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 Katie C. Pepin, EA, President & C.E.O. was awarded a full academic scholarship to the University of Memphis. While in college, she joined American Express Financial Advisors to augment her classroom studies. Katie earned a Bachelors degree in Finance from The University of Memphis; and, while working full time, a Masters of Science in Accounting from New England College. As an Enrolled Agent and Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, she uses her degrees in both finance and accounting to help her clients with tax preparation, accounting and bookkeeping for small businesses. In her spare time she enjoys running, traveling, reading, and investing in real estate. What is an Enrolled Agent? An Enrolled Agent (EA) is a federally-authorized tax practitioner who has technical expertise in the field of taxation and who is empowered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to represent taxpayers before all administrative levels of the Internal Revenue Service for audits, collections, and appeals. What does the term “Enrolled Agent” mean? “Enrolled” means to be licensed to practice by the federal government, and “Agent” means authorized to appear in the place of the taxpayer at the IRS. Only Enrolled Agents, attorneys, and CPAs may represent taxpayers before the IRS. The Enrolled Agent profession dates back to 1884 when, after questionable claims had been presented for Civil War losses, Congress acted to regulate persons who represented citizens in their dealings with the U.S. Treasury Department. How does one become an Enrolled Agent? The license is earned in one of two ways, by passing a comprehensive examination which covers all aspects of the tax code, or having worked at the IRS for five years in a position which regularly interpreted and applied the tax code and its regulations. All candidates are subjected to a rigorous background check conducted by the IRS. How can Enrolled Agent help me? Enrolled Agents advise, represent, and prepare tax returns for individuals, partnerships, corporations, estates, trusts, and any entities with tax-reporting requirements. Enrolled Agents’ expertise in the continually changing field of taxation enables them to effectively represent taxpayers audited by the IRS. Are Enrolled Agents required to take continuing professional education?In addition to the stringent testing and application process, the IRS requires Enrolled Agents to complete 72 hours of continuing professional education, reported every three years, to maintain their Enrolled Agent status. Because of the knowledge necessary to become an Enrolled Agent and the requirements to maintain the license, there are only about 46,000 practicing Enrolled Agents. What are the differences between Enrolled Agents and other tax professionals? Only Enrolled Agents are required to demonstrate to the IRS their competence in matters of taxation before they may represent a taxpayer before the IRS. Unlike attorneys and CPAs, who may or may not choose to specialize in taxes, all Enrolled Agents specialize in taxation. Enrolled Agents are the only taxpayer representatives who receive their right to practice from the U.S. government (CPAs and attorneys are licensed by the states). Are Enrolled Agents bound by any ethical standards? Enrolled Agents are required to abide by the provisions of the Department of Treasury’s Circular 230, which provides the regulations governing the practice of Enrolled Agents before the IRS. Sarasota Tax Planning provides outstanding service to our clients because of our dedication to the three underlying principles of professionalism, responsiveness and quality. ProfessionalismOur firm is one of the leading firms in the area. By combining our expertise, experience and the energy of our staff, each client receives close personal and professional attention. Our high standards, service and specialized staff spell the difference between our outstanding performance, and other firms. We make sure that every client is served by the expertise of our whole firm. ResponsivenessOur firm is responsive. Companies who choose our firm rely on competent advice and fast, accurate personnel. We provide total financial services to individuals, large and small businesses and other agencies. To see a listing of our services, please take a moment and look at our services page. Because we get new business from the people who know us best, client referrals have fueled our growth in the recent years. Through hard work, we have earned the respect of the business and financial communities. This respect illustrates our diverse talents, dedication and ability to respond quickly. QualityAn accounting firm is known for the quality of its service. Our firm's reputation reflects the high standards we demand of ourselves. Our primary goal as a trusted advisor is to be available to provide insightful advice to enable our clients to make informed financial decisions. We do not accept anything less from ourselves and this is what we deliver to you. We feel it is extremely important to continually professionally educate ourselves to improve our technical expertise, financial knowledge and service to our clients. Our high service quality and "raving fan" clients are the result of our commitment to excellence. We will answer all of your questions, as they impact both your tax and financial situations. We welcome you to contact us anytime. |