Gadgetfreak

Thank you all so much for your responses. You are correct. The email Subject is IRS Enrolled Agent - Renewal Due by January 31, 2026, and it is addressed to "Dear Enrolled Agent." As I am not an EA, I assumed they had just confused this with an ERPA. But now I see the confusion was sending the EA email to ERPAs :). OK. Immediate crises averted. Thank you, Paul, for the link to check ERPA credits and renewal date. I am not so concerned about the credits to date because not all of them are reported directly anyway. When I renew, I report them then. What still confuses me is the cycle for restatements and CE credits. I don't see why it has to be so complicated. My ERPA expires 9/30/26 according to the website. It seems I need to submit my renewal application between 4/1/26 and 6/30/26. On that application, I am to report CE credits from which years? 2023, 2024, and 2025? See the screenshot from the IRS. It says 2023-2026, which is four years. So confusing. Thanks again for everything.

Back to this topic. I don't consider myself stupid, but the IRS makes things so complicated. I received an email this weekend from the IRS that says: Dear Enrolled Agent, Your application for renewal of your Enrolled Agent credential is due by January 31, 2026. If you have completed all required continuing education (CE) hours, please submit your application before the January 31 deadline to avoid a potential lapse in your credential. Your renewal application should not be submitted until your required CE hours are complete. Processing of your renewal application may be delayed if you have insufficient CE hours or incomplete documentation of valid CE. To ensure timely processing of your renewal application, please check your online PTIN account (IRS.gov/ptin) to verify that all CE hours are accurately reported. Continuing Education Requirements: Obtain 72 hours (66 hours tax-related CE and 6 hours ethics) every three years, based on your renewal cycle. EXCEPTION: If this is your first renewal, you must complete 2 hours of tax-related CE for each month of your enrollment, plus 2 hours of ethics each year. Obtain a minimum of 16 hours per year (2 of which must be ethics) CE hours from courses that were taken before the month in which you became an Enrolled Agent are not applicable. Excess hours in ethics cannot be applied toward your federal tax/federal tax law CE requirement. CE must be obtained through an IRS-approved continuing education provider. If you have completed IRS-approved courses that are not posted on your IRS PTIN account, contact your CE provider for assistance. I didn't think I was up for renewal yet, but I can't even see where my current status is listed. Anyway, I go to the FAQs and follow this link: Publication 5186 (Rev. 11-2022) My SS# ends in 5. Doesn't this mean that my renewal APPLICATION must be submitted between 4/1/26 and 6/30/26? So what is this email I got about 1/31/26? And then, I am STILL so confused about which credits I am to report? Each of those ranges in the Renewal Cycle is 4 years. This is supposed to be a 3-year program. Further complicating this, is the fact that the PDF of form 8554-EP is from 2020 and doesn't have the current years. The online form for 8554-EP on pay.gov doesn't give any additional information. So...... 1) Does anyone know where I can see online my official ERPA status and when it expires? 2) Can anyone explain the discrepancy between the email stating I need to submit my application by 1/31/26 vs. everything else above? 3) When do you think I need to submit my application? And what period will the renewal cover? 4) Which years of CE do I need to report on this upcoming application? Thanks in advance.

The issue is more about compensation, I think. There must be many entry-level positions in this field available. But they come with entry-level salaries. Since her prior experience doesn't translate well to this industry, it is almost like she will have to start at the bottom.

I think it is an unnecessary burden on the client/employer. The code should be set up on the payroll side. After all, the recordkeeper can only identify a mistake AFTER it happens. In my opinion, the payroll system should be programmed to handle this so an error does NOT occur. Yes, the RK can be a second line of defense (if the employer provides HPI data), but employers shouldn't need to do that if they don't want to.

I am curious about why the industry doesn't view this as purely a payroll function. While an RK needs DOBs for various reasons and can use them to determine whether a participant's catch-up needs to be returned because they are not the proper age, there is no other reason to collect SS wages except for this new rule. Why can't this responsibility be put on payroll companies to ensure they do it properly? They have all the records.

Looks like it. 18 complaints over the last 3 years. Again, I am well aware of these prospecting companies. I don't like them but I understand them. It is the representing that they work for the current provider that has me worried.

Has anyone ever heard of this company? A client of mine just told me they called her (with a heavy accent) and said they represented my firm and were doing an independent review of the plan. We all know about cold calling based on public DOL data (nothing to do about that) and even scare tactics using the Judy Diamond "score", but saying they represent me is a a new low.

A bit suspicious that the author is not named. How do we know his/her credentials?

Get a full demo with FTW. It does balance forward RK. Their support - even after being acquired by Wolters Kluwer - remains fantastic. The web-based interface is also ideal so there is nothing to install. If you use them for docs, gov't forms and admin (testing/valn/etc) there is a lot of integration.

But remember, even if he IS still considered working, he may need an RMD depending on his key status.

Set up an account on Upwork. Post your project specifications. Received replies/quotes from freelancers who can help you. Interview them and pick one that is a good match. I use PP and agree that it may be overkill for this. An Excel file may work. But, if you want to get fancier, there are many online systems that can be configured for your needs. These freelancers can help build them out for you.

Agreed. If the only way to get a distribution is to wait until after the year-end valuation after you terminate, then you only need to update the participant's records once a year. Of course, if there is a vesting schedule, the balance the employee sees in their SDBA daily might not be accurate. But I get why SDBAs would be better than an annual val as it allows participant direction. Another option we, as a recordkeeper have been doing for new clients is linking Schwab PCRA accounts to our daily system. It is the best of both worlds. Daily RK, participant direction, full fund universe of an SDBA, and no issues with ongoing distributions, sources, or vesting. PM me if you want more details.

Wow. That seems like a lot of work. SDBAs have daily access, and someone could potentially request a distribution at any time. Vesting needs to be updated—as do sources—before that happens. If deferrals are being deposited on an ongoing basis, wouldn't you need to track each payroll for each SDBA often? With pricing coming down and providers offering flexible billing options, I suspect a daily platform would be more cost-effective than a TPA doing all that.

But then you need to be concerned that the plan is set up with immediate vesting and distribution sources are uniform across all sources. But yes, separate one for Roth is needed.

It is so difficult to figure this out and stay on top of it. PLEASE keep us posted.