Discussion:5 Words or Less-What's an Enrolled Agent?
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Discussion Forum Index --> Tax Questions --> 5 Words or Less-What's an Enrolled Agent?
RidenourEA (talk|edits) said: | 10 September 2007 |
| I have a dilemma that perhaps someone can comment on. Is there a title the I can use to label myself? I am an Enrolled Agent with financial licenses. I mostly do monthly accounting, payrolls, a lot of taxes (individual, corporate, payroll, etc.) and an occasional IRA rollover. A CPA can say that they are a CPA, and that is self explanatory. No one knows what an Enrolled Agent is. My bread and butter is accounting, however in Tennessee, you cannot use the word accountant unless you are a CPA.
I would love to see a comment from another Enrolled Agent. I have asked this question for 10 years and have yet to hear a good answer. However, I have never asked an Enrolled Agent because I am the only one I know. | |
| 10 September 2007 | |
| [What is an Enrolled Agent?]
Although it would take more than 5 words to describe him ! | |
Donniecastleman (talk|edits) said: | 10 September 2007 |
| 5 words or less....
Can practice before the IRS. Passed really hard IRS test. I'm better than H&R Block. Knows more than average CPA. 9/10 of a good CPA. Kid tested and mother approved. I do really good taxes!
| |
| 10 September 2007 | |
| Here are 8 words: I'm licensed by the IRS to represent taxpayers
followed by 3 more: Consultation, Preparation, Representation | |
| 10 September 2007 | |
| Treasury Licensed Tax Specialist. Thats only four.
Godlike Treasury Licensed Tax Specialist. How's that? | |
| 10 September 2007 | |
| See, most people don't understand most of this. Licensed by the IRS to represent taxpayers, do most average people know what that means? I'm a CPA and when I tell people that alot of times they'll say, "Oh, you do taxes." So, do you have to be as concise as 5 words? BTW, I try to stay unbiased on the EA vs. CPA issue, clearly Donnie, you don't feel the same way. Public perception sure doesn't either, right or wrong. | |
| 10 September 2007 | |
| I usually use some explanation like "tax specialist. Licensed by the IRS to represent taxpayers before the service". I do not waste a lot of time trying to say an EA is better, worse or the same as a CPA, its the person not the letters that determine whether anyone is good or not. But I just point out that an Enrolled Agent's main focus in taxation. | |
Donniecastleman (talk|edits) said: | 10 September 2007 |
| Hey LJA, I'm on my way to being a CPA so I'll hopefully have the best of both worlds. I get asked the old What is an EA question at least once a month and I have yet to form an effective answer. I didn't even think about being an EA until one day that it just popped in my head and I literally studied and passed it within two months, it was just a small great detour on the way to being a CPA. | |
| 10 September 2007 | |
| Ridenour, are you sure you can't hold yourself out simply as an "accountant"? Yes, you probably can't say you're a "public accountant" and you definitely can't state you're a "certified public accountant." But not sure why you can't use the general term "accountant" or "bookkeeper" for advertising purposes. Of course, I don't know any of Tennessee's laws so you may be right. | |
| 10 September 2007 | |
| I've got the best of BOTH worlds.
I'm both a CPA AND EA. I got tired of being asked "What's an EA?" So - 20 years I took the time and trouble to pass the CPA exam so I wouldn't have to keep explaining - and I come from New York. In mid 1990s Circular 230 rules changed and was able to get the EA license back. | |
TheTinCook (talk|edits) said: | 10 September 2007 |
| When I told my brother that I was going to be an Enrolled Agent, he said "Cool, you're going to work for the IRS!" | |
| 10 September 2007 | |
| No one would know what Jello was if the company did not advertise. The EA groups need to brag about their credential... can't afford TV? Then the EA associations should try print ads. Let go of some money to make some money. P.S. one great advantage an EA has is that he/she can practice before Tax Court in any jurisdiction in the country. CPA's and attorneys cannot without permission, well, unless they are licensed in every state. | |
TheTinCook (talk|edits) said: | 10 September 2007 |
| ".S. one great advantage an EA has is that he/she can practice before Tax Court in any jurisdiction in the country. CPA's and attorneys cannot without permission, well, unless they are licensed in every state."
Non-attorneys can't ppractice before the Tax Court unless they pass a seperate Tax Court Exam. Attorneys are automatically allowed to practice before the Tax Court. | |
| 10 September 2007 | |
| I will stand corrected if the EA has to take a separate test, but once he does, he/she can practice before the tax court nationwide. However, an atty. licensed in GA. can practice before the tax court when it sits in GA. I would say such atty. cannot practice before it if it sits in another state, unless he gets permission first. | |
TheTinCook (talk|edits) said: | 10 September 2007 |
| Quote from the new rule 200 of the tax court. New Rules
"(2) Attorney Applicants: An applicant who is an attorney at law must, as a condition of being admitted to practice, file with the Admissions Clerk at the address listed in Rule 200(b) a completed application accompanied by a fee to be established by the Court, see Appendix II, and a current certificate from the Clerk of the appropriate court, showing that the applicant has been admitted to practice before and is a member in good standing of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States, or of the highest or appropriate court of any State or of the District of Columbia, or any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States. A current court certificate is one executed within 90 calendar days preceding the date of the filing of the application." Nothing to suggest that GA attorney could not practice in the Tax Court if was sitting outside GA. If he can take cases not from GA is a seperate issue. | |
| September 10, 2007 | |
| Crow, the diff is that the EA group hasn't deemed it necessary to extract huge sums from its members merely to advertise itself for higher fees. | |
| 11 September 2007 | |
| no non-attorney may practice before tax court without passing the tax court exam (TCP), not CPAs not EAs not anybody.
An EA is a Tax specialist on YOUR side. | |
Donniecastleman (talk|edits) said: | 11 September 2007 |
| Wow, I just looked at the Tax Court exam, I'd fare pretty well in all of the sections except section one, in actuality I'd probably fail all four sections, with less points in the first section. | |
Bottom Line (talk|edits) said: | 17 September 2007 |
| Tennessee used to have a law (don't know if they still do) making it a criminal offense to use the word BANK if the business was not a commercial bank. That means that there were no "blood banks". (This was one of the things we spotchecked when I was a bank examiner.) | |
Actionbsns (talk|edits) said: | 17 September 2007 |
| When I'm asked what an EA is, I just tell people I'm licensed by the IRS to prepare taxes. What they often hear is that I work for the IRS and it can clear a room faster than announcing "I sell life insurance". I'm also a CLU, but haven't been in practice for a long time so I don't use the designation on my material. I used to be asked a lot about what that was, too. I like Kevin's "Tax Specialist", it's simple and direct. | |
