negligent enrolled agent damaged credit

You have the right to file a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service at the web address listed at the bottom of this answer. You also have the right to sue the individual for a refund and damages, if you can prove actual damages. For example, the IRS may have placed a lien or levy, anyway, despite what the enrolled agent told you, and proving this will likely require an attorney. Small claims court is probably not a good choice for this kind of a lawsuit. The amount of money you paid seems very high, but every case turns on the particular facts of the case. Please consult a local tax attorney.

Disclaimer: Please note that this answer does not constitute legal advice, and should not be relied on, since each state has different laws, each situation is fact specific, and it is impossible to evaluate a legal problem without a comprehensive consultation and review of all the facts and documents at issue. This answer does not create an attorney-client relationship. Do NOT rely on anything I have written here -- You should contact a lawyer in your area immediately after reading my posting.

The following disclosure is required pursuant to IRS Circular 230: unless otherwise expressly indicated, any federal tax advice contained in this communication, including attachments and enclosures, is not intended or written to be used, and may not be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding tax-related penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any tax-related matters addressed herein.