Jackson Hewitt® Supports IRS Tax Preparer Regulations and Underscores Long-Standing Commitment to Training

PARSIPPANY, N.J., Nov. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- With official registration of all paid tax preparers now underway, Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc.® supports the work of the Internal Revenue Service to bring more accountability to the industry.  Jackson Hewitt also reminds taxpayers about the Company's long-standing, ongoing training, education and ethics programs, which exceed IRS requirements and are already in place within its thousands of nationwide locations.

"We fully support the IRS mandate of having every person who prepares a tax return for a fee be registered with a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN)," said president and CEO Harry W. Buckley, Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc. "More than 60 percent of American taxpayers choose to work with a tax preparer to help them prepare and file their taxes.  While the PTIN registration is an important first step, and more than 100,000 tax preparers nationwide have already registered, I can assure consumers that the systems Jackson Hewitt has in place already satisfy other critical areas the IRS has cited, and will ultimately pursue, such as preparer competency testing, continued professional education and ethical standards."

At Jackson Hewitt, all individuals must pass the Jackson Hewitt Tax Preparation Readiness Test prior to preparing tax returns.  The company also mandates yearly ethics and financial compliance training for all tax preparers. Jackson Hewitt locations are presently conducting annual Tax School classes (http://bit.ly/as2G1H), including a basic income tax course consisting of 69 hours of federal tax education and three hours of general state taxation.  Jackson Hewitt also has several intermediate tax education courses available that currently qualify for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits.

"Jackson Hewitt is committed to providing consumers with well-trained tax preparers in order to instill a sense of confidence before they even walk into a Jackson Hewitt office," says Barbara Jordan, vice president of learning at Jackson Hewitt Tax Service.  "We also have exceptional tools in place to monitor tax preparer training and testing to ensure every preparer passes the assessment prior to serving our clients each tax season."

As this tax season approaches and consumers start to make plans for filing their 2010 tax returns, Buckley offers these suggestions on what to look for in a tax preparer:

• Experience: Select a tax preparer that is well-established and has proven experience preparing many different types of tax returns. For example, if you are self-employed, be sure to ask if your preparer has expertise in this area.
• Knowledge: The 2010 tax year has seen several significant changes thus far, with other critical decisions still pending – such as state and local sales tax deductions and the increased impact of the Alternative Minimum Tax. With so many late-breaking changes likely to occur, it is critical to ensure that a tax preparer has the resources to stay fully up-to-date on new and changed laws.
• Accuracy: Verify that a tax preparer has quality, up-to-date software with built-in error checks. For an additional accuracy check, work with a tax preparer who files tax returns electronically via IRS e-file, which checks for common mistakes, provides confirmation that a tax return has been received by the IRS and offers faster receipt of an expected refund.  Jackson Hewitt provides free electronic filing with paid tax preparation.
• Guarantee:  A reputable tax preparer stands by his or her work. Ensure that you will be reimbursed all penalties and interest charged by a taxing authority for any tax preparer error. At Jackson Hewitt, every paid tax return comes with a free Accuracy Guarantee. (Terms and conditions apply. Ask tax preparer for details.)
• Year-Round Support: Finally, be sure that the tax preparer provides year-round access should tax-related questions or concerns arise.

About Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc.

Based in Parsippany, N.J., Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc. is an industry leader providing full service individual federal and state income tax preparation.  The company had more than 6,400 company-owned and franchised offices, most being independently owned and operated, throughout the United States during the 2010 tax season. Jackson Hewitt Tax Service® also offers an online tax preparation product at www.jacksonhewittonline.com. For more information or to locate the Jackson Hewitt Tax Service office nearest to you, visit www.jacksonhewitt.com or call 1-800-234-1040.  Jackson Hewitt can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

SOURCE Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc.