| So, you just passed the IRS EA exam. | | | | taxpayer garners a resounding response of, "Huh?" |
| Congratulations! | | | | The reason for this disparity is most likely due to the |
| Okay... now what the heck is an enrolled agent? | | | | moniker mishap. And it's something that is being |
| Sure, maybe you know what it is if you've been | | | | brought to light as of late, with recent changes to tax |
| preparing for the EA Exam, or if you happen to be an | | | | preparer regulations. The new tax laws create two |
| enrolled agent already, or if you're just one of those | | | | new classes of tax preparers-- making the already |
| geeks who look up things on Wikipedia for fun (you | | | | inadequate title even more inapt. The solution? New |
| know who you are). But if you'd never heard the term | | | | names! |
| before, you'd probably have no idea what the job | | | | Now, for the happy few of you out there who have |
| required. | | | | grown attached to the title "enrolled agent," who cling |
| That's not the case with other job titles. "First Grade | | | | to it like that female bodybuilder clings to her dumbbells, |
| Teacher." "Tire Store Owner." "Female Bodybuilder." | | | | this may be quite the paradigm shift. But perhaps the |
| With these and other job titles, there's no question | | | | new recognition you'll receive with a more appropriate |
| about what the position entails. Teaching first graders. | | | | title will be enough to soothe your grief. Below are |
| Running a tire store. Making out-of-shape men feel | | | | listed some of the possible options for the new |
| badly about themselves. The titles all aptly describe the | | | | appellation: Federal Tax Practitioner Federal Taxpayer |
| jobs being performed. | | | | Representative Federal Tax Professional Federal Tax |
| Not so with "enrolled agent." Neither of the words in | | | | Specialist Certified Tax Practitioner Certified Taxpayer |
| the title describe to a taxpayer what it is that person | | | | Representative Certified Tax Professional Federally |
| does, or wherein his expertise lies. Let's face it: the | | | | Authorized Tax Practitioner Federally Authorized |
| term doesn't really tell the average joe anything about | | | | Taxpayer Representative (my personal favorite, just |
| what it is the job entails-- that is, being a federally | | | | because the acronym, "FATR" could be simply |
| licensed tax preparer. When you think of "enrolled," do | | | | pronounced "fatter") Federally Authorized Tax |
| you picture someone who has passed the ea | | | | Professional Licensed Tax Practitioner Licensed |
| examination on tax laws and representation issues? | | | | Taxpayer Representative Licensed Tax Professional |
| And does the word "agent" bring to mind a person | | | | Federally Licensed Tax Practitioner Federally Licensed |
| who can represent you before the Internal Revenue | | | | Taxpayer Representative Federally Licensed Tax |
| Service? Put the words together-- what picture do | | | | Professional |
| you get now? (I personally get the image of a | | | | Maybe none of those roll off the tongue as easily as |
| trenchcoat-donning CIA operative, signing up for | | | | "enrolled agent." Maybe you're happy with the way |
| classes at the local community college. But that's just | | | | things were. But the change could be a good thing, |
| me.) | | | | whichever of the options above are chosen. Just think: |
| Truth be told, though, enrolled agents-- despite their | | | | one day in the not-so-distant future, when you tell |
| strange title-- have actually been around since 1884. | | | | people at a party what you do for a living (after |
| Yeah. Seriously. You'd think a position with more than | | | | everyone's oohed and aahed over the first grade |
| one hundred years of service on its resume would | | | | teacher's cute student stories), you won't be met with |
| have a little more recognition, a little more clout in the | | | | blank stares. Who knows? By then, people may |
| collective knowledge of the American citizenry. But still, | | | | actually have heard of your job. What a concept. |
| uttering the term "enrolled agent" to the average | | | | |