Liberty Tax Service

[joanie3444]

Liberty Tax Service has a classified ad in my local newspaper "tax preparers wanted--no experienc needed."

How are they going to get PTIN numbers or will they fall between the cracks? I have been doing tax returns

for 41 years and have to go through all this testing and stuff. always have plenty of continuing ed, but the

test is worrying me. I am 78 years old and probably not a good test taker. Maybe it is time to retire.

Joann

[GeorgeM]

They will not get PTIN numbers, they will no be signing the returns.

HR and Jackson have the same type of preparers. All it cost them is one fee to the IRS for each office they have.

As for as the test goes I am in the same boat as you I am 74 and it will force me to retire, unless I can talk my clients to accept the return as self prepared and I will e-file it.

The IRS will never get the big preparers to get qualified help to prepare taxes.

[Crank]

I hate to see the test become a deterrent to seasoned tax preparers. If you have been doing taxes for a long time, a little studying shouldnt be a problem and it will give you a sense of pride and accomplishment. It was meant to weed out tax preparers who arent up to snuff. I cant see the tests being all that difficult.

But ultimately it your decision. Good luck.

[Lion EA]

You can do it. Take the test. :D

[taxguy057]

"As for as the test goes I am in the same boat as you I am 74 and it will force me to retire, unless I can talk my clients to accept the return as self prepared and I will e-file it."

Wouldn't you still have to take the test to qualify for your EFIN in order to e-file even if you don't sign the return and the taxpayer does the signing? :scratch_head:

[Pacun]

Whoever has more than 5 years of experience should try to pass the EA exam. Why do you want to pass the easy test and be placed at the same level of someone just entering the arena?

As I said on another post, when someone has ss benefits and I notice that the benefits are not taxable, I add $50K to the W-2 and if still not taxable, I know I made a mistake entering the ss benefits. I could prepare taxes correctly for so many years but in reality I don't know crap if I do that all the time. In this case, I depend so much on the software and every year that passes I have one more year of experience but in reality I don't even know when SS benefits are taxable. This is just an example.

My friend has more than 3K clients and she has preparers who don't even speak English and depend a lot from the software. My friend checks every return but I still believe these people shouldn't be substantially preparing tax returns. TESTS will eliminate these people and I am glad the IRS is testing.

I just became EA and I was required to take CPE credits. I was affraid that I was going to need to study. Those CPE credits are a joke and only cost us money. I took a webminar that my 3 year old daughter could pass. They asked you about 6 questions with no wrong answers.

[Pacun]

I have a suggestion for those of you who cannot pass the test, have experience and clients. Merge your practice with an EA. Your clientele might not grow anymore but at least you will have income for the next 5 years.

You can merge with a CPA but I understand that CPAs charge much more and your clients might go away if charge them much more the year of the merger.

Or simply hire an EA who has few clients.

[Lion EA]

Pacun makes a great point. Go for the EA. The RTRP can always be your fall-back position, since you have until the end of 2013 to get one of those designations. Find a study buddy, live or online.

[joanie3444]

Thanks to all who commented. The test is probably not that hard. It is just the idea of all the study and having to travel for the test. I do 325 returns, so

I guess I will just go ahead and do the test. If I were ten years younger, I would go for the EA, but I probably won't work after about five more years

Happy New Year,

Joann

[joanmcq]

I just got this email from Liberty under the heading "Be a Tax Animal!"

Discover the new way of doing taxes…The Fun Way…The Liberty Way!!!!

Liberty Tax Service wants to talk to you. We are actively recruiting tax preparers in your area who are looking for a new way to prepare taxes. The Fun Way. The Liberty Way. Are you interested in working in an office where everyone is committed to your success? A place where the customers feel welcome? Were food and beverages are served and everyone is happy. In many of our offices we even give out fifty dollar bills for every tax return we complete! Doesn’t that sound like a company you’d like to be part of? We’re working on programs to help preparers get ready for the IRS certification deadline, so come on in and find out more. It’s easy, you can call us at 800-493-0536 to be immediately connected to an office near you or visit our website www.libertytax.com and find the offices near you. We’ll be waiting for you!

You should have seen the images, which the board wouldn't allow me to copy.

Yup, just what I was looking for in a tax job. :scratch_head:

[joanie3444]

I received that email also--Unbelievable---

[Terry D EA]

Me too! While I agree the George M on how the big boys are doing this. However, that one person who is signing the return is accepting a lot of responsibility in my opinion. The IRS needs to develope a plan that stops the big boys from hiring inexperienced people and allowing them to prepare the tax returns. After all, it would be a somewhat safe assumption that is where a lot of errors come from. Anyone can make a mistake no matter how much experience or credentials you have. If this is designed to ensure the general public that a compentent person is preparing their return, where is the competence in a new non-experienced preparer?

[Lion EA]

I worked for HRB for 11 years before going out on my own. I had a PTIN from the first year it was offered. I always signed my own returns. I had to take 24(?) CPE each year to be rehired and 30(?) to be on the HRB certification track. They must be running a course to prepare for the RTRP test, similar to the course to prepare for the EA test that HRB has had for years. Really the same requirements as being on your own. Except that a Block employee could pay as little as $20 for unlimited Block education and $0 if an EA. I do miss the free courses, and the texts were almost always excellent. Classes are on line and in classrooms.

[Pacun]

I got the email also and it is interesting to see that they used "were" instead of "where" in the article.

I agree with Lion, H and R block has excellent courses. Without being an employee, I have taken a lot of courses, but I have paid more than $300 per course. I wish they continue to "educate the competition" as one instructor put it, but they stopped that practice a couple of years ago.

[Jack from Ohio]

I just received the same e-mail. Waiting for this year's letter from H&R wanting to buy my tax business. I have the last three posted on the wall in my office.

[GeneInAlabama]

I got the same e-mail also. They must have gotten my e-mail address from the IRS or the software company. Seems they have the e-mail address of a lot of preparers.

[mcb39]

I would imagine they got it off of the IRS website where all e-filers are listed by zip code. I got the e-mail today also so I know what the graphics looked like. I really want to prepare taxes like an animal..NOT. On the other subject. I have absolutely no objection to taking the test. My anger is with the lack of availability of the testing. At my age, I no longer drive in huge metropolitan areas, nor should I. In an earlier post I mentioned that I live one mile away from an IRS walk in center. Well, clients are telling me that there is not a warm body occupying that office. They say that when you go in, you have to talk to a computer. This is after they just spent mega bucks remodeling that almost new building last year for the "sake of security". Will check it out when I go down to pick up my Pub 17. and will report.

[Achmid]

Most older people like myself will fail the test inspite of years of experince and ethical conduct. I have taken many CPE couses and probably could not pass most with open book. If the test is practical and resonable you should pass but I have no faith in the bureaucrats. One must do what one has to do for whatever survival you need. My outlok is buyer beware and anybody with minimal controls should practice what profession they choose- taxation, law, and even medicine to an extent. No I do not live in a redneck state but one of the bastions of so called liberalism.

[joanmcq]

HRB & the others have/had cheap CPE, but don't pay very much either!

This is my first year completely out on my own, no other job to save my butt. I hope I have the energy I need to make it work!