A good friend of mine called me late this afternoon and asked me for a referral. I asked him what he needed, and he told me, “Your side business.” I’m a writer (and I’m certain he knew that), so this made no sense. After I expressed my bewilderment he said, “Can’t you provide me with the same kind of service you did for Eliot Spitzer?”
Ah yes, the Governor of New York. Mr. Spitzer, a Democrat who decided to partake of the world’s oldest profession, chose a rather expensive prostitution ring. He apparently paid somewhere between $1000 to $4300 an hour, and may have spent $80,000 of his own money.
So why did my friend call me? He had heard that the ringleader of the prostitution ring (called the Emperors Club VIP) was an Enrolled Agent. Of course, ABC gets some details of what an Enrolled Agent is wrong:
“He is also a licensed “enrolled agent” of the IRS, spokesman Rob Marvin confirmed. That means Brener was allowed to prepare and submit other people’s taxes, represent others in tax court and in negotiations with the IRS, and receive information directly from the IRS on behalf of others.”
For the record, an Enrolled Agent represents taxpayers before the IRS; we are not employees of the IRS. We do prepare tax returns and represent individuals and businesses in negotiations with the IRS and other tax agencies.
I had to disappoint my friend; I didn’t have a Kristen to send his way. My side business doesn’t earn me $4000 an hour in illegal income. Unless your name is Tom Clancy or John Grisham writers just don’t make that kind of money.
On the positive side, at least Enrolled Agents are making the news….