Area Tax Preparers Suspended by Comptroller

BOWIE, MD – Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot has suspended tax processing at a Bowie business, along with four other firms in Prince George’s County and one in Silver Spring.

Franchot’s office is probing what it says are problematic filings such as reporting business income when the taxpayer did not own business; requesting refunds significantly higher than in previous years; inflating and/or failing to document business expenses; claiming dependents when not providing 50 percent of support/care; and inflating wages and withholding information.

As a result, the comptroller has suspended tax filing operations at these businesses:

• Irene’s Taxes, 4610 Winterberry Lane, Oxon Hill
• Griffin Financial, 1424 Colony Road, Oxon Hill
• Tax Central USA, 5515 Livingston Road, Ste. 200, Forest Heights
• J & J Tax Service, 17205 Summerwood Lane, Accokeek
• The Tax Store 101 LLC, 1508 Kingshill St., Bowie
• Broadview Advisors and Co., Inc., 8757 Georgia Ave, Ste. 440, Silver Spring

Taxpayers should be suspicious if a tax preparer deducts fees from their refund, does not sign their tax return, or fails to include their preparer taxpayer identification number “P-TIN” on the return. If you suspect fraud, call the Comptroller’s Office at 1-800-638-2937 or 410-260-7980 in Central Maryland, or send an email [email protected].

Find a full list of tax preparers the state has suspended from processing returns, visit the Comptroller’s website at http://www.marylandtaxes.com/

The comptroller began processing returns in January, and the filing deadline for individual taxpayers is April 18.