Tax advisor

A tax advisor or tax consultant is a financial expert specially trained in tax law. Some countries require tax advisors to verify the balance sheets of companies above a certain size. Individuals and companies usually require tax advisors to minimize taxation, to write a proper statement of income, to avoid learning the details of tax law in complicated financial situations themselves, or to learn the details of tax law from a professional advisor.[1]

World

Austria

See also: Steuerberater

In Austria, Steuerberater is the professional license for tax advisors.[2]

Germany

See also: Steuerberater

In Germany, Steuerberater is the professional license for tax advisors.[2]

Italy

In Italy, tax advisors are called commercialisti, and provide assistance on commercial, economic, financial, tax and accounting matters.[3]

Japan

In Japan, there is a specific license for tax advisors called certified public tax accountant (税理士 zeirishi). In order to obtain this qualification, an individual must pass a special state examination, or already be qualified as an attorney at law or certified public accountant.[4]

South Korea

In South Korea, there is a specific license for tax advisors called certified tax accountant. In order to obtain this qualification, an individual must pass a special examination.

United Kingdom

In the UK, guidelines concerning professional conduct in relation to taxation are published in conjunction with the Chartered Institute of Taxation, the Association of Taxation Technicians, the Institute of Indirect Taxation, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. These were prepared for the assistance of members of the various associations both generally in dealing with clients and the tax authorities and specifically in relation to irregularities and errors.

The guidelines, which include practical advice about a range of legal and ethical issues, are summarised as:

United States

In the United States, paid tax return preparers are regulated but not licensed by the Internal Revenue Service of the United States Department of the Treasury. There are penalties for failure to disclose the identity of the preparer on the return, for the failure to give the taxpayer a copy of the return, and for negligence in preparing the return.

Practice before the Internal Revenue Service is regulated by Treasury Department Circular No. 230, Regulations Governing the Practice of Attorneys, Certified Public Accountants, Enrolled Agents, Enrolled Actuaries, and Appraisers before the Internal Revenue Service.[5] Most practice is limited to attorneys, Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), Enrolled Agents, and Enrolled Actuaries. Rendering tax advice is also regulated by Circular 230.

Failure to uphold these standards can result in disciplinary action ranging from reprimand to permanent disbarrment from practice.

In the United States, the term "tax professional" is a generic term describing a variety of professions including enrolled agents, Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), financial planners, accountants, tax preparers, and some lawyers.

Until the year 2010, the United States Department of Treasury's Internal Revenue Service did not require certification of individual tax practitioners. As of mid-2010, the IRS was working on proposed changes that will eventually require the registration of almost all paid federal tax return preparers. The new rules will require that some paid preparers pass a national tax law exam and undergo continuing education requirements. See Tax preparation.

In the United States, by far the largest segment of tax professionals are individual tax preparers.

See also

References

  1. "Tax Advisor Definition". Investopedia. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Bundessteuerberaterkammer" (in German). Bundessteuerberaterkammer. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  3. Treccani, commercialista
  4. Japan Federation of Certified Public Tax Accountants' Organizations
  5. Codified in regulations at 31 C.F.R. subtitle A, part 10.

External links

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