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Monday, March 12, 2012

Tax Preparers Sue IRS Over New Licensing Requirements

https://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2012/03/tax-preparers.html

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» Lawsuit challenges preparer regulation program from Roth & Company, P.C.
The libertarian public interest law firm Institute for Justice is suing the IRS today to shut down the preparer regulation... [Read More]

Tracked on Mar 13, 2012 7:05:58 AM

Comments

I'm glad that someone is challenging the IRS on this. It's just a way to grab money from preparers in exchange for nothing and with no legitimate solution to a problem, which can be solved better than rounding up all preparers for a lineup.

From the report, this is a trend that should worry people, and it's getting worse.

The licensing requirements for tax preparers are part of an explosion in ill-conceived licensing regimes across a variety of professions, the institute says. They cite research that shows the percentage of the U.S. workforce subject to licensure has increased from 5 percent in the 1950s to 30 percent in 2006. The institute has filed numerous legal challenges questioning government authority to license various professions, from hair braiders to tour guides to yoga teachers.

That leaves off interior decorators, which Florida licenses, because you don't want an unlicensed decorator helping you to pick out curtains. Think of the cost to society if the colors clash with your furniture.

Here's my favorite quote -- Plaintiff, John Gambino of Hoboken, N.J.: "I'm not asking for any money. I just want them to leave me alone." Amen.

Posted by: Woody | Mar 13, 2012 7:55:24 AM