Tax office seasonal hiring and classification checklist

Tax Office with Hired Preparers | PublicProof Academy working document

Hire seasonal preparers correctly: classification, onboarding paperwork, credentials and training.

Business

State or jurisdiction

Prepared on

Owner

Official source saved

Next review

Classification

Payroll professional consulted on W-2 vs 1099
Hours, tools and methods controlled by office (points to W-2)
State withholding and unemployment accounts open
Workers' compensation in place

Onboarding

Form I-9 and W-4 completed
PTIN obtained and recorded
State credential obtained if required
Confidentiality and security policy signed
Background check done if your policy requires it

Training

Software training completed
Due diligence training completed (HOH, EITC, CTC, AOTC)
ID verification and fraud red flags
Refund product disclosures
Sign-off by owner before first client

Use rule: Education and organization only. Record the agency, official source, checked date, cost, proof saved and responsible person for every consequential requirement. Unknown means stop and confirm. Example rows are labeled EXAMPLE and are not your data.