19 Tax Preparers Barred From Filing Returns By Maryland Authorities

ANNAPOLIS, MD – In his ongoing effort to combat tax fraud and identity theft, Comptroller Peter Franchot today announced that, effective immediately, he has suspended processing electronic and paper tax returns from 19 private tax preparers' locations throughout the region due to a high volume of questionable returns received.

These 19 preparers join 20 other tax preparers blocked earlier this year. Accounting for tax preparers removed from last years’ list because they now are in compliance, the total number of process suspensions stands at 78 tax preparation offices at 98 locations. Since 2007, the comptroller’s office has detected and blocked nearly 76,000 fraudulent tax returns worth more than $174.2 million..

“We continue to be vigilant and resolute in our commitment to protect Marylanders’ financial information and the integrity of our tax system,” Franchot said in a news release. “I want to commend my Questionable Return Detection Team as it continues to work tirelessly to identify these fraudulent returns that try to drain our state coffers and ultimately cheat all Maryland citizens.”

SEE ALSO: 2017 Income Tax Season: Maryland Filing Begins, Delayed Refunds

The newest preparers or businesses blocked from filing tax returns are:
• Integrated Multi Services, 1620 Elton Road, Ste. 204, Silver Spring
• First Rate Tax Service, 28 Henley Ct., Baltimore
• MD Tax Solution and Multi Services, 212 E. Main St., Ste. 208, Salisbury
• Tax4All LLC, 6507 New Hampshire Ave., Takoma Park
• United Tax Pro, 6969 Richmond Hwy, Ste. 204, Alexandria, VA
• Samuel Tax Services, 1005 North Point Blvd., Ste. 728, Baltimore
• A&E Tax Services, 5013 Frederick Ave., Baltimore
• Japrhispanic LLC, 8626 Flower Ave. 1, Takoma Park
• Money Back Tax LLC, 11120 New Hampshire Ave., Ste. 506, Silver Spring
• Rightway Financial Services LLC, 3363 Sudlersville South, Laurel
• Robinson Tax and Bookkeeping SRV, 4812 Liberty Heights Ave., Gwynn Oak
• A Year Round Tax Service Inc., 5820 York Road, Ste. T200, Baltimore
• Max Tax Service, 1019 University Blvd., Ste. 102, Silver Spring
• Marylis LLC, 113 Ellington Blvd., Apt. 421, Gaithersburg
• Sky Tax Service, 5981 Columbia Pike, Ste. 202, Falls Church, VA
• MSM DBA PTS Tax Service, 6790 W. Broad St., Douglasville, GA
• Trinity Supermarket Inc.,105 E. Pollock St., Mount Olive, NC
• BKPR Management, 110 Q St., Washington, DC
• Precise Financial, 8601 Harford Road, Ste. B, Baltimore, MD

The additional suspensions follow an announcement Feb. 9 that Franchot’s office had halted processing returns from 20 tax preparers.

The comptroller's office has shared this information with other tax agencies, along with the Maryland Attorney General and the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, so the firms may face other government actions.

The suspicious characteristics detected on the tax returns prompting the determination included:

• Business income reported when taxpayers did not own a business.
• Refund amounts requested much higher than previous year tax returns.
• Inflated and/or undocumented business expenses.
• Dependents claimed when taxpayer did not provide required 50 percent support or care.
• Inflated wages and withholding information.

Taxpayers should carefully review their returns and should be suspicious if a preparer:

• Deducts fees from the taxpayer’s refund to be deposited into the tax preparer’s account
• Does not sign the tax return, or
• Fails to include the Preparer Taxpayer Identification number “P-TIN” on the return.

If taxpayers suspect fraud, they are asked to report the issue to the Comptroller’s Office at 1-800-MD-TAXES (1-800-638-2937) or 410-260-7980 in central Maryland or by emailing TAXHELP@comp.state.md.us.

Because of a holiday in the nation’s capital, the filing deadline to submit 2016 tax returns is Tuesday, April 18, 2017, rather than the traditional April 15 date.

A list of approved vendors for use in filing a electronic return can be found at www.marylandtaxes.com.

Free state tax assistance is available at all of the Maryland agency’s 12 taxpayer service offices, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A list of office locations can be found at www.marylandtaxes.com.

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