Congress May Give IRS Authority To License Tax Preparers - should they?

COL Mikel J. Burroughs — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 15:09:48 -0400

Congress May Give IRS Authority To License Tax Preparers - should they?

RP Members what does this mean for taxpayers? Congress, IRS and the Taxpayer Advocate believe that it means better service and more competent representation. What do you think?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2015/09/14/congress-may-give-irs-authority-to-regulate-tax-preparers/?ss=taxes

Last year, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner John Koskinen announced the Annual Filing Season Program, a voluntary and temporary program intended to fill the holes left after the IRS lost the right to regulate tax preparers following Loving v. Commissioner. At the time, Commissioner Koskinen called the program “not the ideal solution” and was hopeful that Congress would enact a proposal that would give the IRS the authority for mandatory oversight of return preparers.

Congress May Give IRS Authority To License Tax Preparers

With tax season just a few months away, Congress is considering giving the IRS the authority to regulate tax preparers.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 12 at 2015 3:13 PM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 15:13:44 -0400

IRS should be abolished ... so No.

Response by 1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 12 at 2015 3:15 PM

1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 15:15:08 -0400

THis will be interesting to follow. We had a dumbass do our taxes last year and it cost us highly.

Response by SFC Everett Oliver made Oct 12 at 2015 3:34 PM

SFC Everett Oliver — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 15:34:17 -0400

I do my own taxes. All I see this as is another big Government grab. More control is all they care about...

Response by SGT Jeremiah B. made Oct 12 at 2015 6:32 PM

SGT Jeremiah B. — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 18:32:02 -0400

Apparently, there are a lot of problems with scam artists/fly-by-nights ripping off the lower class. NPR covered some of the problems (link below). Licensing would give the government more control over that sort of thing THEORETICALLY.

It doesn't fix the desperation and lack of education that feeds predatory preparers though.

Predatory tax preparers target low-income households

Some tax preparers charge high fees and make dubious loans to vulnerable clients.

Response by Sgt Kelli Mays made Oct 13 at 2015 12:43 AM

Sgt Kelli Mays — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 00:43:12 -0400

Just another way to get more money...charging for classes, charging to take the exam and charging for the license....then charging for continuing education classes and license renewal.

I had H & R Block do my taxes once and I ended up owing a bunch of money, but come to find out a few years later, I should have not...I have used Turbo Tax since and am totally satisfied with it.