>> Lisa: WELL, TAX SEASON IS
UPON US.
ALL OF THE RULES AND REGULATIONS
AND VARIOUS DEDUCTIONS CAN GET A
LITTLE TRICKY.
>> Candace: OH, YES.
MIKE HOLFELD JOINS US WITH A
TEAM OF TAX PREPAREERS HERE ON
NEWS 6 TOMORROW AND BEGINNING AT
4:00, YOU CAN CALL IN AND ASK
THE EXPERTS FOR QUESTIONS.
>> Julie: IT BRINGS US TO THE
QUESTION WHO CAN YOU TRUST TO DO
YOUR TAXES CORRECTLY?
MIKE JOINS US NOW WITH MORE.
>> Reporter: THE ANSWER IS
SOMEONE WHO HAS REAL
CREDENTIALS, CERTIFIED AND
TESTED.
DON'T FALL FOR A FANCY WEBSITE.
TO MAKE THE POINT, WE HAVE THE
STORY OF A YOUNG LADY WHO PUT
HER TRUST IN A MAN WHO SHE
THOUGHT WAS A TAX PRO.
TURNS OUT, HE TURNED OUT TO BE A
CON MAN.
AT 20 YEARS OLD, HE LEARNED
ABOUT TAX IMPOSTERS.
>> THE WEBSITE WAS CONVINCING.
THE PROFESSIONAL TAX PREPARER,
WITH HUNDREDS OF CLIENTS.
WELL, HE PAID $600 TO GET HER
TAXES DONE RIGHT.
WRONG.
SHE SAYS THE SO-CALLED TAX
EXPERT WAS A THIEF.
HER $6200 REFUND, DEPOSITED INTO
HIS ACCOUNT.
>> I WORKED THE WHOLE YEAR AND
PAID TAXES AND ALL OF MY MONEY
IS NOW GONE.
>> Reporter: THE I.R.S. SAID
INCOME TAX SCAMS ARE EXPLODING.
THE FAKE E-MAIL SCAM IS WHERE
THE SCAMMERS SEND YOU AN E-MAIL
THAT LOOKS LEGIT, ASKING FOR
YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER,
NAME, BIRTH DATE, INFORMATION
THE I.R.S. ALREADY HAS AND
THERE'S USUALLY A LINK TO CLICK
ON.
>> IF YOU GET ANY E-MAIL THAT
LOOKS SUSPICIOUS FROM THE
I.R.S., DELETE IT IMMEDIATELY.
DO NOT EVEN FORWARD IT TO
SOMEONE.
>> Reporter: AND THERE'S THE
FAKE TAX FORM SCAM WHERE THIEVES
SEND YOU A FAKE FORM TO FILL
OUT, PROMISING YOU SOMETHING
FROM THE I.R.S.
>> THEY'RE TRYING TO ENTICE
PEOPLE, THINK THEY COULD GET A
BIGGER REFUND.
IT'S JUST A SCAM.
>> Reporter: THE FAKE TAX
PREPARER WHO RIPPED HER OFF HAS
VANISHED AND SO HAS HER COLLEGE
MONEY.
>> MY PLANS ARE RUINED.
I NEED TO PAY MY TUITION.
WHEN I THINK OF ALL OF THAT, I
FEEL LIKE CRYING.
>> Reporter: WE WILL HAVE TAX
PROFESSIONALS HERE THAT CAN
ANSWER YOUR TAX QUESTIONS
TOMORROW STARTING AT 4:00.
AND YOU CAN TRUST THEM.
WE PROMISE.
LISTEN, I JUST GOT THIS ONE
TODAY.
CANDACE, YOU MAY LIKE THIS
BECAUSE YOU'RE A NEW MOM.
I DID THIS FOR THREE OF YOU
ACTUALLY.
THE NEW MOM ASKED WHAT IS THE
DEDUCTION FOR A 1-YEAR-OLD AND
THE ANSWER IS A THOUSAND DOLLARS
FOR THE CHILD TAX CREDIT IN
ADDITION TO QUALIFYING FOR THE
CHILD CARE EXPENSES.
NEXT, SHOULD YOU REPORT THE
DAYCARE COSTS AND DEDUCT THOSE
TAXES?
YES.
YOU CAN REPORT THOSE ON A 1099.
NANNY, DAYCARE, MOMS TO BE, IT'S
DEDUCTIBLE.
THOUSAND DOLLARS, DEPENDING ON
YOUR SALARY.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF
QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, GUYS,
DEDUCTIONS AND SO FORTH.
JULIE BROUGHT UP AN INTERESTING
POINT.
>> Julie: A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T
REALIZE IF THEY HIRE SOMEONE AND
THAT PERSON ADVISES THEM IN THE
WRONG WAY, THAT BECOMES YOUR
MISTAKE, EVEN IF SOMEONE ELSE
PREPARED YOUR TAXES.
>> Reporter: RIGHT.
TYPICALLY THEY'LL SAY I'LL
HANDLE THE AUDIT, BUT YOU COULD
STILL GO TO JAIL.
SO THE AUDIT IS ONE THING BUT
YOU'VE GOT TO GET IT RIGHT.
>> Lisa: I ALWAYS THROW MY
HUSBAND UNDER THE BUS HERE
BECAUSE HE WOULD DO OUR TAXES
AND WE ENDED UP PAYING FROM YEAR
TO YEAR AND WE HIRED SOMEONE WHO
HELPED US KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING
AND WE ENDED UP GETTING MONEY
BACK FOR THE TAXES.
>> Reporter: WE'VE THE EXPERTS
HERE.
IF YOU'VE GOT A QUESTION, WE'VE
GOT THE HOOK-UP FOR YOU,
STARTING AT 4:00.
>> Lisa: THERE'S SO MUCH THINGS
TO GO OVER, DIFFERENT THINGS.
IF YOU WORK FROM YOUR HOME, IT'S
A SOURCE FOR A LOT OF
WRITE-OFFS.
>> Reporter: IF YOU WANT TO
E-MAIL ME, I'LL BUMP THEM TO THE
FRONT OF THE LINE.
GIVE US A LIST AND GIVE US A
CALL.