NY CE Requirements Coming in 2015

[Justataxguy]

Received the following in an email from NY Dept. of Taxation and Finance today. Had heard something was going to be required soon.

"All commercial preparers who will prepare New York State personal income tax returns MUST complete continuing education requirements. Your status as a personal income tax preparer will be reflected on your registration certificate.

ARE YOU A COMMERCIAL PREPARER?

You are a commercial tax return preparer if you were:
- Paid to prepare ten or more New York State tax returns during 2014 AND expect to be paid to prepare at least one return in 2015, or

- Paid to prepare fewer than ten NYS tax returns during 2014 AND expect to be paid to prepare ten or more returns in 2015.

If you are not a commercial preparer, but you wish to have your registration certificate reflect that you prepare personal income tax returns; you may voluntarily complete these continuing education requirements.

HOW MANY HOURS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSEWORK ARE YOU REQUIRED TO TAKE?

- If you are a commercial preparer who prepared TEN OR MORE New York State personal income tax returns during each of the past three years, you must take FOUR HOURS of continuing education coursework by the end of December 2015.

- If you are a commercial preparer who prepared FEWER THAN TEN New York State personal income tax returns during each of the past three years, you must take:

- 16 HOURS of continuing education coursework by the end of December 2015, and
- FOUR HOURS of continuing education coursework each year after that.

You will receive further information in the fall about how you can sign up for the required courses."

[Uncle Sam]

NY CE Requirements

Received the following in an email from NY Dept. of Taxation and Finance today. Had heard something was going to be required soon.

"All commercial preparers who will prepare New York State personal income tax returns MUST complete continuing education requirements. Your status as a personal income tax preparer will be reflected on your registration certificate.

ARE YOU A COMMERCIAL PREPARER?

You are a commercial tax return preparer if you were:
- Paid to prepare ten or more New York State tax returns during 2014 AND expect to be paid to prepare at least one return in 2015, or

- Paid to prepare fewer than ten NYS tax returns during 2014 AND expect to be paid to prepare ten or more returns in 2015.

If you are not a commercial preparer, but you wish to have your registration certificate reflect that you prepare personal income tax returns; you may voluntarily complete these continuing education requirements.

HOW MANY HOURS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSEWORK ARE YOU REQUIRED TO TAKE?

- If you are a commercial preparer who prepared TEN OR MORE New York State personal income tax returns during each of the past three years, you must take FOUR HOURS of continuing education coursework by the end of December 2015.

- If you are a commercial preparer who prepared FEWER THAN TEN New York State personal income tax returns during each of the past three years, you must take:

- 16 HOURS of continuing education coursework by the end of December 2015, and
- FOUR HOURS of continuing education coursework each year after that.

You will receive further information in the fall about how you can sign up for the required courses."

Well - there's one way around having to be subject to this new requirement - become a licensed EA or CPA - they aren't subject to it.

[MAMalody]

How will this impact those who are out-of-state? I am in WA and do one or two every year but have never come close to ten.

[ATSMAN]

How will this impact those who are out-of-state? I am in WA and do one or two every year but have never come close to ten.

Until they change the law again, you don't have to worry. You don't have to pay the annual $100 NY fee either though you must obtain the NY registration # to file a return in that jurisdiction.

[MAMalody]

Thanks for the input.