If your tax preparer has not gotten his or her preparer tax identification number (PTIN), now is the time to do it. All preparers who charge for preparation are supposed to have this number before they prepare returns. Here is an article about it:
http://www.accountingtoday.com/news/IRS-PTIN-Renewal-Tax-Season-60531-1.html
For all your information I renewed my PTIN last week, so I am ready for tax season (except for software, organizers and appointments). Didn’t tax season just end on October 17?