latest IRS info on tax preparers - 2014

That's a good article. But I wasn't aware that EAs are "specifically trained." Sure, they've passed a test, but I wasn't aware that any "training" was required. ???

Continuing education is required. Isn't that training?

trained." Sure, they've passed a test, but I wasn't aware that any "training" was required. ???

Maybe they are referring to annual minimum requirements for continuing education in federal tax law that Enrolled Agents must fulfill. By contrast, would a lawyer (for example) who prepares tax returns be required by anyone to take any tax law education?

Technically no. Lawyers (at least in California) are required to do continuing education, but the topics are generally left up to the discretion of the participant.

Likewise anybody who finishes medical school and gets his license is technically allowed to do brain surgery, even if he has not had any particular education on the subject.

They refer to CE later in the paragraph. It seems to me that the sentence implies that the "specific training" is a threshold qualification of the credential. This is factually incorrect.

Continuing Education, by definition, is something that happens AFTER you've met the threshold qualifications. If they want to say "specifically trained through continuing education," that would be fine by me.

Also, I'm not aware that CE for EAs must include "tax planning" and "representation." I believe it is sufficient if it simply covers "tax preparation" and "ethics."

And I'll bet I'm not the only reader to be confused. ;-)

MTW

Well, the link appears to be broken for now anyway. There are other links being updated in this content area at

Right. According to the IRS website, there does not seem to be any required education or qualification to take the EA exam.

I'm not certain, but according to the IRS website it appears that CE for EA's is divided into three categories: ethics, federal tax law and federal tax law updates (why that's a separate category I don't know).

Do you view previous posts before you reply? :-)

Here is one that is still "live". The IRS web site is apparently still under development, as they have their own broken links to fix.