In comments submitted to the Internal Revenue Service,the National Society of Accountants supported the agency's proposed taxpreparer registration requirements, but suggested broadening them to includeeven more preparers.
The NSA recommended that all tax preparers, includingvolunteer tax preparers and those who prepare tax returns in conjunction withother services, be required to register and obtain Preparer Tax IdentificationNumbers, with volunteers possibly exempted from registration and examinationfees. It noted that in recent years, according to the Treasury InspectorGeneral for Tax Administration, at least 31 percent of tax returns prepared byvolunteers were incorrect.
The 30,000-member organization also asked that taxpreparers based outside the U.S. be allowed to obtain and use PTINs, and thatthe IRS provide further guidance on how to define whether a preparer hasassisted in the preparation of "substantially all" of a tax return,and must therefore have a PTIN.
"The NSA very much supports the proposed IRSregulations," NSA executive vice president John Ams said in a statement."These recommendations will help make sure that the regulations have thedesired effect."
The IRS director for electronic tax administration andrefundable credits, David R. Williams, is due to address the NSA's boardmeeting on May 21 at 2 p.m., with a presentation titled "Tax PreparerRegistration and Testing: Next Steps," which will be streamed live on theInternet. The NSA is inviting its members to submit questions for Williams tomembers@nsacct.org.
