Meehan, Black Introduce Legislation to Protect Taxpayers, Combat Fraud

Press Release

Today, Reps. Pat Meehan (R-PA-07) and Diane Black (R-TN-06) introduced H.R. 4141, the Tax Return Preparer Competency Act. The legislation requires professional tax return preparers to undergo necessary examinations, take annual continuing education classes and to submit to a background check. Introduction of the bill follows the release of the IRS's "Dirty Dozen" list of tax scams for 2015, which warns of "dishonest preparers who set up shop each filing season to perpetrate refund fraud, identity theft and other scams that hurt taxpayers."

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"A tax burden can dramatically affect a family's take-home income each month, and Americans take the annual tax preparation process seriously. The complexity of the tax code means that many of these families will use the services of a tax preparer to help them ensure they pay only what they owe. When they do that, they turn over a vast amount of their families' most personal data. They put their trust not only in the tax preparer's competence -- but in its honesty and integrity, as well. They deserve to know their information is safe. This bill is a prudent measure to weed out scam artists and help protect taxpayers from identity theft and fraud," said Congressman Pat Meehan.

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