I’m exaggerating a bit, but I’m not happy when I find myself and my colleagues treated as second-class citizens. And that’s may become the case in Iowa.
There’s a proposal in the Iowa legislature to regulate tax professionals. CPAs are exempt; so are attorneys. However, Enrolled Agents are not exempt.
This is just bad legislation. Enrolled Agents are the only licensed tax professionals who must get all of their continuing education in tax. I’m pleased to note that the Iowa Society of CPAs is against this legislation.
Of course, this legislation has little to do with protecting the public and everything to do with the occupational licensing schemes of either making sure the current incumbents remain so or to raise money.
If you’re an Iowan, write your legislators to tell them they should have better things to do, like passing legislation so Iowans know what their 2015 state taxes will be. (Yes, Iowa hasn’t decided whether or not to conform to the changes made late last year to the federal tax code.)