"Refund Guarantee"....Huh?

[MsTabbyKats]

Ok...I thought I heard it all.

My son lives in VA...and a co-worker asked about my services.

He didn't want to use me because I don't have a refund guarantee.

Do people actually guarantee a refund? And if the person owes...???

[Abby Normal]

How about, "I guarantee your refund will be right."*

*If you're entitled to a refund.

[kcjenkins]

Guaranteeing a refund is one of the first 'warning signs' of a scam, according to the IRS.

[David1980]

Guaranteeing a refund is one of the first 'warning signs' of a scam, according to the IRS.

Unfortunately there are taxpayers that want precisely that. Well, they don't want to be scammed but they aren't looking for a legitimate tax return either. Since most returns don't get audited the bogus return will get a refund most of the time -- depending on how the preparer is lying on the return to create the refund at least. Lie about tax withheld and obviously the IRS matching system will catch it. Lie about a Schedule C with losses or listing non-relatives as qualifying children for EIC and odds are the taxpayer won't get audited (unless multiple people claim the kids, for example.)

But I'm sure when they do get caught they throw their arms up and complain about being scammed. I don't have any sympathy for them when it happens (and I wish it would happen more). You intentionally go looking for someone who can get you a refund guaranteed you got to know your return isn't going to be honest.

[JJStephens]

How about "I guarantee to get you a refund if you overpaid your liability and don't have a prior year balance due."