Q&a Irs Unenrolled Preparers Regulations

[gkaiseril]

I bet HRB might have a few HORROR stories of their own

Even with their training and testing, you are still left with a preparer who has been shown the correct way to do things and chooses not to follow the IRS regulations.

Are there any EA's that have been found guilty of tax fraud or tax evasion by the U.S. courts (not the U.S. Tax Court, but the Federal criminal courts)?

[BHoffman]

Paul Ryan's "Roadmap"

Holy cow! We might not need to pay anything if the tax code is simplified according to Paul Ryan's "Roadmap to Solvency". Part of this plan says MFS taxpayers earning up to $50k ($100k for MFJ) can just opt to pay 10% after exemption and standard deduction and 25% of earnings over that on a postcard. I would opt for that myself!

http://www.roadmap.republicans.budget.house.gov/

[BHoffman]

I bet HRB might have a few HORROR stories of their own

[newbie]

Travis-don't even get me started on the HORROR stories from my days at HRB!

I bet they'd find horror stories in your common sense, apply the moral and ethics first, tax code later approach.

[taxea]

Travis-don't even get me started on the HORROR stories from my days at HRB!

[travis bickle]

Let's not cast stones so casually

@ AZ-Tax

If HRB, JH or other franchise preparers are somehow exempted, then they might as well just scrap the whole idea now. From my 25 yrs of exp in the industry, at least in my area, most of the problems with returns that I see come from them.

Are you inviting me to share all the "war stories" I have about erroneous returns prepared by CPAs? I don't think that is the purpose of this board.

I currenty work with HRB. I have nine years experience there, one year with a private CPA firm, and three years with the IRS. I can honestly say that not one of the returns I have prepared has had to be examined/corrected/audited/amended due to any error on my part. And, I honestly do not say that proudly -- truthfully, it stems from always practicing "due diligence" in each area of the return. And, the reason I say all this without boasting is that I believe the vast majority of the members of this board are similar in nature and experience.

Finally, to get more or less back on topic, the HRB preparers will not be exempted [I do NOT have access to corporate policy]. I say this because HRB currently pays the $100 fee for each preparer who needs to be registered in NYS for state returns. It seems obvious then that HRB will not be exempted from IRS registration requirements if they are not exempt from NYS requirements.

Undoubtedly with the new IRS registration fee due to arrive, we will soon see a new deduction on our checkstub.

Incidentally, the new education hours proposed by the IRS will not matter for HRB. We currently have to have 30 hours of CPE each year in order to be rehired by HRB.

[S T]

Charlie Rangel

And we all know what a fine upstanding citizen Charlie Rangel is, now that he has been caught in all types of fraudulent activities. Of course, since he is one of the "in crowd" nothing is going to be done to him. Unfortunately, it appears as if a great majority of the Washington politicians are just a bunch of crooks, and others covering for them

I sure agree with this statement, I would have hoped he would be removed from his position. What was it he didn't report - rental income - I know I report all of mine! In charge of implementing regulations and he can't even follow them for himself? Makes you wonder.

Sandy]

[thomtax]

This maybe being pushed forward by congress and Charlie Rangel, Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means.

And we all know what a fine upstanding citizen Charlie Rangel is, now that he has been caught in all types of fraudulent activities. Of course, since he is one of the "in crowd" nothing is going to be done to him. Unfortunately, it appears as if a great majority of the Washington politicians are just a bunch of crooks, and others covering for them.

LT

[taxea]

Website for full report

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/54419l09.pdf

maybe this will help

[gkaiseril]

Just read the DOJ site about CPA's, EA's, and Attorney's being sanctioned by the DOJ for providing fraudulent advice or promoting erroneous tax schemes or the non-licensed preparers. It appears there are some individuals that should know better creating the problem.

It appears the will be an initial test, registration, continuing education, and a yearly renewal to get and keep a PTIN.

And this year there is the crack down on EIC and visits from the IRS to preparers to explain the common errors.

This maybe being pushed forward by congress and Charlie Rangel, Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means.

[taxdude71]

It sounds like they are going to make you renew the PTIN and charge a fee everytime.

[taxea]

Alternate interpretation?

BP...no. The Q&A was what made that one point unclear...the quote I then posted from the IRS unenrolled preparers regulations page is clearer.

[taxea]

I am in Ca and we now have to the education requirments already so not much changing for us. I think though that it may be a good for anyone that wants to expand because ther may be alot of the people looking to retire to hang it up. If this is the case it could be good for business for the rest of us.

I hope that they make all the chain people to do the same as the indpendants because that is where I feel alot of mistakes occur and maybe even where most of this stems from.

Superman

I'm researching verification of this issue. I will post the information when I get an answer

[taxea]

i haven't seen in this new proposal how many paid tax returns a preparer is allowed. in my case, i have been downsizing, cause i want to retire for 2010. the current tax year i have 18 returns, 13 is family and only 5 are friends who pay me. next year i will definitely will have less, i will only be doing immediate family, but , now i need to find out if i need to take this test. i have two clients who won't let me say no, so i did them again this year, i think i will have to die for them to go elsewhere.

My understanding is that if you are a paid tax preparer you are subject to these rules. 1 or a million...doesn't matter

[RZellers]

@ AZ-Tax

If HRB, JH or other franchise preparers are somehow exempted, then they might as well just scrap the whole idea now. From my 25 yrs of exp in the industry, at least in my area, most of the problems with returns that I see come from them.