Credential Fragility
EA, CPA, WTF — Enough Already
Let’s be real, some people on social media need a nap, a vacation, or maybe a therapy session (which, honestly, everyone could benefit from).
Every so often, when things get boring, someone pops up acting like their credential makes them superior. “You’re not a real tax professional unless you’re a CPA.” “Only EAs should be allowed to represent taxpayers before the IRS.” Or the classic email signature with more letters than the alphabet, and no one knows what they mean.
Cool story, bro. Still doesn’t mean you’re good at your job.
Credentials Don’t Define Worth (or even Net Worth)
Your credential indicates that you have met a set of standards and passed an exam. That’s great, and you should be proud of that. But it doesn’t make you ethical, competent, or easy to work with.
I’ve met CPAs who are brilliant, detail-obsessed lifesavers. I’ve met others who had no idea how to complete a Form 2848. The same goes for EAs and attorneys. Every credential has its heroes and its horror stories. (Read that again, please, because it is important.) We all know who the bad apples are in our respective credentials (I would publish a list, but I’d like to avoid litigation). Many make more money being influencers than they do from actually doing client work.
When you use your letters as a weapon instead of a tool, what you’re really showing is credential fragility, that shaky need to prove your worth by tearing others down. Perhaps this is human nature: to always want to show you’re better, whether it's a bigger house, a nicer car, or some status.
Spoiler alert. That’s not how you show you’re a good person. We all have our own internal moral code of how we compute that. For me, you have to like animals. I also prefer to be in the company of people who are smarter than I am.
Then We Have the Pedantry Problem
Social media has become a playground for people who care more about being “technically correct” than being helpful. Someone asks a genuine question, and instead of getting an answer, they get a condescending lecture about Circular 230 or why they “should know this already.”
That’s not professionalism. That’s ego. Facebook groups are notorious for this.
If your first instinct is to correct with judgment rather than contribute, you’re part of the problem. By the same token, just because you’ve been doing something for 30 years doesn’t mean you were doing it right. We all learn new things every day.
The Clients Don’t Care
Let me tell you what clients actually care about:
That you do what you say you will.
That you explain things clearly.
That you keep them out of trouble with the IRS.
They don’t care what your credentials are; they care that you solve their problem. (Full Disclosure: There are some credentials you need to perform specific actions, of course.)
I’ve never once had a panicked client say, “Before you fix this audit, are you a CPA, attorney, or EA?” Never.
We’re Supposed to Be on the Same Side
While we’re arguing about who’s “real,” scammers are defrauding clients, TikTok is pushing tax nonsense, and taxpayer trust keeps eroding.
Meanwhile, the public sees “tax professional” as one big group; they don’t care about our internal food fight. We look ridiculous when we attack each other instead of the real issues: poor ethics, misinformation, and underfunded taxpayer education.
I’ve worked with credentialed and non-credentialed people. There are people out there with no letters after their name who know the tax code far better than I do.
If I need audited financials for a client, I know a CPA (they can do audited financials and attestation, but not all do; some specialize in tax, etc.) who does that. A colleague who doesn’t do representation work has a case; they call me. The client has some potential legal issues, and I know an attorney to refer them to. If a client needs to go to tax court, I know some USTCPs or tax attorneys to call.
We all need to work together for the success of our clients.
The Bottom Line
Credential fragility is the professional version of insecurity. If you truly know your worth, you don’t need to flex it every five minutes.
Be proud of your credential (you earned it!), but don’t make it your personality. Be the kind of professional who helps others rise, who mentors, and who shares knowledge.
Because at the end of the day, your work speaks louder than your letters.
Josh’s Take
Will this article end the “credential war”?
Probably not. I hope it doesn’t fuel it because, like most wars, it is useless.
Some of the comments I have seen on social media (in particular Twitter/X) amount to a type of credential discrimination that is beneath the dignity of our profession.
I would have never become an EA if it weren’t for a CPA (who is also an EA) encouraging me to do so.
I would have never achieved the current level of success I have without the mentorship of an EA (who is also a USTCP).
I would not have kept my sanity (or what little I have left these days) if it weren’t for my small circle of friends who are EAs and a couple of USTCPs.
And finally, I would have never found any of these people without stumbling across the corner of the internet known as #TaxTwitter had it not been for a tax attorney.
If you’re looking for places where you can ask tax questions online without judgment and learn more, here are my suggestions:
The Compass Tax Educators Network (Facebook Group) - Ran by Compass Tax Educators which I would describe as the best in CE/CPE for the tax profession.
InCite.Tax - A community for tax professionals.
Upcoming Events:
November 20th, 2025 - CSEA Sacramento Valley -
Cybersecurity 101: Best Practices for Tax Professionals - 2 hours CE.
Time: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Location: CSEA HQ, 10680 White Rock Rd, Suite #110 Rancho Cordova, CA
More events are coming for December and next year, which I will announce when the links are live.
So much gold in this! It really needed to be said, again.