What an AFSP Preparer can do for District of Columbia taxpayers

An AFSP filer in District of Columbia is an unenrolled preparer who has voluntarily completed the IRS’s 18-hour annual continuing-education program. AFSP filers are listed in the IRS’s public Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications — the same directory that lists EAs, CPAs, and attorneys — and they may represent District of Columbia taxpayers before the IRS, but only on returns they personally prepared and signed and only at the examination level.

For straightforward District of Columbia returns — W-2 income, a Form 1098 mortgage statement, a few 1099-INTs, perhaps an HSA contribution — an AFSP filer is a cost-effective and credentialed choice. Many AFSP filers in District of Columbia work seasonally, so engage early in the filing season if you want a specific preparer.

Recommended: a deeper background read on tax-professional credentialing →

How to verify an AFSP Preparer’s credentials in District of Columbia

The IRS publishes a free, queryable Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications at irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf. Search by ZIP code, last name, or credential to confirm an active AFSP filing-season status in District of Columbia. The IRS RPO directory is the authoritative source — check there first. Our PTIN verification guide walks through the process step by step.

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Each city page within District of Columbia includes a credential breakdown identical to this one but scoped to that city. Use the city links above to drill in further.