There are many types of tax professionals out there. When encountering a tax problem, you may wonder which one you should choose. Most people know about accountants and tax attorneys, but the enrolled agent is often overlooked. An enrolled agent is often the best choice for a great variety of situations. This page will explain what enrolled agents are and how they can help you!
What Is an Enrolled Agent?
Simply put, an enrolled agent is a tax professional who has proven that he or she has specialized knowledge in everything tax related. In order to become an enrolled agent, a tax professional must have worked as an IRS employee for at least five years. Or, he or she must pass an eight-hour, two-day examination which covers three parts:
- Individual Taxes
- Business Taxes
- Representation, Practice and Procedures
Benefits of Working with an Enrolled Agent
An enrolled agent is the only tax professional that has proven he or she has a dedicated knowledge of tax matters to the IRS. Not only must an enrolled agent pass the initial exam, but they also must perform 30 hours of documented continuing professional education per year to maintain their enrollment status and keep up with the ever-growing list of changes to the tax code. An enrolled agent also needs to be in good standing with the IRS with his or her personal taxes.
Even a tax attorney doesn't need to go through the rigorous process that enrolled agents go through to prove familiarity with tax issues. An accountant may have very little real knowledge of taxes. The tax preparers at many chain stores have only taken a short course on tax preparation basics.
Unenrolled tax preparers are also extremely limited as to what they can even do for a client. Not only are they unable to represent clients in tax appeals or before revenue officers, but they cannot execute any effective changes to a client's standing with the IRS. Appealing tax debts, working with revenue officers, and executing IRS agreements are just a few of the things enrolled agents are able to do for their clients.
Why You Should Work with an Enrolled Agent
Working with an enrolled agent is similar to hiring a specialist for a specific health matter. You wouldn't go exclusively to a family doctor to treat a life-threatening cancer. You certainly wouldn't read a medical dictionary and try to treat it yourself. You would find a specialist with extensive experience and knowledge with your particular type of cancer.
Yet, people treat their tax matters in a very dissimilar fashion. When you need to stop levies and liens, you need to talk with someone who has complete tax knowledge and the IRS is willing to work with. You don't need to hire someone who has related skills or went to a quick workshop on taxes. This is why working with an enrolled agent is the best choice in tax help.
If would like to learn more about how an enrolled agent relieves tax problems, consult a professional. Call (800) 590-4524 now or fill out the form below for a free tax debt consultation to see if an enrolled agent can help you! We'll only connect you with a tax debt relief company holding at least a B rating with the Better Business Bureau.
