Does marketing the number of taxpayer returns prepared require consent?

The correct response about whether marketing the number of taxpayer returns prepared requires consent is that it does not require consent. This is based on the understanding that general statistics, such as the number of returns prepared, do not typically violate confidentiality or privacy concerns related to individual taxpayer information. The marketing of these statistics is permissible as long as it does not involve disclosing personal, identifiable information about individual taxpayers or compromise their privacy.

When organizations, such as VITA or TCE sites, showcase their achievements in terms of the number of returns prepared, they are usually presenting this information in an aggregate format. This helps promote the program and can often be used as a positive indicator of the assistance provided to the community, without needing explicit consent from individuals who have benefited from the service. Therefore, the mention of these statistics does not require prior approval from the taxpayer.

This understanding allows organizations to effectively promote their services and reach out to potential clients without the administrative barrier of obtaining consent for such general information.