
educationAug 29, 20262:58pending
Enrolled Agent Exam [Part 3] 24, Standards for Returns and Other Documents
About this episode
This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams.
In this episode you will learn:
- The minimum standard for any tax return position under Circular 230 Section 10.34 is 'reasonable basis,' which is a position with at least a 20% chance of success.
- To avoid substantial understatement penalties, a position with only a 'reasonable basis' must be adequately disclosed to the IRS, typically using Form 8275.
- A higher standard, 'substantial authority' (approximately a 40% chance of success), is required for undisclosed positions to avoid penalties.
- Frivolous positions, which are patently improper, are strictly prohibited and can lead to severe sanctions for the tax practitioner.
- Practitioners have a duty to advise clients about potential accuracy-related penalties and the options available to avoid them through disclosure.
For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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