What to Do If Your Tax Preparer Made a Mistake

Taxpayers are ultimately responsible for errors, even if made by their accountant.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 8:20am

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If your tax preparer made a mistake on your tax return, such as entering the wrong income amount, you are still responsible for the unpaid taxes owed to the IRS. Tax experts say the preparer should help fix the error, but the taxpayer will have to pay any penalties and interest.

Why it matters

Mistakes on tax returns can lead to costly penalties and interest payments for taxpayers, even if the error was made by their tax preparer. Understanding the responsibilities and recourse options is important for taxpayers to avoid financial headaches.

The details

Tax experts say that if an accountant makes a mistake on a tax return, such as entering the wrong income amount, the taxpayer is still legally responsible for paying the correct taxes owed, even if it's the preparer's error. The preparer should help fix the mistake, either by filing an amended return or corresponding with the IRS, but the taxpayer will still have to pay any penalties and interest.

  • The 2024 tax year saw over 139 million returns filed, with 5.5 million suspended by the IRS due to errors or identity theft concerns.

The players

June Toth

An accountant at the East Brunswick accounting firm WilkinGuttenplan, and a former president of the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Jay Soled

The chair of the accounting department at Rutgers Business School in Newark.

Janet Holtzblatt

A senior fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center.

John Fudd

An IRS spokesperson.

Darryl Isherwood

A spokesperson for the New Jersey Treasury Department.

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What they’re saying

“If it's an error, the penalties and interest — that's something where the preparer can offer to cover. But ultimately the taxpayer is responsible for the taxes.”

— June Toth, Accountant

“I think taxpayers get confused. By law, the return is the taxpayer's responsibility, regardless of who prepares it.”

— June Toth, Accountant

“If the client does file a corrective return before the IRS comes knocking, then in my experience, the IRS will only impose an interest payment.”

— Jay Soled, Chair of Accounting Department, Rutgers Business School

“The best recourse for someone who caught a mistake would be to notify their preparer and request that they fix it.”

— Darryl Isherwood, New Jersey Treasury Department Spokesperson

“They file a return and the numbers don't add up. There's another type of error where they might put something in the wrong line.”

— Janet Holtzblatt, Senior Fellow, Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center

What’s next

The taxpayer should notify their tax preparer of the error and request that they file an amended return or correspond with the IRS to correct the mistake. The taxpayer may also need to file their own amended return.

The takeaway

While tax preparers are responsible for accurately filing returns, taxpayers are ultimately liable for any errors, even if made by the preparer. Taxpayers should carefully review their returns and work with their preparer to quickly address any mistakes to minimize penalties and interest.