PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Prior to my role as NCCPAP’s public relations manager, its members had been regularly meeting with the IRS, testifying before members of Congress and shaping tax policy in their respective states with little to no recognition in the press. Our PR efforts significantly increased NCCPAP’s visibility as members became regular contributors to financial and tax publications.
Recognition in local and national media outlets further solidified NCCPAP members’ reputations as experts in their field. CPAs who serve NCCPAP to shape tax policy do so on a voluntary basis. Getting them recognized in publications that garnered press for the organization had a positive secondary effect by providing marketing for their own practices. This not only increased their own value in the view of their clients and prospective clients, but elevated the value of a NCCPAP membership.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
IRS to Replace Online System with People and Faxes
(Exponentially Increasing Work Time for CPAs Across the Country)
Issued by the National Conference of CPA Practitioners (NCCPAP)
June 14, 2013, Mineola, NY -- The National Conference of CPA Practitioners (NCCPAP), a non-profit professional organization for CPAs, is outraged by, and demanding the immediate retraction of the IRS’ recent decision to remove an online service many CPAs currently depend on to instantly access client data.
Now, when CPAs receive a signed power of attorney (POA) from a client, they can submit the POA electronically and then access a multitude of reports including prior year tax returns, W2s and 1099 information: all within five minutes online.
The IRS’ announcement stated that effective August 11 of this year, this system will no longer be in place. Instead, CPAs will be required to phone in to the IRS, speak with a customer service representative, fax a form, remain on hold to ensure the fax is received and then wait for at a minimum 24 hours to a maximum of 10 days for a response to be faxed back to the CPA (the IRS can not email CPAs).
Sanford Zinman, a 30-year veteran CPA and member of NCCPAP, said “Essentially the IRS is taking a two-minute task that yields results in five minutes to a 30-minute task—more when phone call hold times are longer--that can take several days to acquire the same information. This is a valuable service for the CPAs who use it.” Additionally, should a CPA need another form for that same client the next day, the CPA would need to begin the process again.
Zinman estimates about 50,000 professionals depend on this service.
On its website the IRS cited the primary reason for the change: “Due largely to low usage of e-Service’s Disclosure Authorization (DA).” As part of the same announcement, the IRS stated: “In anticipation of this change, the IRS increased the number of employees who process authorizations and has improved internal work processes to decrease the average processing time significantly from the current 10-day processing period.”
NCCPAP strongly disagrees with the IRS’ decision to hire more staff in order to achieve a less streamlined process.
Current NCCPAP president Ed Caine stated “We are quite surprised by this action being taken by the IRS without first reaching out to the CPA community for comment. NCCPAP is in continuous contact with the Service offering advice and commentary on a multitude of issues impacting not just NCCPAP members, but our more than one million clients.”
To improve service to the tax preparer community without increasing costs, NCCPAP attends monthly National Public Liaison meetings in Washington D.C. and regularly offers suggestions. NCCPAP recommends the IRS help return the favor by postponing or retracting this decision.
ABOUT NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF CPA PRACTITIONERS (NCCPAP)
NCCPAP is a professional organization that advocates on issues that are of importance to CPAs in Public Practice throughout the United States. NCCPAP members represent over one million businesses and individual clients. NCCPAP monitors and influences tax administration and tax policy by meeting with Internal Revenue Service representatives and state taxing authorities as well as national and state elected officials. In addition, NCCPAP provides a platform for its members to exchange ideas and information on managing and running a successful CPA practice in today’s competitive environment.
“It has been my pleasure to know and work with Alexis Burd in my capacity as chair of the public relations committee of the National Conference of CPA Practitioners. Alexis is an excellent writer, a very good listener and has been very attentive to our organization’s needs. Her follow-up with assignments has been excellent and we have achieved significant growth in our public relations activities under her guidance”
Carol Markman, CPA
Public Relations Committee Chair
NCCPAP