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It's election day. Please remember to vote. Please remember also to vote for candidates who are honest and principled, and who will do the best job of representing your values. It doesn't matter whether the person is an incumbent or challenger, Democrat, Republican, Independent, Libertarian, Green, Constitution, Anti-High-Rent, or any other party. Just demand integrity and true representation from them. Remember - and remind them, that they work for YOU. NOT the other way around, and certainly not for the gaggle of special interest groups just waiting to co-opt and corrupt them. Remind them often, and - if they sell out to those special interests - fire them next time around.

I filled out and sent in my absentee ballot weeks ago and played golf today rather than stand in a line. taxbilly

I was at the poll when it opened at 7:00 this morning and was fourth in line. And it was about 27 degrees here in Northwest PA at that time. But I did my civic duty. Thanks for the reminder to everyone.

Yes, don't forget to vote. The country you save may be your own. Yankee Doodle Booger

And all the new regulations will STILL not affect the shyster who told the retired woman it was safer for her to sign the return as "self-prepared". She can't prove he prepared it even if she could find him. Nor do the regulations provide for better, faster ways to remove the Roni Deutsch's of the world from hawking their questionable wares. So how, exactly, is all the new hoo-hah going to help anyone? It's just a pain for us, the ones who follow the rules. Enforce the existing rules before instituting new ones. The new rules are just a way of claiming to do something while actually doing nothing to improve the situation for honorable tax preparers or tax payers.

Incompetent and unlicensed tax preparers were not my problem until the IRS decided to license/control all preparers and have penalties for everything. The problem appears to be with the franchised tax services so why does the IRS cause small professional tax preparers so much headache?

I take a two day class every year which generates 14 hours of CPE credits which are certified. Have attended this class starting in 1999 and all years since. In fact, class is week after next. I also attempt to attend Webinars which are offered by ATX and the IRS. These will also certify credits if you want. In addition, I subscribe to and USE Quickfinder Individual, Business and All States. I also use the US Master Tax Guide and the Wisconsin Tax Guide as well as the textbooks that are included in the schooling. In addition, I use Pub 17 as well as a working relationship with the local IRS service office. I am consistent with reading the questions and answers on this board and use the "Search" or question option for issues that I need additional help with. I don't have a problem with being licensed by the IRS. Of course, nobody likes to pay a fee every year, but if it will help keep down some of the preparer error that I see cross my desk, I will not complain (too much)! I have held a PTIN since the first year they came out, which, of course, means nothing other than that I have tried to keep current with the times. The classes I attend are not inexpensive and not always interesting, but I think they are necessary to what I do. I hope this answers your question from my perspective as to what some of us unlicensed preparers do to comply.