EA & POA

[Terry D EA]

This from the NAEA

ALERT: New IRS Policy for POAs!

We want to make all EAs aware that there is a new policy at IRS for powers of attorney (POAs) requiring three zeroes ("0's") to be placed in front of the enrollment number (000XXXXX) on form 2848.

If the three zeroes are not included with the enrollment number, POAs are getting returned. As a result, we are encouraging all EAs to proactively include three zeroes at the front of your enrollment number on form 2848 POAs to avoid any processing issues.

[BulldogTom]

Just another way for the IRS to not do their job.  Anything to make it harder to communicate with a live person at the IRS seems to be their policy.  They definitely never wanted to talk to taxpayers, and now they don't want to talk to us.   In the old days, they would claim the fax machine ran out of paper.   Then it was that they did not get the forms. Not picking up the phone (which has been their favorite tactic since the pandemic started) is starting to become a political liability, so they needed a new reason to not talk to us.   So now it will be that they can't read the three leading zeros that they never used before to keep us from representing our clients before them.  

Tom
Longview, TX

[ILLMAS]

There is always one agent that double checks every line item, avoid that person.

[Lion EA]

And, it's basically 8 digits-EA. So, if your # already includes more than 5 digits, 3 zeros will be too many! As Tom said, any little detail so they don't have to work with us.

[Terry D EA]

Mine starts with two zeros. I faxed a POA last week without the third zero so we shall see.

[mcbreck]

I always included the 3 zeros. It's an 8 digit number so when they enter your EA number, you have to include the 0's.

[BulldogTom]

When I look at the certificate that they sent me in 1999, signed by the IRS Director of Practice, it only has 5 digits.   It is the one that hangs on the wall in my office.   For the last 23 years they have been able to identify me by those 5 digits.   Along with the PTIN they require me to have to e-file, they know who I am.   They are just being lazy.

Tom
Longview, TX

[Abby Normal]

It is indeed lazy programming to not be able to add the leading zeroes for you.

[Catherine]

7 hours ago, BulldogTom said:

When I look at the certificate that they sent me in 1999, signed by the IRS Director of Practice, it only has 5 digits.   It is the one that hangs on the wall in my office.   For the last 23 years they have been able to identify me by those 5 digits.   Along with the PTIN they require me to have to e-file, they know who I am.   They are just being lazy.

What Tom said. My Enrollment Certificate has five - and only five - digits. Never had a problem with POAs in the past. Sloppy programming (as Abby said), or purposeful obfuscation. At this point in my life, I never attribute to stupidity what can best be explained by malice.