CSEA contains individuals that are licensed by the federal government to represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Enrollment dates back to 1884, when Congress acted to regulate persons who represented citizens in their dealings with the Treasury Department, after questionable claims had been presented for Civil War losses.

Unlike lawyers or CPAs, Enrolled Agents specialize in taxation. Throughout the year they advise, represent and prepare returns for individuals, partnerships, corporations, estates, trusts and any entities with tax-reporting requirements. In California, for example, the nearly 4,000 members of the California Society of Enrolled Agents prepare almost 2,000,000 tax returns each year. Enrolled Agents' expertise in the constantly changing field of tax law enables them to be effective representatives when taxpayers are audited by the IRS.

While there are a variety of tax experts, only Enrolled Agents are required to demonstrate competence in matters of taxation before they may represent a taxpayer. Also, they are the only representatives for taxpayers who receive that right from the United States government. (CPAs and attorneys are licensed by the states).

An individual may become an Enrolled Agent in one of two ways. The primary way is to pass a difficult, two-day examination given annually by the IRS. The test covers taxation of individuals, corporations, partnerships, estates, trusts, procedures and ethics. The other way is to have been an employee of the IRS for five years, regularly applying and interpreting the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and regulations.

Over the years, an average of one-third of individuals taking the examination have passed, allowing them to apply for enrollment and subject themselves to a background investigation. In addition to the stringent testing and application process, Enrolled Agents are required to earn 72 hours of continuing professional education, reported every three years, to maintain their status. Because of the difficulty in becoming enrolled and maintaining that enrollment, there are fewer than 34,000 Enrolled Agents in the United States. In contrast, there are about 375,000 certified public accountants (CPAs) nationwide.

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