Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
If your tax preparer filed an incorrect or fraudulent federal individual income tax return, first confirm what the IRS received, then choose the right route: Form 1040-X for many ordinary errors, Form 14157 to report preparer misconduct, or Form 14157-A to request an account change in qualifying unauthorized or altered-filing cases. You may need more than one of these. Keep your evidence and respond to any IRS notice by the deadline it gives you; filing a complaint does not amend your return or pause a notice deadline.
This guide covers U.S. federal individual income tax. State and local correction and complaint procedures vary by jurisdiction.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →What should I do first if my tax preparer filed the wrong return?
Get the return that was actually filed and compare it with the version you reviewed or authorized. Do not rely only on a preparer’s description of what was submitted. The difference may be an ordinary mistake—or evidence that the return was changed or filed without your knowledge or consent, which can call for a different IRS process.
- Obtain and compare the filed return. Compare it with the preparer’s copy and the version you approved. Check income, filing status, dependents, deductions, credits, withholding, refund routing, and any signature or e-file authorization. Note each discrepancy and the relevant tax year. IRS guidance says not to sign a blank or incomplete return; a preparer who will not sign the return or provide a PTIN is a red flag. See the IRS page on tax return preparer misconduct.
- Preserve the records. Save the filed and approved returns, W-2s and other source documents, engagement and fee records, emails and messages, e-file authorization, refund deposit information, and IRS notices. Keep the originals where possible and make copies for any submission. For a Form 14157-A request, the IRS requires supporting documentation; evidence should connect the preparer and tax year to the communications about filing.
- Read every IRS notice and calendar its deadline. Follow the notice’s response instructions even if you are also amending a return or reporting the preparer. A complaint or account-change request does not make an examination, assessment, or collection notice disappear. If you dispute an amount or penalty, use the response or appeal process described in that notice.
- Establish the filing status before sending a correction. Confirm whether the original return was accepted or processed and follow the instructions that apply to your return and facts. Do not submit a replacement return blindly: there is no single timing rule established here for every return type, filing status, and processing situation.
Make a simple timeline while the facts are fresh: when you gave the preparer documents, what version you reviewed, when you authorized filing (if you did), when you learned of a problem, and what the IRS has sent. A timeline helps distinguish a preparation error from an unauthorized filing and makes it easier to explain the issue consistently.
Popular on Amazon
- Ideal for Gifting
- Ideal for a bookworm
- Compact for travelling
Which IRS form fits the problem?
The forms serve different purposes. Form 1040-X generally corrects many errors on a filed individual return; Form 14157 reports a preparer; and Form 14157-A is for an eligible taxpayer seeking an account change after certain unauthorized or altered Form 1040-series filings.
| Route | Purpose | When it may fit | What it does not do by itself |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form 1040-X | Amend a filed individual return | An ordinary error changed reported income, filing status, deductions, credits, dependents, withholding, tax, or related amounts | It is not a preparer-misconduct complaint |
| Form 14157 | Complain about a tax return preparer or preparation business | You want to report misconduct, false items, or related conduct | It does not itself amend the return or request an account change |
| Form 14157-A | Request an individual IRS account change in qualifying cases | A preparer altered or filed a Form 1040-series return without your knowledge or consent, or diverted a refund | It does not automatically settle tax due, an examination, a refund claim, or a state return |
Use the current form and instructions for your circumstances. You may need to report the preparer as well as seek a return or account correction, but filing one form does not automatically complete the work covered by another. The IRS explains the misconduct routes and eligibility in its preparer misconduct guidance.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWhen should I use Form 1040-X?
For many ordinary errors on a filed Form 1040, 1040-SR, or 1040-NR, the IRS generally directs taxpayers to Form 1040-X. Use it when corrected information changes items such as filing status, income, deductions, credits, dependents, withholding, other tax, or related amounts.
Form 1040-X lays out what was originally reported or previously adjusted, what changed, and the corrected figures. Follow the instructions for the specific tax year being amended, rather than assuming that the current-year rules or line references apply to an older return. A separate Form 1040-X is generally filed for each year being amended.
Also popular on Amazon
If you are claiming a refund or credit, the general deadline is three years after filing the original return or two years after paying the tax, whichever is later. Special rules and exceptions may apply, so check the IRS’s Instructions for Form 1040-X and its amended-return guidance for the relevant year and claim. Do not wait for a preparer dispute to be resolved before checking a deadline that could affect your claim.
An amended return is about the tax figures and information the IRS should consider. It does not, on its own, report the preparer’s conduct or establish that a filing was unauthorized. If the discrepancy appears intentional or the preparer filed without your permission, assess whether the misconduct forms are also appropriate.
What if my preparer filed without my consent, altered the return, or diverted my refund?
If a preparer altered Form 1040-series data, misdirected a refund, or filed without your knowledge or consent, the IRS says an eligible individual may request an account change with Form 14157-A, the Tax Return Preparer Fraud or Misconduct Affidavit. The form’s current instructions determine what facts and evidence are needed.
Examples described in the form include a return filed or changed without the taxpayer’s knowledge or consent, including a preparer’s copy that differs from the version filed. Assemble documents that show what you authorized, what was filed, who prepared or submitted it, and how the refund was routed, if relevant. Form 14157-A requires supporting documentation, so do not send an unsupported allegation in place of the evidence requested by the form.
Also popular on Amazon
Use Form 14157 separately if you want to complain about the preparer’s behavior. It is the preparer complaint form, not a substitute for the Form 14157-A account-change request or an amended return. Review the IRS’s misconduct instructions and the current Form 14157-A and its instructions before submitting.
The Taxpayer Advocate Service’s guidance on tax return preparer fraud also recommends contacting local police and filing a report naming the preparer as a suspect in relevant fraud cases. That is contextual advice for relevant fraud situations, not a universal step for every arithmetic mistake or disagreement. A police report is separate from IRS forms and does not itself change your federal tax account.
Does reporting the preparer correct the tax return?
No. A preparer complaint and a tax correction address different things. Form 14157 reports conduct; Form 14157-A requests an IRS account change in qualifying unauthorized or altered-filing cases; Form 1040-X is the general amended-return route for many ordinary errors.
Think through the problem in two parts: What needs to change on the tax account or return? And Do you also need to report conduct by the preparer? If the answer to both is yes, follow the instructions for each applicable route and provide the supporting records each requires. Do not assume that sending a complaint automatically corrects reported income, releases a refund, ends an examination, or resolves a state tax issue.
Also popular on Amazon
Keep copies of every form and attachment you submit, plus proof of when and how you sent them. If the IRS has already written to you, continue to meet the notice’s deadline while these separate processes are underway.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Am I still responsible for the return if someone else prepared it?
Generally, yes. The IRS says, “You’re generally responsible for complying with tax law even if someone else handles your taxes.” Its guidance also says taxpayers are responsible for ensuring returns and payments are correct and timely; relying on a tax professional alone generally does not qualify as reasonable cause for failing to file or pay. See the IRS page on penalty relief for reasonable cause.
Recommended Free Tools
That general responsibility does not mean an error or allegation of fraud automatically decides whether a particular penalty applies. The IRS says it considers the facts and circumstances when evaluating reasonable-cause and good-faith relief, including efforts to report the right tax, the complexity of an issue, your experience or knowledge, and steps you took to understand your obligations or obtain advice.
If a notice assesses a penalty, read the notice and use its dispute or relief instructions. Explain what happened accurately and provide relevant documentation; do not assume that showing a preparer made an error is, by itself, enough to obtain relief. An allegation about the preparer and a request for penalty relief are related but distinct issues.
Also popular on Amazon
- It can be a gift option
- Comes with secure packaging
- Helpful in various ways
When should I get professional help?
Consider consulting a qualified CPA, enrolled agent, or tax attorney with relevant experience in amended returns, IRS notices, or tax controversy if the amount is substantial, multiple years are affected, a refund was diverted, an examination is underway, or a response deadline is near. Choose someone whose credentials and experience fit the issue, and verify them rather than assuming that anyone who prepares returns can handle a dispute.
Bring the filed and approved returns, source records, preparer communications, authorization documents, refund details, your timeline, and all IRS notices. Ask the adviser to identify which actions are needed, who will take them, and what deadlines remain. If you receive a notice while seeking help, do not let the consultation delay a required response.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteKeep the scope clear: federal individual income tax procedures do not determine how to amend a state return or complain to a state licensing or tax authority. If the preparer also filed state or local returns, check the relevant jurisdiction’s instructions separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I report a tax preparer anonymously to the IRS?
The IRS complaint process uses Form 14157 to report a preparer or preparation business. Review the current form and instructions for what information it asks you to provide; do not assume an anonymous report will support a request to change your individual tax account.
Should I contact the police if my tax refund was diverted?
The Taxpayer Advocate Service recommends a police report naming the preparer as a suspect in relevant fraud cases. Whether that advice fits depends on the facts; it is not a universal requirement for an ordinary return error.
Can my preparer fix the return after filing it?
A preparer may be able to help explain or correct an error, but you should independently confirm what was filed and what action the IRS instructions call for. Keep your own copies of the corrected submission and any evidence about the original authorization.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Does a preparer’s misconduct complaint also fix my state tax return?
No federal form discussed here automatically changes a state or local return. Those returns and any complaint about state-level conduct are governed by the relevant jurisdiction’s procedures.
