Have you verified that your tax return preparer is an Annual Filing Season Participant, Enrolled Agent, Certified Public Accountant or Attorney? If not, you should and here are some important reasons why.
Enrolled agents with the IRS, Certified Public Accountants and Attorneys have unlimited representation rights to practice before the IRS. This means when you receive an IRS love letter, these designated individuals can help to represent you in front of the IRS. Including but not limited to issues regarding your taxpayer account, prior year filings, offers and compromise, installment agreements and audits. These individuals have completed extensive testing and continuing education to show competency in various areas of tax, accounting and law to give them the rights to practice before the IRS.
The Annual Filing Season Program is a new voluntary program with the IRS that allows unenrolled tax preparers to take continuing education courses on an annual basis. This continuing education includes new changes in tax law, limited representation rights and filing requirements for businesses and individuals. These individuals have completed a minimum of 18 hours of continuing education and have shown their due diligence to acquire limited representation rights for the returns that they have prepared and signed.
Choosing the right tax preparer is key to ensuring that your tax preparer has IRS good practices understanding, is knowledgeable and up to date on current tax law changes that impact your annual filing.
You can verify your tax preparers current status by searching their name in the IRS directory.
http://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf
Don’t trust your tax preparation and information security to just anyone, find some one who has done their due diligence, completed their tax law updates and has taken the time to be recognized by the IRS for their efforts.
We have two offices to serve your income tax preparation and accounting needs
Ellenton –
Tonya VanFossen, EA
Chadwick Corey, AFSP Certificate of Completion
Bradenton –
Tarah Van Fossen, AFSP Certificate of Completion, SEE EA Exam passed