The American Institute of CPAs convinced the Internal Revenue Service to require registered tax return preparers under the new IRS’s regulatory program to add a special disclaimer to any of their advertising to avoid the appearance of an IRS endorsement.
“We pushed the IRS to include a requirement for the tagline to be included in any ads by registered tax return preparers,” said AICPA vice president of taxation Edward Karl at the AICPA’s Fall Meeting of Council in Phoenix on Tuesday. “We urge everyone to be vigilant about the ads. This issue will be local for you. Some may try to take advantage of this program. If you see things that don’t smell right, let us know and we’ll tell the IRS.”
While the AICPA was successful in persuading the IRS to require the disclaimer, it had less success with the IRS’s new fingerprinting requirement for tax preparers. That came as a surprise to the Institute. It had only heard that the IRS wanted to do “suitability checks.”
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“Between December and this summer, suitability checks turned into fingerprinting,” said Karl. He added that right now the IRS is contemplating an exemption for CPAs, and at a recent IRS hearing, AICPA Tax Executive Committee Chair Patricia Thompson made the point “very, very forcefully” to the IRS that CPAs should be exempted, according to Karl.
“That’s something we’re not going to compromise on,” he added.
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6 Comments
The IRS already established a $33 fingerprinting fee and there is an expected $60-90 third party administrative fee expected. [Prop reg.300.14(b), REG-116284-11,9/21/11]
Posted by: mw343456 | October 20, 2011 9:02 AM
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Everyone has to be fingerprinted when they get their EFIN and them fingerprints are all on record still. Cost me $10 at local cop shop to have it done back when. Called them today and it is still $10
Posted by: taxking | October 19, 2011 9:17 PM
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CPA's do not need to get finger printed, only non CPA's, enrolled agents, lawyers ect. AICPA is against it because tax preparers working under CPA's at reputable tax firms have to get finger printed at a cost of $80+ a person.
Posted by: mw343456 | October 19, 2011 12:58 PM
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We get fingerprinted when we get licensed. Don't need to do it again.
Posted by: cjackson320 | October 19, 2011 12:54 PM
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What have you got to hide? If you can't pass a simple fingerprint test, you shouldn't be a CPA. Perhaps, in lieu of fingerprinting, CPAs could opt for "body cavity searches" at the hands of sensitive TSA airport watchdogs.
Posted by: EnrolledAgent | October 19, 2011 12:11 PM
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The ever powerful OZ has spoken! HaHaHa
Posted by: taxking | October 19, 2011 9:01 AM
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