What an AFSP Preparer can do for South Carolina taxpayers

An AFSP filer in South Carolina 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 South Carolina taxpayers before the IRS, but only on returns they personally prepared and signed and only at the examination level.

For straightforward South Carolina 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina

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 South Carolina. 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 South Carolina includes a credential breakdown identical to this one but scoped to that city. Use the city links above to drill in further.