Hello, I am not a member here, but I am a sole practitioner EA. I have always renewed on time and never had a problem until this year. I submitted and paid for my 8554 on January 7. March 20 I received an email stating I was two hours short on CPE. However, that was not the case and my CPE was all properly accounted for in my online PTIN account. On March 21 I took time out of busy season, and completed four more hours, since the email said I lacked two, and they could be made up. I emailed the office back four times and got two canned emails, unsigned, back, stating to be patient and they would resolve my issue within two months. I called multiple times without ever reaching anyone. Then, two days ago, I got letter 5507 stating I had been placed inactive because I failed to file 8854! Yesterday I was on hold all day, never reached anyone, got two "courtesy disconnects". Today I called within a minute of their office opening, finally got to speak to an agent after being on hold an hour and forty minutes. She said yes, I had the cpe, did not need the extra hours, yes, they had my 8554, and reinstated me. It was a mistake, didn't know why, they had been getting hundreds of calls. Well, yes, I imagine so, since you are taking away credentials and livelihoods. But, she did help me, and said to expect my card in 14-20 days. I just hope this is the end of it. I found this post while scouring the internet for EA renewal problems. That was my experience, and I wanted to share it. The whole experience eroded my confidence in the system, it is wrong that one complies with every professional requirement, and then has to waste time and be stressed to the max to rectify their error. To the OP: you need to reach them, don't be deterred, I think you are indeed inactive. We work in this system, and need to be able to reach the IRS. It is disturbing that someone who cannot count cpe hours has the authority to initiate such confusion, and I would recommend they have two people look at t before they slap inactive on your renewal. Also, the letter was dated 4/14, but I received it 5/12, something I have noticed a lot in recent years with clients' IRS notices. Good luck to all fellow practitioners.
