(1) For the first year of implementation (namely 2011) IRS intends to waive the requirement for return preparers to meet continuing education (CE) requirements. Shulman said that the waiver will give IRS time to work through the many issues regarding CE, including working with third parties who already certify CE courses to attempt to leverage their infrastructure.
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Everybody should pay his income tax with a smile. I tried it, but they wanted cash -
So does this mean that anyone who applies for a PTIN under the new rules after Jan 1, 2011 will have their CE requirement waived until 2012?"The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectful" - John Kenneth Galbraith -
Cpe
More information from IRS
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As of 10/21/10
CPE Requirements
1. What is the continuing education proposal? (revised 10/21/10)
The IRS has proposed that Registered Tax Return Preparers will be required to complete continuing education annually. The annual continuing education requirement is expected to include 3 hours of federal tax law updates, 2 hours of ethics, and 10 hours of other federal tax law.
This will not apply to attorneys, CPAs, enrolled agents, enrolled actuaries, or enrolled retirement plan agents due to their existing education requirements.
The beginning date for continuing education has not been determined and obtaining a PTIN through the new system does not trigger any new continuing education requirement. Once the continuing education requirement begins, affected preparers will have a full twelve months to meet their first year's requirement.
As part of the new oversight program, the IRS is revamping the continuing education approval process. Regulations issued in August 2010 outline the proposed modifications for providers of continuing education programs. Additional information will be available at a future date.
2. What is the process for becoming a qualified sponsor for continuing education? (revised 8/19/10)
Circular 230 section 10.6(g) outlines the current process. To qualify as a sponsor, a program presenter must:
* Be an accredited educational institution;
* Be recognized for continuing education purposes by the licensing body of any state, territory, or possession of the United States, including a Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia;
* Be recognized by the Director of Office of Professional Responsibility as a professional organization or society whose programs include offering continuing professional education opportunities; or
* File a sponsor agreement with the Director of the Office of Professional Responsibility and obtain approval of the program as a qualified continuing education program (Form 8498, Program Sponsor Agreement for Continuing Education for Enrolled Agents).
As part of the new oversight program, the IRS is revamping the continuing education approval process. Regulations issued in August 2010 outline the proposed modifications for providers of continuing education programs. Additional information will be available at a future date.
3. Attorneys and certified public accountants in some states are not subject to continuing education requirements. Will this impact the application of the proposed IRS rules for those individuals? (posted 1/22/10)
No. The lack of continuing education requirements for attorneys or certified public accountants in a specific state will not impact the exception. All attorneys and certified public accountants will be exempt from IRS CE requirements.
However, as stated in the Return Preparer Review report, the IRS believes that all tax return preparers have an obligation to stay current on the tax laws and continuing education serves to help individuals remain current and to expand their knowledge within their field of expertise. Such courses are important to tax administration given the complexity of the tax laws and the frequent changes made to the Internal Revenue Code and the rules and regulations implemented to assist in the administration of the Code.
The IRS will consider requiring continuing professional education from additional individuals if data is collected in the future that identifies such a need. Additionally, the IRS plans to reach out to licensing authorities to encourage them to support annual continuing professional education that includes federal tax law topics and updates and ethics for those individuals who are licensed by them and who prepare federal tax returns.Comment
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Cpe
My state does not require that a CPA take any courses at all in Tax. I take all of my CPE in tax, but I could take it all in Compilations, Auditing, Estate planning or various other categories.
It might be a good thing for each state CPA society to require at least as much CPE in taxation. However some CPAs do no tax work, so it might be that the IRS will require CPAs and attorneys to submit the CPE in taxation that they sent to their state board.Comment
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