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It isn’t surprising that INTUIT (TurboTax) would view this injunction as an “Unfortunate Event” and not mind seeing the tax preparation industry turned on its ear by this poorly thought out registration requirement. Intuit caters to the taxpayers who buy TurboTax and self-prepare their tax returns. While TurboTax is in essence performing the same mechanical function as a human tax preparer, it is doubtful that the programmers of the TurboTax software or for that matter the INTUIT Company, is or will be required to become a Registered Tax Preparer. Tax software is no substitute for tax knowledge. Even the national tax prep mills have secured an “exemption” to the registration requirement of all persons providing tax preparation and advisory services. As for the regulation itself, much like the current push to further regulate gun ownership, the registering of tax preparers will only further regulate those who already do the right thing. Those individuals the IRS is seeking to eliminate from the industry will find a way to circumvent the registration requirement and will still prepare bad returns…probably by using a DIY Box Tax Software. The current effort to regulate the profession by registering the preparers will not solve the problems of bad tax preparation by uneducated or unscrupulous individuals. This registration regulation would be as effective as using a Rx is at keeping controlled drugs out of the hands of drug dealers or as stricter gun registration laws at keeping guns out of the hands of the bad guys. Exempting only individuals who hold credentials as a CPA, EA, and Attorneys is a discriminatory slap in the face to those individuals who hold other professionally recognized credentials and who are in many cases licensed by their state Board of Accountancy, just not as a CPA. These licensed and credentialed individuals already possess formal advanced education requirements and annual continuing education requirements that far exceed the requirements of the Registered Tax Preparer. Among these are individuals who, although they may meet all the requirements and are qualified to do so, choose not to become a CPA or an EA. The idea of cleaning up the tax preparation industry is not a bad one nor is it a new one. It is a subject over which most legitimate tax preparers have lamented for some time. It is, however, one that still needs to be given a great deal more thought; with a great deal more discussion and input as to how it should and can be done FAIRLY and EFFECTIVELY.

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