CAA CAA Agreement Terms and Fee Disclosure Requirements 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What form must an individual or entity complete to apply for participation in the IRS Acceptance Agent Program?
- Form W-7
- Form 13551 (Correct answer)
- Form 2848
- Form 8821
Correct answer: Form 13551
Form 13551 (Application to Participate in the IRS Acceptance Agent Program) is the required application to become either an Acceptance Agent or Certified Acceptance Agent.
Question 2: What key additional authority does a Certified Acceptance Agent (CAA) have compared to a standard Acceptance Agent (AA)?
- Direct access to IRS taxpayer records
- Authority to issue ITINs without IRS approval
- Ability to certify copies of identity documents so applicants need not mail originals to the IRS (Correct answer)
- Permission to charge unlimited fees for ITIN services
Correct answer: Ability to certify copies of identity documents so applicants need not mail originals to the IRS
CAAs are authorized to certify copies of supporting identity documents, eliminating the risk of applicants losing original passports or other critical documents in the mail.
Question 3: Which IRS form must a CAA complete to certify that the supporting identity documents reviewed are authentic copies of the originals?
- Form W-7
- Form 13551
- Form 14194 (Correct answer)
- Form 2848
Correct answer: Form 14194
Form 14194 (Certificate of Accuracy for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is the form CAAs complete to certify they personally reviewed original documents and that the submitted copies are accurate.
Question 4: For how long must a CAA retain copies of all documents reviewed in connection with an ITIN application?
- 1 year from the date of submission
- 2 years from the date of submission
- 3 years from the date of submission (Correct answer)
- 7 years from the date of submission
Correct answer: 3 years from the date of submission
Under the CAA agreement, agents must retain copies of all reviewed documents for a minimum of 3 years from the date the ITIN application was submitted to the IRS.
Question 5: To which IRS campus are Form W-7 ITIN applications submitted by CAAs processed?
- IRS Philadelphia Campus
- IRS Ogden Campus
- IRS Cincinnati Campus
- IRS Austin Campus (Correct answer)
Correct answer: IRS Austin Campus
All Form W-7 ITIN applications are processed by the IRS Austin Submission Processing Campus, which is the central hub for ITIN operations.
Question 6: When a CAA reviews original identification documents, what is the correct procedure for handling those documents?
- Mail the originals to the IRS on behalf of the applicant
- Scan and upload documents to an IRS web portal
- Verify and certify the documents in person, then return originals to the applicant (Correct answer)
- Retain originals until the ITIN is issued by the IRS
Correct answer: Verify and certify the documents in person, then return originals to the applicant
CAAs must physically verify original documents in person, attach certified copies to the W-7 package, and immediately return the originals to the applicant.
Question 7: What is the primary benefit for an ITIN applicant who uses a CAA rather than submitting directly to the IRS?
- Guaranteed faster ITIN approval times
- Lower government filing fees
- Avoiding the need to mail original identity documents to the IRS (Correct answer)
- Guaranteed ITIN approval regardless of eligibility
Correct answer: Avoiding the need to mail original identity documents to the IRS
The primary benefit is that applicants retain their original documents (e.g., passports) because the CAA certifies copies, eliminating the risk of loss during mailing to the IRS.
CAA CAA Agreement Terms and Fee Disclosure Requirements 1
What form must an individual or entity complete to apply for participation in the IRS Acceptance Agent Program?