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Enrolled Agents, CPAs and tax attorneys were exempted from annual requirements for Continuing Professional Education. This statement is wrong. Enrolled Agents are required by the US Treasury to complete 72 hours of continuing education every three years. That has not changed. Regulation of all tax preparers is long overdue. The IRS may not have the authority, but Congress seems unable to do their job and pass appropriate laws to give the IRS authority to do so. The industry needs to improve its standards. The IRS should still honor the RTRP status that many have worked to achieve. Especially, now that they can't require all preparers to become RTRPs EAs CPAs or attorneys to do return for compensation after this losing this court case. Personally, I would require a preparer to be an EA CPA or attorney. Not that a designation makes a preparer better, but it would be tougher for "fly by night" tax preparers. I see too many client hurt by poor preparers (yes including the bad and ugly among EA, CPA, and attorneys - every industry has that problem.) Plumbers, electricians, attorneys, accountants, etc all have licensing requirements, why not tax preparers.

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