04/02/2026
Thursday, April 2, 2026
Enrolled Agent is a credential in the tax field similar the MD (Medical Doctor) is in the field of medicine. An EA is licensed by the Department of Treasury with authority to represent a taxpayer before the IRS. Because it is a federal license, we can serve clients in any state or territory of the US, not something other professionals can do. The main things a CPA can do that we cannot is a) a certified financial statement, b) a certified audits, and c) SEC reporting. Very seldom do taxpayers and small businesses need such services, but they DO need tax experts to do accurate returns, tax experts who can help bail them out of some trouble they got themselves into.
EA certification involves taking three tests: a) Individual taxation, b) business taxation, and c) Ethics (or Representation) before the IRS. I have had CPAs tell me our tests are harder than the CPA test. So I won’t tell you becoming an EA will be easy, but it will help make you a better tax professional, one who can serve your clients better.
