EA Certificate

[Snaggletooth]

Received my EA certificate in the mail today, after taking the test last fall for the first time in some 30 years in the practice. Reasonably tough test on tax knowledge, tougher than the CPA section on taxation, but not nearly as comprehensive as the overall CPA exam. Decided IRS will eventually require at least an EA for all public preparers, but will still allow individuals to screw up their taxes on TurboTax, and still allow sub-par preparers to work under someone else's general license.

After all this, now I have initials after my name. Can you imagine what colossal importance this bears to the public?

Firstly, no one in the public knows what an EA really is.

Secondly, if their refund is $500 as prepared by an EA, CPA, etc., and their refund is $1000 from the guy on the corner down the street, then the guy down the street is the better tax preparer...

[Gretel]

Yup, you are right Snag. Congratulations, I thought you were a Guru already!

[Brian EA]

Received my EA certificate in the mail today, after taking the test last fall for the first time in some 30 years in the practice. Reasonably tough test on tax knowledge, tougher than the CPA section on taxation, but not nearly as comprehensive as the overall CPA exam. Decided IRS will eventually require at least an EA for all public preparers, but will still allow individuals to screw up their taxes on TurboTax, and still allow sub-par preparers to work under someone else's general license.

After all this, now I have initials after my name. Can you imagine what colossal importance this bears to the public?

Firstly, no one in the public knows what an EA really is.

Secondly, if their refund is $500 as prepared by an EA, CPA, etc., and their refund is $1000 from the guy on the corner down the street, then the guy down the street is the better tax preparer...

Snag EA : is the man

[Gary]

Snag

Congradulations. I didn't know you took the test, but you are always the one i go to for my difficult questions. Unfortunately, I forgot almost everything I learned about Partnerships and Corporations, since I don't do these returns.

[DTS]

Snags, E.A.

I like that!
Congratulations, Ron. I'm very happy for you.

Dennis

[oceanlovin'ea]

Congradulations

Snag. Glad to hear you passed the test. When I took it a year ago, I was just so happy to have passed on the first try. I didn't really care what the score was, just so I passed.

Linda F

[Bill Tubbs]

Me too!

Yes, WAY TO GO Snags!

When I took it a year ago, I was just so happy to have passed on the first try. I didn't really care what the score was, just so I passed.

I echo that sentiment!!!

Bill

[JG EA]

Also

my congratulations. You should be very proud.

[Snaggletooth]

Thanks to all

Thanks to all of you. I really hadn't thought of the congratulations from well-meaning cohorts when I posted, but I instead am wondering just what importance the EA will play in the future.

Will it be required? Congressional legislation introduced in 2004 seems to be headed in that direction, but I don't know what happened to the bill. What about mandatory E-filing? This has been made mandatory in several states, but taxpayers who have filed paper returns on their own have not been prosecuted.

If we're going to slam the door on unscrupulous tax preparers, we need to slam it SHUT, and not leave windows open. This can more effectively be done with enforcement, as opposed to new legislation. I don't know why lawmakers think new legislation is necessary when existing legislation is not enforced (witness the illegal alien problem, among others).

[rosieea]

Thanks to all of you. I really hadn't thought of the congratulations from well-meaning cohorts when I posted, but I instead am wondering just what importance the EA will play in the future.

Will it be required? Congressional legislation introduced in 2004 seems to be headed in that direction, but I don't know what happened to the bill. What about mandatory E-filing? This has been made mandatory in several states, but taxpayers who have filed paper returns on their own have not been prosecuted.

If we're going to slam the door on unscrupulous tax preparers, we need to slam it SHUT, and not leave windows open. This can more effectively be done with enforcement, as opposed to new legislation. I don't know why lawmakers think new legislation is necessary when existing legislation is not enforced (witness the illegal alien problem, among others).

I see no way the EA designation will ever be required. If nothing else, the HRB/JH/et al lobby wont let that happen. More likely is the proposed requirement that unenrolled preparers be "certified" by the IRS through a competency exam of some sort plus an annual CPE requirement. Such a process will not be nearly as stringent as achieving EA status.

As for public awareness of the designation, we are partially to blame by not seizing every opportunity to blow our own horn. I've seen more mention of EAs in the press and magazines lately, but we have a long way to go. After many years, some of my clients still refer to me as "my CPA."

Anyway, Snag, congrats.

[Bill Tubbs]

Ea....

I took the EA test because:
1) primarily, I love a challenge
2) to get some certification -- had a few new clients ask in years' prior -- but apparently wasn't a big deal as I don't think I lost any do to not having certification at that point.

I agree with the sentiment that the IRS doesn't need any more laws IF they would just enforce the ones they got. After all, anyone (Lawyer, CPA, EA, or non-enrolled) is required to sign a tax return they get paid to prepare -- so all the information is already there to track down the preparer. Don't need another beaurocracy in the middle! As for those preparers that don't sign the returns they prepare -- there will always be some, and about the only thing that can really be done there is to educate the public that your paid preparer IS REQUIRED to sign the return, and imply that if they're unwilling to sign the return that something is likely amiss.

I do agree though, that there should be more taxpayer education so that taxpayers know what to look for in a preparer. I am NOT however, saying EA's are better than non-enrolled. There is a fine line here that I walk -- since I am an EA, I let people know that I did pass a 2-day IRS test, but I certainly don't say I'm better than an un-enrolled.

Well, back to work...
Bill

[Safire]

Way to go, Snag!

No wait, make that... Way to go, Snag, EA!

[Lion]

Congrats!

Congratulations, Snag!

I figured something's coming. Like you, I know that our government just adds layers of regulations instead of enforcing what they already have. So, I thought if I'm already covered under Circ 230 I won't have to jump through the new hoops and chose to do the EA on my own time instead of waiting to see what they dream up next. My clients ask, "What's an EA?" But, at least it's a conversation opener....

[veritas]

Oregon requires licensing for all paid preparers. There is a pretty good test and initial education (60 hours I think) in order to sit for the preparer test. Once you have passed you must work for a Tax consultant full time for two years. After two years as a full time preparer you can sit for the consultant exam if you wish to start your own practice. I am required to have 30 hours a year as a tax consultant to keep my license.

I did take a shortcut when I passed the EA exam. I only had to take the Oregon portion of the test to become a consultant.

[veritas]

I forgot to add my congratulations also!