IRS-certified tax preparation could become an integral and profitable part of your accounting business. Every citizen of the United States is legally obligated to prepare and pay taxes. What better way to expand your accounting business and your income than by offering tax preparation services certified to work with the IRS? If you are an individual accountant, tax preparation and certification services can mean an increase in your income by hundreds of dollars or more. If you are employed, becoming certified may mean a promotion and give you an edge over your competition. If you are looking for employment, having these certifications makes you much more employable, and if you are looking to start your own accounting firm, this is an effective way to gain clients. Whole businesses can be created that solely do tax preparation work.
What Is IRS Tax Certification?
Someone who is an IRS-certified tax preparer will have unlimited representation rights of their clients in the eyes of the IRS. They are certified to prepare all matters in dealing with the IRS, including the payment of taxes, navigating audits should they happen, and preparing and submitting appeals if an error happens on the part of the IRS. A certified tax preparer has the right to charge and be paid for their services.
What Makes a Successful Tax Preparer?
A person who is a successful tax preparer will be a professional and trusted individual their clients can rely on. People who hire an IRS-certified tax preparer are trusting that individual with very personal information. They trust this professional with sensitive income information, medical information from bills and insurance payments, marital information, and other information that could lead to some serious consequences if they fall into the wrong hands.
Certification is one of the most important aspects of being a successful tax preparer. When a certified tax preparer has learned from the best and has trusted educational courses listed on their resume, a potential client or employer will feel confident that this person is right for the job.
How Do I Become Certified as a Tax Preparer?
While some compensated tax preparers are not certified, this is not usually a realistic option for anyone serious about increasing their salary from this line of work. Certification is the only way to have unlimited representation rights of the people they are preparing taxes for. The way to this certification is through education, and these training courses should be listed on the IRS website as approved educational classes.
Many people don’t realize that hands-on tax preparation training can be done online from the convenience of their homes. Online certification courses can be completed during flexible hours when they are available. There is no need to decide between work and family responsibilities and furthering one’s education when quality certification courses when they have control over when and where to get the work done.
What Does a Quality Certification Program Include?
High-quality tax preparation certification courses such as the ones offered by Universal Accounting will include the latest up-to-date knowledge of current tax laws, as well as the changes in tax laws for each upcoming year. They will thoroughly familiarize the student with all state and federal tax forms and how to fill them out correctly.
However, quality certification education is not just about instruction on how to fill out tax forms. Quality instruction will guide students through real-life scenarios that they will encounter once they take on their clients. They will also familiarize students with the latest technology to aid in their success as tax preparers. It will give them real-world marketing skills to use when promoting their own business or accounting firm.
If you are enrolled in a high-quality certification program, you will be assigned to coaches who have real-world experience. Instead of sitting in a classroom trying to learn from someone out of touch, you should be guided through the education and certification process by someone who has worked in the industry and knows what it is like to be a successful and profitable tax preparer.
The best certification programs have courses that can aid someone in all aspects of the tax preparation business. This includes guidance on creating a resume that will make you stand out in the eyes of potential employers. They will have resources that help you practice and hone your interviewing skills to impress the people evaluating you during job interviews. Universal Accounting School offers resources that you can use to find the businesses in need of IRS-certified tax preparers so that you know where to go next once you earn that certification.
What Should I Expect After Being Certified?
Once you are certified as a tax preparer with IRS recognition, it will be time to get an IRS preparer tax identification number or PTIN. You can register for a PTIN on the IRS website. Once you receive your PTIN, it is official, and you can proudly put that number down on every tax form you prepare. This tells your clients that you are a trusted person who will handle their tax information with the highest professionalism and confidentiality and shows the IRS that you understand their business.
After receiving a PTIN, the next step many tax preparers take is to become members of several professional organizations. These organizations carefully vet their members, and once you qualify for membership, you can advertise those credentials. These organizations include:
- American Academy of Attorneys
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- National Association of Enrolled Agents
- National Association of Tax Professionals
- National Conference of CPA Practitioners
- National Society of Accountants
- National Society of Tax Professionals
Is Becoming an IRS-Certified Tax Preparer Worth My Time?
Becoming a certified tax preparer is an effective way to bring in new clients to your accounting business, and it is an integral skill to have before starting your own accounting firm. Certification looks excellent on a resume and presenting a PTIN number assures clients of your credibility and professionalism. It is common for someone’s salary to increase, sometimes very much so, once they become certified. Tax season is not something many American citizens look forward to, and having a knowledgeable person to help them through makes it a better experience for everyone. Get in touch with Universal Accounting today to find out more.
