|
 You don’t have to be frustrated any more about your tax situation.
With tax regulations becoming more convoluted and confusing every time they’re “simplified,” and with the puzzling differences between state and federal tax laws, now is the time to review your tax situation. At Better Business Ventures, our principal tax representative is an Enrolled Agent, a federally licensed tax professional, who can help you.
An Enrolled Agent (EA) is a federally-authorized tax practitioner who has technical expertise in the field of taxation and who is empowered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to represent taxpayers before all administrative levels of the Internal Revenue Service for audits, collections, and appeals. EAs advise, represent, and prepare tax returns for individuals, partnerships, corporations, estates, trusts, and any entities with tax-reporting requirements. EAs adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct and are required by the IRS to take Continuing Professional Education. Like attorneys and Certified Public Accountants, Enrolled Agents are governed by Treasury Circular 230 in their practice before the IRS.
Enrolled Agents prepare millions of tax returns each year. Only EAs are required to demonstrate to the IRS their competence in matters of taxation before they may represent a taxpayer before the IRS. Unlike attorneys and CPAs, who may or may not choose to specialize in taxes, all enrolled agents specialize in taxation.
Becoming an enrolled agent is a complicated and difficult process. The cream of the crop when it comes to representing clients in their dealings with the IRS, an Enrolled Agent is the best line of defense for those persons facing an IRS Audit, Appeal or Collection situation.
 There are only two ways to earn the Enrolled Agent designation. The first route is to take a three-part examination, one of the most difficult professional examinations in the country. This test covers all aspects of taxation, including ethics. (For a partial list of subjects that an EA candidate must be knowledgable about in order to pass the Special Enrollment Examination series, click here.) As part of the application process a thorough background investigation is performed. The other way to become an EA is to be employed by the IRS for a minimum of five years, regularly interpreting and applying the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and regulations.
Following successful enrollment, EAs are required to maintain a rigorous schedule of professional education in the tax field. Because of the knowledge necessary and difficulty in becoming enrolled and maintaining that enrollment, fewer than 46,000 tax professionals worldwide are currently enrolled as EAs. When you sit down with an Enrolled Agent, you are sitting down with the ultimate tax expert. In addition to the stringent testing and application process, the IRS requires Enrolled Agents to complete 72 hours of continuing professional education, reported every three years, to maintain their Enrolled Agent status. NAEA members are obligated to complete 90 hours per three year reporting period.
You might ask, “Can't my unlicensed tax preparer do as much?” The answer is an emphatic, “No!” The Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service recognize only the three categories of tax practitioners noted above to represent all taxpayers through all of the levels, including District Director and Appeals level. IRS Publication 947, page 3, states, "An unenrolled return preparer may represent the taxpayer only concerning the tax liability for the year or period covered by the return that he or she prepared. The unenrolled return preparer is only permitted to represent taxpayers before the examination function of the IRS and is not permitted to represent taxpayers before Appeals, Collection, or any other function of the IRS." For more information about what an unenrolled return preparer may and may not do click here.
Enrolled Agents are required to demonstrate competence in matters of taxation; their right to represent taxpayers comes directly from the U.S. government Department of the Treasury. Unlike many tax preparers for whom tax preparation is a seasonal job from January through April 15, EAs provide tax services year-round in the field of tax planning, preparation, and representation.
Enrolled Agents are individuals licensed by the federal government to represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service. Enrollment dates back to 1884, when Congress acted to regulate persons who represented citizens in their dealings with the Treasury Department, after questionable claims had been presented for Civil War losses. As members of the National Society of Enrolled Agents and the California Society of Enrolled Agents, we have demonstrated our commitment to outstanding professional education, high ethical standards, and devotion to serving our clients in dealings with state and federal tax agencies. Enrolled Agents are The Tax Professionals.
The National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA) is a professional society whose members are dedicated to honest, intelligent and ethical representation of the financial position of taxpayers before the IRS. Its efforts are supported nationwide through a network of affiliated state and local chapters. Members of NAEA must fulfill continuing professional education requirements that exceed the IRS’ requirements. NAEA membership also entails stringent adherence to a Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct, as well as compliance with the Treasury Department’s Circular 230 regulations. NAEA members are experienced, well-trained tax professionals who effectively represent their clients and work to ensure the tax code is fairly applied and reasonably enforced.
 Paying taxes is no game! You need professionals on your side who work in YOUR best interests. Call us today at (916) 481-5252 and let us show you how we can help. Now may be the best time to see a professional who knows the ropes. Whether it is a reduction in your tax debt or even complete elimination of penalties and interest, don’t go it alone.
We look forward to hearing from you.
|
