To clarify, this taxpayer is not a new client. She has been my client since the 2020 tax season, beginning with her 2019 tax return. At that time, I also prepared her 2017 and 2018 returns to resolve issues caused by a previous preparer.

 

Specifically, the individual who prepared her 2016 return stole a portion of her refund and subsequently used her name, Social Security number, and the information of her two dependent children to file unauthorized returns for the following two years.