The IRS has released a new enrolled agent exam being used for the current testing session which began on October 5^th. The exam, required for all enrolled agents, has been significantly revised and will be offered at 290 secured testing sites throughout North America .

The IRS worked with Thomson Prometric, a company specializing in assessment, to revise the exam. The test was changed from four sections to three to more adequately represent taxpayers (1. Individuals, 2. Businesses, and 3. Representation, Practice and Procedures). Each part of the exam has 100 questions and takes about 3.5 hours to complete; enrolled agents are no longer required to take the exam in one sitting.

Many changes were made in order to make the exam more convenient. Those wanting to become enrolled agents will enjoy the availability of online application and payment, year-round registration, year-round testing, the ability to retake parts of the exam if necessary, and, beginning May 2007, immediate test results.

New fees will also apply. The IRS will charge an $11 user fee to take the exam and a separate $125 fee to enroll or renew enrollment with the IRS. Thomson Prometric also charges its own $86 user fee for each part of the exam. These new fees go into effect the enrollment cycle following November 6^th.

Enrolled agents are tax professionals who apply for enrollment and meet IRS standards of competency, determined by the enrolled agent exam. All enrolled agents are issued an enrollment card. Visit http://www.prometric.com/IRS/default.htm to learn more.

More IRS News: Recent IRS Appointments

The IRS has recently announced a number of new appointments within their organization. They include the following:

• William P. O’Shea as Associate Chief Counsel, Passthroughs and Special Industries.
• Ronald J. Schultz as Senior Technical Advisor to the Commissioner of the IRS’s Tax Exempt and Government Entities division.
• Clarissa C. Potter as the Deputy Chief Counsel (Technical).
• Michael Julianelle as the Director of Government Entities.
• Joseph H. Grant as the Director of Employment Plans.

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