Pam: How Do You Become a Tax Advisor?
Becoming a tax advisor begins with earning a bachelor’s degree and finishes with earning a master’s degree for those who want excellent career stability and earning potential. Tax advisors, or tax preparers and accountants, help individuals and organizations understanding, complete and file their tax returns. This can encompass everything from analyzing wage to unemployment to mortgage interest documents.
Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
Tax advisors usually have a bachelor's degree in accounting or taxation. Some major in accounting and minor in taxation. A bachelor's degree in accounting will include coursework in corporate taxation, internal controls, fraud audits and federal taxation. Students who major in tax accountancy will take
…show more content…
Those who want to become EAs must register with the IRS and pass a background check and the three-part special enrollment exam. Applicants with extensive professional experience in a taxation-related position IRS may bypass these requirements. EA candidates must obtain a Preparer Tax Identification Number to include on all tax returns that they prepare.
The requirements for becoming a CPA are set by every state's Accountancy Board. The standard process involves passing a four-part national CPA exam. Each exam becomes progressively more difficult, but candidates are allowed to take the exam one-by-one with rest periods. In order to qualify for the exam, candidates must finish 150 college hours of coursework in accounting or a related field, which is 30 credit hours over the standard four-year degree. Some accounting programs are specifically geared towards students who want to become CPAs.
Those who are interested in becoming a tax advisor can peruse the Accreditation Council for Accountancy and Taxation’s website.
EAs are not required to get a college degree. An individual with five years of taxation experience with the IRS may apply to become an enrolled agent without taking the exam. In addition, they must complete 72 hours of continuing education courses every three years. Certified public accountants and attorneys may serve as enrolled agents without taking the exam.
Accountants are responsible in analyzing and assessing the revenue, expenses, reporting financial matters and giving advice about the financial health of their employer. They help their client to know the best way to run a business by tracking and analyzing where does the money of the business go. They also give suggestions on where money could be made and advice in budgeting the money in the business.
* Complete 30 semester hours or quarter-hour equivalents of upper level accounting courses from a board-recognized college or university, of which 15 semester hours or quarter-hour equivalents must be in traditional face-to-face courses. Within the coursework two-semester hours of accounting or tax research and analysis are required.
Certified Public Accountants handle a variety of jobs and task. They can offer tax income tax preparation and advise to range of clients including individuals, small businesses, and corporations. Some might choose to work as a forensic accountant to investigate accounting fraud that requires reviewing accounting reports, records and systems to expose any evidence of criminal activities. Other might choose a different path like consultation service, because they rather assist in financial matters with a private clients, not-for-profit organizations, government institutions and financial firms.
The profession of accounting is a one that is highly regulated, due to the knowledge and power each accountant possesses. Although an accountants duties differ from one position to the next, the main sectors that accountants pursue are auditing or taxation. Auditing is ensuring the public that the information listed on the financial statements of public companies is free of material misstatements. While taxation is helping people or companies file their tax returns to the federal government or offering tax advice. In the world of auditing, you either follow the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), for public company audits, or the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), for other entities
The commissioner is responsible for establishing all required offices within the Internal Revenue Service necessary to enforce these rules. This includes the Office of Professional Responsibility, an office responsible for disciplinary actions, as well as an administrative office to handle applications in addition to continuing education and competency testing. In order for an attorney to practice, they must not currently be under suspension or disbarment and file a written declaration with the IRS saying they are qualified to represent the party/parties. Similarly, Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) must also be free from suspension or disbarment and submit a written declaration saying they are qualified to represent the parties. Enrolled agents must just simply be free of suspension and disbarment, but are not required to submit any declaration. Practicing as an enrolled actuary is subject to the same rules as attorneys and CPAs, but is limited to representing issues within title 26 of the United States code (mostly related to employer contribution funds and taxing on those plans). Likewise, Enrolled Retirement Plan Agents are also subject to the same rules as attorneys and CPAs, but are limited to issues related to employee retirement plans and the taxing related to them. A Registered Tax Preparer also follows the same rules, but is limited to preparing tax returns and other documentation to be sent to the IRS. Tax preparers are restricted from giving tax
“The best-compensated accountants work in the fields of securities and commodity contracts intermediation and brokerage and for the federal executive branch” (US). Twenty-five percent of graduate’s make fifty one thousand one hundred and thirty dollars a year. The other seventy make eighty seven thousand five hundred and thirty dollars. The best ten percent of accountants make up to one hundred and fifteen thousand nine hundred and fifty dollars and the lowest makes forty thousand eight hundred and fifty dollars. I want to get a job in accounting directly after college for a big company and work my way up into the top ten percent as fast as possible because each year, the average income raises. Experts predict that the highest paid accountant will make upwards of one hundred and twenty thousand dollars a year by 2020.The highest paying city for accounting is New York City, New York. The second highest paying city is San Jose, California. Accountants are always needed, they are necessary anywhere there is money being spent and saved, every business needs someone to keep up with their money and control their finances.
However, with a degree in accounting, there are many career options one can take. For example, one can pursue a job as a Financial Accountant. As a Financial Accountant, the job can consist of preparing financial statement, or running spreadsheets. On the contrary, accounting major can also acquire a license as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). This will allow them to work as an auditor, tax compliance, estate and financial planner. The texts I have selected were written by and for Business majors and all have a common structure and
AICPA emphasizes the vast career options accountants have. In every government and economic sector accountants are used. Whenever there is a transaction an accountant must
To officially become a CPA, it is a requirement to gain a certain amount of related work experience. Typically, states require the equivalent of at least one year of
Filling your own taxes can be a nightmare, and hiring an accountant can be difficult and costly. However, our tax accountants can prepare your federal, state, and local tax returns quickly, and at an affordable cost. Also, they will ensure that your taxes get done right, allowing them to maximize your return. Apart from filing your taxes, we can also help you
Thank you for emailing me regarding my interest in the MS in Accountancy program at Bentley University. In fact, I looked at the program as you recommended, and I think that is very interesting. The participants will get the necessary financial and technology tools for being competitive on the market. However, I would like to know if a student will be ready for the CPA exam after taking part in this program? then, could you let me know how long is the process of selection? What kind of paper should an eventual participant expect to prove? What will be the schedule of the program?
Students wishing to become business administration professionals have to participate in undergraduate or MBA programs to get according degrees. Also when it comes to accounting, a subdivision of business studies, students usually need to take several years of authorized examinations in order to become Certified Public Accountant, shortened as CPA.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition) points out that while most accountant's positions require "at least a bachelor's degree" there will be job opportunities in fact the job picture for accountants is "favorable" for those who have earned "professional recognition" either through certification of licensure, or by receiving designation as a certified public accountant (CPA) (BLS.gov).