If you hire a certified public accountant (CPA) or another tax professional to prepare your taxes, you’ll ordinarily rely on him or her to electronically file your return for you.

What happens if the tax pro fails to file your return?

You have a problem.

This nightmare scenario happened to Wayne Lee, a Florida surgeon who earned over $1 million per year. Lee hired a CPA to prepare his taxes for 2014, 2015, and 2016; carefully reviewed all of his returns; and signed IRS Form 8879 authorizing the CPA to file the returns electronically.

(Generally, tax pros are required to e-file the returns they prepare on behalf of their clients.)

Unwelcome surprise. On December 5, 2018, an IRS agent visited Dr. Lee’s office and informed him that he had ... Log in to view full article.