The approaching April 15th tax filing deadline (just 57 hours left in California at the moment of this post!) has many Americans racing the clock to file their federal taxes. Monday brought a warning for taxpayers dealing with finding a service or someone you trust before you file.

A foreign language interpreter, Armar Ainaya, has only been in the U.S. for a few months. He recently went to a national chain for help filing his taxes.

“And after 10 minutes she said, ‘OK that’s it. We’re done.’ And i said, “OK done. That’s it? OK?” said Ainaya.

Ainaya said he only worked the last two months of 2007 and earned less than $4,000 — but he was charged $327 to prepare his taxes.

His coworker, Calley Hollon, tried to help him dispute the charge without luck.

“We got extremely rude treatment, absolutely unwilling to answer unwilling to disclose,” said Hollon.

The Better Business Bureau said 19 percent of complaints against tax preparation companies are over billing disputes.

Seven percent claim the tax preparation companies were rude and 6 percent say they never received a refund.

The BBB said problems only increase the closer we get to the April 15th tax deadline.

“Consumers who wait to file their taxes at the very last minute they’re rushed, in some cases not making the best decisions and also not reading the fine print in the terms and conditions of the contracts they are signing,” said Erin Jones of the BBB.

“Maybe I misunderstand her because my English you know, not very well. I thought the company maybe charges you 20 bucks? 50 bucks?” said Ainaya.

He now knows he should have asked more questions including what the cost of the service would be. Next year, he plans to ask friends and coworkers to recommend a tax preparation service. And he’ll be sure to file his taxes in advance of April 15th.

If you have a problem with a tax preparation service, in addition to filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, you can also file a complaint against a tax preparation company with the IRS.

When you sign your 1040 form, you agree to abide by the tax law making you responsible for paying your taxes, regardless of who prepares your return.  If there are errors, innocent or otherwise, the Internal Revenue Service looks for the taxpayer, not the person who filled out the forms.

Before you give your sensitive financial documents to someone , ensure that the preparer is right for you and will do the right thing when it comes to filing your taxes.

Check Credentials
The easiest way to ensure you have a reputable preparer is to get one who is accredited with the National Association of Tax Professionals or another national certifier.

Look for a certified public accountant, an Enrolled Agent or a tax attorney.

Preparers are required to maintain continuing education credits to maintain their designation which helps taxpayers trust that the preparer is up to date on the latest tax law changes.

Scratch the Surface
Once you locate a preparer with good credentials, investigate by scratching the surface of his or her background. Find out how long he or she has been in the tax preparation business and what services are provided.

Does the preparer belong to any professional organizations?  Are they current members?

Three Rules:  References, References and References
References are easy to check when you use a preparer recommended by family and friends. If you select someone totally new to you, don’t be afraid to ask for references and follow up with them to see if they are satisfied with the service.

Comparison shop
Check the preparer’s fee before any work is done to eliminate surprises.  This will also help you determine if the preparer overcharges in comparison to other preparers in your area.

Availability
And since tax issues can pop up anytime, find a preparer who will be around, with regular office hours, after the April filing deadline. If you can’t reach your preparer from April 15 until Labor Day, you’re going to be frustrated.

If you decide to use an independent preparer, you can search Accountant.org by area code to find a preparer near you, who will be familiar with local issues to maximize your legal return.