Uncredentialed tax preparers (preparers who are not RTRPs, CPAs or Enrolled Agents) have until the end of December to get their requirements met to participate in the IRS voluntary Annual Filing Season Program.  If  qualified, the IRS will issue a Certificate of Completion (suitable for framing, no doubt) that gives the preparer something to show clients and prospective clients that they have completed the AFSP and will be included in the list of qualified preparers soon to come on the IRS website starting next year.  See more info in this article by Jeff Stimpson in Accounting Today:

http://www.accountingtoday.com/news/irs-watch/deadline-looms-for-voluntary-irs-registration-72976-1.html

Since the IRS lost the ability to require preparers to become an RTRP in court, this new program is the result.  Since it is voluntary this passes muster and so the Service can say it is trying to give taxpayers more information on qualified preparers (I wonder if the RTRPs, CPAs and EAs will be on that website list, too?)

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