A tax preparer based in Brick Township, N.J., has pleaded guilty to one-count of aiding and assisting in the preparations of false tax returns. Sharif Mahfouz, age 49, admitted that while he operated as owner of Expat Focus Consulting fabricated or inflated foreign earned income exclusion amounts and foreign tax credits. He then had client refunds mailed to his home after which he forged signatures and deposited them into his company's account.

Liberty Tax has reached an agreement with online vendor Kashoo to privately label that company's software for its tax customers. As part of a test program, the application will be offered as a recommended product for franchisees under the name Liberty Accounting, according to CEO John Hewitt.

Thomson Reuters has launched a program designed to teach more research skills to tax professionals. Crafted for entry-level workers and those re-entering the workforce, the Checkpoint Learning Tax Research Certificate Program will require between 34 and 40 hours to complete. Those involved in the program can earn 22 hours of Continuing Professional Education Credits.

A Durham, N.C.-based tax preparer has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service. Tasha Renee Smith must also serve three years of supervised release and pay $375,578 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. She pleaded guilty on April 8.