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Published:   |   Last Updated: March 5, 2026

Strengthen IRS Oversight of Unethical Tax Return Preparers

Strengthening IRS oversight of unethical tax return preparers is critical to protecting vulnerable taxpayers from financial harm, improper claims, and prolonged compliance consequences caused by fraudulent or misleading practices.

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TAS Recommends

To mitigate these challenges and prevent further harm to taxpayers, TAS recommends that the IRS:

Recommendation 4-1

Improve Taxpayer Communication: Provide clear notices to taxpayers informing them that their refund has been held because of concerns with potentially improper credits or deductions. These notices should include detailed instructions on how taxpayers can resolve any issue related to their claims.

Recommendation 4-2

Enact Tax Preparer Legislation: Establish minimum standards and continuing education requirements for all tax return preparers.

 

Quarterly Updates

No updates to report for the first quarter of FY 2026. Progress during this period was affected by the lapse in appropriations and operational impacts, including reduced staffing capacity, reassignment of work and priorities, and reevaluation of TAS’s approach to managing systemic advocacy objectives and associated initiatives. TAS is refining its plans, quarterly activities, and success measures and will resume providing updates in the second quarter, including reporting any outcomes achieved during the first quarter.

Status

Return to FY26 Objective Statuses