Taxpayer Protection and Preparer Proficiency Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.4184 | Sponsor: Rep. Panetta, Jimmy (D-CA)
Policy area: Taxation

Summary:
Taxpayer Protection and Preparer Proficiency Act of 2021
This bill authorizes the Department of the Treasury to regulate tax return preparers, including by sanctioning preparers for incompetence and disreputable behavior and by establishing minimum competency standards for preparers.

To set minimum standards for tax return preparers.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Taxpayer Protection and Preparer 
Proficiency Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. REGULATION OF TAX RETURN PREPARERS.

    (a) In General.--Subsection (a) of section 330 of title 31, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
            ``(1) regulate--
                    ``(A) the practice of representatives of persons 
                before the Department of the Treasury; and
                    ``(B) the practice of tax return preparers; and''; 
                and
            (2) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) by inserting ``or a tax return preparer to 
                prepare tax returns'' after ``practice'';
                    (B) by inserting ``or tax return preparer'' before 
                ``demonstrate''; and
                    (C) by inserting ``or in preparing their tax 
                returns, claims for refund, or documents in connection 
                with tax returns or claims for refund'' after ``cases'' 
                in subparagraph (D).
    (b) Authority To Sanction Regulated Tax Return Preparers.--
Subsection (c) of section 330 of title 31, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``before the Department'';
            (2) by inserting ``or tax return preparer'' after 
        ``representative'' each place it appears; and
            (3) in paragraph (4), by striking ``misleads or threatens'' 
        and all that follows and inserting ``misleads or threatens--
                    ``(A) any person being represented or any 
                prospective person being represented; or
                    ``(B) any person or prospective person whose tax 
                return, claim for refund, or document in connection 
                with a tax return or claim for refund, is being or may 
                be prepared.''.
    (c) Minimum Competency Standards for Tax Return Preparers.--Section 
330 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new subsection:
    ``(f) Tax Return Preparers.--
            ``(1) In general.--Any tax return preparer shall 
        demonstrate minimum competency standards under this subsection 
        by--
                    ``(A) obtaining an identifying number for securing 
                proper identification of such preparer as described in 
                section 6109(a)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
                1986;
                    ``(B) satisfying any examination and annual 
                continuing education requirements as prescribed by the 
                Secretary; and
                    ``(C) completing a background check administered by 
                the Secretary.
            ``(2) Exemption.--The Secretary shall exempt tax return 
        preparers who have been subject to comparable examination, 
        continuing education requirements, and background checks 
        administered by the Secretary or any comparable State licensing 
        program. Such exemption shall extend directly to individuals 
        who are supervised by such preparers and are not required to 
        secure an identification number under section 6109(a)(4).
            ``(3) Reinstatement of registered tax return preparer 
        program.--The Secretary shall issue regulations under this 
        section reinstating the Registered Tax Return Preparer Program. 
        Examination of tax return prepares under such program shall be 
        limited to a one-time, basic individual income tax examination 
        and the annual continuing education requirement under such 
        program shall not exceed 15 hours.''.
    (d) Tax Return Preparer Defined.--Section 330 of title 31, United 
States Code, as amended by subsection (c), is amended by adding at the 
end the following new subsection:
    ``(g) Tax Return Preparer.--For purposes of this section--
            ``(1) In general.--The term `tax return preparer' has the 
        meaning given such term under section 7701(a)(36) of the 
        Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
            ``(2) Tax return.--The term `tax return' has the meaning 
        given to the term `return' under section 6696(e)(1) of the 
        Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
            ``(3) Claim for refund.--The term `claim for refund' has 
        the meaning given such term under section 6696(e)(2) of such 
        Code.''.
    (e) Amendments With Respect to Identifying Number.--
            (1) In general.--Section 6109(a) of the Internal Revenue 
        Code of 1986 is amended by striking paragraph (4) and inserting 
        the following:
            ``(4) Furnishing identifying number of tax return 
        preparer.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Any return or claim for refund 
                prepared by a tax return preparer shall bear such 
                identifying number for securing proper identification 
                of such preparer, his employer, or both, as may be 
                prescribed. For purposes of this paragraph, the terms 
                `return' and `claim for refund' have the respective 
                meanings given to such terms by section 6696(e).
                    ``(B) Exception.--Subparagraph (A) shall not apply 
                with respect to the preparation of any return or claim 
                for refund by a tax return preparer if--
                            ``(i) such return or claim is prepared by 
                        such preparer while such preparer is employed 
                        by an attorney, certified public accountant, or 
                        enrolled agent firm, and
                            ``(ii) such preparer prepares such return 
                        or claim under the supervision and direction of 
                        a tax return preparer who signs such return or 
                        claim and is an attorney, certified public 
                        accountant, or enrolled agent.''.
            (2) Clarification of rescission authority.--Section 6109 of 
        such Code is amended by inserting after subsection (d) the 
        following new subsection:
    ``(e) Authority To Rescind Identifying Number of Tax Return 
Preparer.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may rescind an identifying 
        number issued under subsection (a)(4) if--
                    ``(A) after notice and opportunity for a hearing, 
                the preparer is shown to be incompetent or disreputable 
                (as such terms are used in subsection (c) of section 
                330 of title 31, United States Code); and
                    ``(B) rescinding the identifying number would 
                promote compliance with the requirements of this title 
                and effective tax administration.
            ``(2) Records.--If an identifying number is rescinded under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall place in the file in the 
        Office of the Director of Professional Responsibility the 
        opinion of the Secretary with respect to the determination, 
        including--
                    ``(A) a statement of the facts and circumstances 
                relating to the determination; and
                    ``(B) the reasons for the rescission.''.
    (f) GAO Study and Report on the Exchange of Information Between the 
IRS and State Taxation Authorities.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 
        conduct a study and submit to Congress a report on the sharing 
        of information between the Secretary of the Treasury and State 
        authorities, as authorized under section 6103(d) of the 
        Internal Revenue Code of 1986, regarding identification numbers 
        issued to paid tax return preparers and return preparer minimum 
        standards.
            (2) Increased information sharing.--The study and report 
        described in paragraph (1) shall include an analysis of the 
        impact that increased information sharing between Federal and 
        State authorities would have on efforts to enforce minimum 
        standards on paid tax return preparers.
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