he's helped taxpayers with taxing situations and who you can trust for help.