Do you think AI can do your taxes? The IRS may not agree

Deposit Taxes It’s painful enough that many people would gladly hand the task over to a robot. At age Generative artificial intelligencewhere chatbots can create Decent school article In less than a minute, it’s tempting to think about it Tax return It could be next.

There’s just one small problem. The IRS expects financial statements to be accurate, not just “close enough.”

I’ve asked some tax experts whether you should have a general-purpose AI chatbot e.g ChatGPT, Claude, twin or Confusion Do your taxes for you. The answer was clear.

“I don’t recommend it at all,” he said. Travis Thompsontax attorney and director of Fennemore’s Business and Finance Group.

“My advice would be no,” he said. Sterling Raskysenior lecturer in finance at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Tax season has everyone looking for shortcuts. Federal income tax returns are nightmarish and complex – which is exactly what makes them unsuitable for chatbots. AI is very good at showing what is right even when it is wrong.

However, if you’re not able to hire a trusted, trained person to help with your taxes, there are a few things generative AI can be helpful for during tax season.

You can’t trust the accuracy of AI

The capabilities of the generative AI model are impressive. But let’s remember that these educated guessing machines, at their core, are simply finding patterns and providing plausible results. They cannot distinguish Closer to the truth.

The numbers on your tax forms are expected to be correct, not just a record number. This is why paying taxes is a pain, and also why we’re not supposed to take shortcuts. Mistakes can be costly to you recoveryOr you could face expensive payments, fines, or worse.

“It is important to keep in mind that if an AI chatbot provides incorrect instructions and someone uses it to file an incorrect tax return, they (the person) are liable for wrongdoing or violations, which can include Penalties, interest and lost refundssaid Chris Linderwell, vice president of consumer tax products at H&R Block.

Some tax AI tools are specifically trained on and rely on tax law-related information. But the year You use it for menu planning or travel research Not one of those.

Read more: 2026 Tax Season: What Documents and Information Do You Need to File Income Taxes?

You can’t trust AI to handle sensitive documents

Extremely Personal informationlike your Social Security number and financial data, should remain secure — or at least as secure as possible in today’s digital world, where Collect data through email and social media It exists everywhere, and Data breaches common.

Chatbots manage data in the cloud, which is just a computer owned by a private company. They have “Memory” features. Which can update information in unexpected ways. You may find yourself asking a completely unrelated question and getting an answer drawn from the data in your tax documents. Maybe you don’t want that.

The risks of online privacy are already profound, but chatbots are particularly notorious for it Compromise and leaking sensitive information. Grok, the chatbot created by Elon Musk’s xAI, was recently discovered Disclosing people’s personal information to other users.

Be very careful about giving the AI ​​anything you want to keep private, like your tax information.

“You don’t want these numbers spreading around the Internet,” Thompson said.

How AI can help you do your taxes

Although you shouldn’t trust a large language form to fill out your tax forms, you can still use one as an enhanced search engine for finding information, i.e. for educational purposes. Just be sure to check its accuracy before relying on it.

I asked a representative of OpenAI, which makes ChatGPT, whether a chatbot is something taxpayers should use to file. ChatGPT cannot access bank accounts, and cannot act as a licensed financial professional, attorney, or accountant. “You should always review ChatGPT’s output since it is not a substitute for a licensed professional,” an OpenAI representative said.

But they can help you do a basic check or can point you in the right direction, such as translating tax terminology, preparing checklists, or providing questions to ask your accountant. (Disclosure: Ziff Davis, the parent company of CNET, in 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that it infringed Ziff Davis’s copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

For example, AI can help you decide what to discuss with a tax official, what documents you will need to process or even identify tax situations you may not be aware of. What you should know if you are Make money from crypto? What is the difference between Married filing jointly and head of household?

Also remember that the quality of the AI ​​answer depends not only on the model, but also on it How to ask the question. Repeating the same question several times may generate different answers, especially if you express an opinion or inclination in the way you ask (Artificial intelligence flattery is real). If external links are provided in the AI ​​results, verify the validity of the results against the original source, and ensure that the source is reputable.

Remember: you don’t know what you don’t know.

“The less experience you have in this area, the less you can trust these programs,” Thompson said. “It doesn’t just depend on what the software says, it depends on what the user tells the software to say.”

Use a human when doing your taxes

Experts stress the importance of having a “human insider” with AI systems, whether they are writing LinkedIn posts or handling important personal information. Mistakes are the fault of the person who decided to go with AI, not the technology itself. Don’t blame the calculator if you do a wrong calculation.

A person with judgment and accountability should make the final decision. When it comes to a simple tax return, you can be that person.

If you have a basic return and trust yourself to be accurate and double-check the numbers, you should be able to apply yourself, Rasky said. “Basic return” generally means that you only profit W-2 income And take the standard deduction – no Complex investments Itemized discounts or Freelance work. You can fill out the forms yourself, following step-by-step instructions through the IRS Free fillable forms online, Or using a Free file software option.

H&R Block Online Uses Artificial intelligence to help with automation Save by reviewing receipts and uploaded documents to pre-populate fields for you. AI, in this sense, is a time saver. But in the end, you have to make sure the information is accurate.

If you need help from a tax professional, at most DIY tax softwareincluded H&R block and TurboTaxoffer the option to have a human professional review and file on your behalf for Fees or promotion.

a lot Tax software at home Programs offer defense services if an audit or audit risk assessment is performed before a file is submitted – but at an additional cost. H&R Block says It will give representation for the audit and even financial reimbursement (if they made the mistake).

“If you have any concern at all, it’s worth its weight in gold to hire a licensed tax preparation professional to do your returns, primarily a CPA or what’s called an enrolled agent,” Thompson said.

If you seek help from a trusted, licensed professional, you may be able to turn to them if something goes wrong during your return. You will still be responsible for paying what you owe the government, but you You may be able to hold the tax preparer accountable In cases of fraud or other serious errors.

If you decide to trust a chatbot to do your tax return, be prepared for an IRS audit. And don’t expect to blame AI.