Oftentimes when people file tax returns and they’re asked to sign them, most people don’t physically sign a return anymore. What they do is they file or they sign the e-file authorization, which has the same disclaimer on it that says that you’ve seen them return what’s in it, and you are verifying the veracity and the accuracy of that return. Most individuals, most couples that we deal with, there’s generally one person, whether it’s the husband or the wife that’s responsible for the tax return.

And what ends up occurring is oftentimes the spouse that’s not responsible for the return just presumes that what it is that’s being reported on their behalf is accurate. So they’ll sign the e-file authorization thinking no moment of whatever it is that’s occurring. Then a year or two could be six months. They find themselves in the middle of, let’s say, a separation and divorce.

And all of a sudden the relevancy of these tax returns are being called into question because there could be some element of fraud that’s being alleged by the family law attorney because we want to know where the assets are, where the assets went. So too many times, and I must admit that most of the times that I hear this, it’s coming from the wife who says, well, my husband’s handled all of this, and so my admonition is, if you have a husband or a spouse that’s doing your tax returns, you need to understand what’s happening in them because you’re equally responsible for what’s going into that tax return as a person that prepares it or has it prepared.

When you file or sign that e-file authorization, make sure you understand what’s in the return. Because if there’s something, let’s say there’s an audit three, six years later, you are still responsible, even though you may not be married at the time, subsequent divorce could occur, it goes back and if you filed a married filing joint return, you are responsible for the tax liability and the accuracy of that return.