National Not-for-Profit Organization Endorses Efforts of Tax Problem Resolution Services Coalition (TPRSC)

With the IRS stepping up enforcement action and difficult economic times hitting many consumers, scam artists preying on the financially distressed have been making headlines for deceptive promises of tax relief. Leading providers of tax resolution services, including members of the American Society of Tax Problem Solvers (ASTPS), have united to form the Tax Problem Resolution Services Coalition (TPRSC) to promote and ensure the protection of taxpayers from unfair and deceptive advertising claims by unscrupulous taxpayer representatives.

The American Society of Tax Problem Solvers is a national, not-for-profit organization of professionals including Enrolled Agents, Attorneys, and CPAs who specialize in representing taxpayers before the IRS. As the premier provider of tax problem resolution training and certification, the association refuses membership to practitioners guilty of abusing taxpayer confidence by failing to end to the problems they were hired to resolve.

“Our association holds members to a high standard that promotes continuing education and industry best practice methods to assure members adhere to ASTPS standards of practice,” said Lawrence M. Lawler, National Director of the American Society of Tax Problem Solvers. “We strive to elevate the standards in our practice area by assisting our members in maintaining a high level of knowledge and professionalism, while providing the public with the confidence that ASTPS members are skillful and knowledgeable in solving tax problems. ASTPS has several committees to police member practices including a disciplinary committee to evaluate and resolve complaints from the public. The same fundamentals should be mandated by law so that all practitioners have to meet quality standards to help ensure the protection of consumers.”

In addition to being a watchdog for the American consumer, TPRSC will work with state and federal regulators to identify deceptive advertising. They will respond to media inquiries about the industry and seek the enactment of legislation to reign in questionable practices, create more disclosure, cause greater transparency of services, and provide redress for taxpayers.  As part of its mandate, TPRSC has crafted its own proposed federal and state legislation to protect taxpayers from unscrupulous practices.

“Our industry is plagued with scam artists preying on the financially distressed and we are aware that these problems in the tax problem resolution industry need to be addressed,” Lawler said. “The time has come to solve these issues and we are proud that ASTPS members are supporting the coalition to eliminate questionable practices of unscrupulous taxpayer representatives.”

The American Society of Tax Problem Solvers is approved by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), the Internal Revenue Service, and various State Bar Associations as a provider of continuing professional education. To learn more, visit www.astps.org.

The Tax Problem Resolution Services Coalition (TPRSC) represents the efforts of a broad spectrum of the industry located throughout the United States. Its mission is to promote and ensure the protection of taxpayers from unfair and deceptive advertising claims by unscrupulous delinquent tax debt representation providers. The coalition welcomes additional members that support this mission. The coalition’s work will be reported through its new web page at www.taxproblemresolutionservicescoalition.com and through its newsletter. To sign up for the Tax Problem Resolution Services Coalition’s newsletter, send an email to: tprsc@nationalpolicygroup.com with the words “Subscribe to Tax Newsletter” in the subject line.

Contact:
Ron Perrino
American Society of Tax Problem Solvers
Williamsville, NY
(716) 630-1650