The Taxpayer Representative: There’s More to Sailing than Leaving the Dock

“Not everyone is qualified to be a captain of a ship. When you’re miles from land and things get dicey, you want an Admiral, not a weekend sailor. You need a professional who knows what he or she is doing.”

If your case gets remanded back to appeals, there are two other credentialed professionals that can represent you: the Certified Public Accountant and the Enrolled Agent.

Most tax return preparers provide outstanding service, however, they have differing levels of skill, as well as continuing education requirements and expertise.

Preparers with unlimited representation rights can represent their clients on any matters – including audits, payment collection issues, and appeals.

Preparers with limited representation rights can only represent clients whose returns they have prepared and signed.

Credentialed Return Preparers

Tax return preparers with unlimited rights include professionals with the following:

  • Enrolled Agents: Licensed by the IRS. Must pass a three-part Special Enrollment Examination. This is a comprehensive exam that requires them to demonstrate proficiency in federal tax planning, individual and business tax return preparation, and representation.
  • Attorneys: Licensed by state courts. Attorneys have earned a degree in law and have passed a bar exam. They may offer a range of services, and some specialize in tax preparation and planning.
  • Certified Public Accountants: Licensed by state courts. CPAs have passed the Uniform CPA Examination. They have completed a study of accounting at a college or university. They may offer a range of services, and some specialize in tax preparation and planning.

The Taxpayer Representative, woman, sitting, desk, journal, note taking, now what help, sfs taxIf you are dealing with an audit, you cannot just walk into any tax return preparers’ office. Only an Enrolled Agent, a CPA, or an attorney can help you with an IRS issue.

“Ask what those initials mean in the big scheme toward solving your problem. After all, you’ll be on the boat together and entrusting him or her with your financial life.

You deserve to be certain you have the right one before you turn over the controls.” 

Where to Research for Preparers

The IRS has a searchable, sortable public directory at https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf to search for various tax preparers.

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Jeffrey Schneider, EA, CTRS, NTPI Fellow has the knowledge and expertise to help you reach a favorable outcome with the IRS. He is the head honcho at SFS Tax Problem Solutions as well as an Enrolled Agent, a Certified Tax Resolution Specialist and Advanced Crypto Tax Expert.
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Author of the Now What? Help! series, Jeff defines and deconstructs IRS notices and clarifies letters and actions the IRS will take to get what they want. He interprets the world of the IRS in a fashion that mixes attention to detail with humor to help you better understand and resolve your tax problems.

The books are available in paperback and eBook on Amazon.
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For more on SFS Tax Problem Solutions, visit http://sfstaxproblemsolutions.com/
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Phone: 877-355-8010
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