IRS Seeks Comments On Approval Process For Continuing Education Providers Under Final Circular 230 Regs.

 

(i) An accredited educational institution;

(ii) Recognized for continuing education purposes by the licensing body of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, including a Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia;

(iii) Recognized and approved by a qualifying organization as a provider of continuing education on subject matters within section 10.6(f) of Circular 230; or

(iv) Recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a professional organization, society, or business whose programs include offering continuing professional education opportunities in subject matters within section 10.6(f) of Circular 230.

 

Continuing Education Providers

• The information that an applicant must submit to be approved as a continuing education provider under section 10.9(a)(1)(iv) and assigned a continuing education provider number;

• The criteria that the IRS should use to evaluate whether a continuing education provider applicant meets the requirements of Circular 230;

• The criteria that the IRS should use to evaluate whether a continuing education provider's programs meet the standards for continuing education programs in Circular 230;

• The information that a continuing education provider must provide to renew its status as a continuing education provider;

• The frequency and month/time of year that continuing education providers must renew their status with the IRS;

• The level of detail that continuing education providers must provide to the IRS regarding changes in continuing education programs offered and the mechanism for notifying the IRS about these changes;

• The information that the IRS should publish so that tax return preparers may identify the individuals and entities approved as continuing education providers, and how often the publication should be updated for the information to be considered current;

• The approximate date by which continuing education providers should receive approval from the IRS to be able to offer continuing education programs by January 1, 2012;

 

Accrediting Organizations

• The criteria that the IRS should use to determine which accrediting organizations have minimum education standards comparable to those set forth in Circular 230 in order to accredit an individual or entity as a continuing education provider under section 10.9(a)(1)(iii) for approval after the individual or entity follows applicable procedures prescribed by the IRS;

• The procedure that organizations must utilize to be designated as accrediting organizations and the requirements that organizations approved as accrediting organizations must follow to maintain their status;

• The reports, if any, that accrediting organizations must provide to the IRS regarding continuing education providers approved by the accrediting organization;

• The records, if any, that accrediting organizations must maintain and how long these records must be maintained;

• The information that the IRS should publish so that continuing education providers may identify accrediting organizations, and how often this information should be updated to be considered current;

• Any additional information that the IRS should consider when developing procedures and standards applicable to the continuing education provider approval process.

 

Internal Revenue Service

 

Attn: CC:PA:LPD:PR (Notice 2011-61)

 

Room 5205

 

P.O. Box 7604

 

Ben Franklin Station

 

Washington, D.C. 20044

 

 

Courier's Desk

 

Internal Revenue Service

 

Attn: CC:PA:LPD:PR (Notice 2011-61)

 

1111 Constitution Avenue, N.W.

 

Washington, D.C. 20224