2025 Annual Filing Season Program (AFSP)

The Annual Filing Season Program (AFSP) aims to recognize the efforts of tax return preparers who aspire to a higher level of professionalism. Those who choose to participate in this year’s program can meet the requirements by obtaining specified hours of continuing education and meeting certain other guidelines prior to the upcoming filing season.

If you are a non-credentialed tax preparer and want to be able to represent your clients during an examination of a tax return, you must earn the AFSP Record of Completion.  Non-credentialed preparers who do not complete this program can still prepare tax returns with a valid PTIN but will have no representation rights before the IRS.

In addition to gaining limited representation rights before the IRS, tax preparers who earn the AFSP Record of Completion will be included in the IRS’s Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications. The AFSP Record of Completion is also a great way to differentiate yourself from other tax preparers in the marketplace. 

What is the first step toward earning the AFSP Record of Completion?

Requirements differ for exempt and non-exempt tax preparers. Review this explanation provided by the IRS to determine which group you belong to and then click one of these buttons to find the right Surgent AFSP package for your needs:

I am a non-exempt tax preparer  I am an exempt tax preparer

Why Should You Choose a Surgent AFSP Package?

Surgent’s AFSP Packages include:

• Exactly the courses you need in each of the topic areas.  One click adds the three-course package to your cart, with no guessing or time wasted in choosing the courses you need.
• Reference exams for all courses (excluding AFTR) so you can print a copy of the exam and fill out on paper before you take the test online
• Convenient choice of PDF download or textbook format
• Automatic IRS reporting