Is there any reason for your accountant to need your date of birth?
April 11, 2010 12:43 PM Subscribe
Is there any reason for your accountant to need your date of birth?
Our accountant asked for our dates of birth as part of the process of finalizing our tax return -- "I don't have them and I should for the files." When / why would this be necessary for her to have? Given that she has so much other personal information about us (income, account numbers, SSNs, etc), would adding date of birth to that list make us significantly less secure or identity-thievable (by her or anyone who manages to get hands on her files), or am I being paranoid?
Our accountant asked for our dates of birth as part of the process of finalizing our tax return -- "I don't have them and I should for the files." When / why would this be necessary for her to have? Given that she has so much other personal information about us (income, account numbers, SSNs, etc), would adding date of birth to that list make us significantly less secure or identity-thievable (by her or anyone who manages to get hands on her files), or am I being paranoid?
I guess I would tend to think the opposite. She already has every other scrap of your personal information, so this one more won't make a difference.
Accountancy is a trust situation, just like going to the doctor. That being said, any professional shouldn't have a problem with you saying something like, "I'm not really comfortable with that, although I'm happy to provide it at some point if it's necessary for the task at hand."
posted by ErikaB at 12:49 PM on April 11, 2010
Accountancy is a trust situation, just like going to the doctor. That being said, any professional shouldn't have a problem with you saying something like, "I'm not really comfortable with that, although I'm happy to provide it at some point if it's necessary for the task at hand."
posted by ErikaB at 12:49 PM on April 11, 2010
You're being paranoid.
posted by rhizome at 1:06 PM on April 11, 2010 [6 favorites]
posted by rhizome at 1:06 PM on April 11, 2010 [6 favorites]
Birthdates are required on tax returns. They're one of the items checked for accuracy against IRS/Social Security records.
posted by catlet at 1:20 PM on April 11, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by catlet at 1:20 PM on April 11, 2010 [2 favorites]
I just did my taxes and had to give them my DOB. I think it's standard on a number of other forms as well.
posted by Lady Li at 1:25 PM on April 11, 2010
posted by Lady Li at 1:25 PM on April 11, 2010
Many tax rules are tied to age. If you are over 55 you are permitted to put extra money in your 401(k). If you are 59.5 you can tAke money from an IRA penalty free. They probably ask all clients for their age so they can figure out which provisions of the code apply.
posted by bananafish at 2:27 PM on April 11, 2010
posted by bananafish at 2:27 PM on April 11, 2010
You're being paranoid. Many forms require DOB as mentioned above.
posted by CwgrlUp at 2:37 PM on April 11, 2010
posted by CwgrlUp at 2:37 PM on April 11, 2010
If your accountant is going to e-file your returns he has to include your birthday to be matched against your SSN.
posted by Jahaza at 2:57 PM on April 11, 2010
posted by Jahaza at 2:57 PM on April 11, 2010
Accountants are like doctors and lawyers. They know all kinds of personal stuff about you and for this reason they are bound by codes of ethics and conduct, which, just like doctors and lawyers, they could break, but just like doctors and lawyers, the majority are trustworthy.
http://www.answers.com/topic/ethics-in-accounting
posted by y6t5r4e3w2q1 at 5:43 PM on April 11, 2010
http://www.answers.com/topic/ethics-in-accounting
posted by y6t5r4e3w2q1 at 5:43 PM on April 11, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
If you're so concerned about it why don't you pose this question to your accountant?
posted by dfriedman at 12:48 PM on April 11, 2010