I pay taxes, I expect the same

[taxea]

I totally agree with Bees Knees and don't, at all, feel like a "tax cop" because I won't do returns for cheaters so I have no preparer-client relationship with them.
Once I have explained to a potential client what the rules are, why what they want cannot legally be done and they choose not to do the right thing...they walk out with their documents knowing that they have chosen to "knowingly" go to another preparer and have a fraudulent return prepared.
My ethics say they deserve to be reported.
Hard as it was to do, for me, I turned in a police officer. Oh well, I don't approve of dirty cops either.

[Black Bart]

While I disagree,

I totally agree with Bees Knees and don't, at all, feel like a "tax cop" because I won't do returns for cheaters so I have no preparer-client relationship with them.
Once I have explained to a potential client what the rules are, why what they want cannot legally be done and they choose not to do the right thing...they walk out with their documents knowing that they have chosen to "knowingly" go to another preparer and have a fraudulent return prepared.
My ethics say they deserve to be reported.
Hard as it was to do, for me, I turned in a police officer. Oh well, I don't approve of dirty cops either.

I'm not leaving your office until you understand why.

Most of us are "tax cops" in the sense that most of us won't do returns for cheaters. But...I think you're taking a great risk reporting a client in your above scenario.

Many times it is fairly obvious the guy's a crook/cheat, but suppose they simply disagree with our tax advice? Maybe our analysis created the impression that we're uninformed/misinformed/ill-informed. Maybe lots of people have told them their deduction is legitimate. Maybe they want time to think it over. Or maybe they just don't like us. For whatever reason, they may want a second opinion.

Yes, leaving the office without a return is a good indicator they're going to another preparer, but it is not at all evidence (criminal OR civil) that "they have chosen to 'knowingly'...have a fraudulent return prepared."

And it seems to me a very broad assumption to make on no more basis than that they disagree with us. On that basis, I'd have to help indict at least a dozen people a year.