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<section article="gbo" article_name="Business Occupations and Professions" number="21-403" title_number="21" title_name="Individual Tax Preparers" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Prohibited Acts; Penalties">
  <level label="a">
    <text>An individual tax preparer shall maintain for a length of time specified by the Board that is not more stringent than a length of time specified under federal law all records of personal income tax returns prepared by the individual tax preparer.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Prior to rendering individual tax preparation services, an individual tax preparer shall disclose to the customer, in writing:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the individual tax preparer’s name, address, and telephone number;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>that the individual tax preparer is not a certified public accountant, an enrolled agent, or a tax attorney;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>services that the individual tax preparer is qualified to provide;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>the individual tax preparer’s education and training, including examinations taken and successfully passed; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>any other information that the Board requires.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A disclosure required under this subsection shall be provided to a customer:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>at an initial meeting between the individual tax preparer and the customer; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>if the individual tax preparer maintains a website, on the website.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>An individual tax preparer may not:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>fail to sign a customer’s individual tax return;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>obtain the customer’s signature on an individual tax return or other authorizing document prior to the completion of the individual tax preparation services; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>disclose information received for the purposes of preparing a customer’s federal or State income tax return, unless:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>consented to in writing by the customer;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>expressly authorized by law;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>necessary for the preparation of the tax return; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>in accordance with a court order.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
