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What do Tax Consultants do?

John Lister
John Lister

Tax consultants are financial experts who assist clients with tax issues. This can include preparing tax returns, acting as a representative, or giving specialist advice. The ways in which a consultant operates, such as their fees and their licensing requirements, can vary greatly in different jurisdictions.

The most common role of tax consultants is to help people prepare and file their tax returns. This can be a valuable service, as failing to do so properly can leave a taxpayer liable to paying penalties. Incorrectly prepared tax returns can also mean a taxpayer misses out on a rebate they are due. This is particularly important in countries where the system generally involves paying estimates in advance and then recovering any excess as a rebate at the end of the financial year.

A tax consultant advises their clients on how they can save money on taxes.
A tax consultant advises their clients on how they can save money on taxes.

A second role of tax consultants is to give help and advice on general tax matters. This could include changing how a business is set up, or rearranging payments and income to fall into a different tax year. In some areas, there is a distinction between a tax preparer, who solely works on preparing tax returns, and a consultant, who offers more detailed assistance.

Someone facing a tax audit might turn to a tax consultant for help.
Someone facing a tax audit might turn to a tax consultant for help.

The way tax consultants charge fees can vary considerably. Many will charge a flat fee, particularly for tax preparation. Some will charge a varying fee based either on the time they spend on a project or the value of the income covered by the tax situation. In some cases, a consultant may charge a proportion of any rebate they are able to obtain.

A tax consultant can be particularly useful during an audit. In most cases, the consultant will be allowed to formally act as a representative for a taxpayer or company during the audit. This means he or she acts as the point of contact for tax officials and can answer many of their questions.

Tax consultants are financial experts who assist individuals and companies with tax-related issues.
Tax consultants are financial experts who assist individuals and companies with tax-related issues.

It is not uncommon for tax consultants to have a area of specialty. This could include taxation on businesses, tax law regarding charities, or property taxation. In most cases, the specialist will have had a formal education or training in the relevant area of tax law, and will also have professional experience dealing with such cases.

The legal requirements for acting as a tax consultant vary from state to state and across different countries. Some US states have no legal restrictions on who can prepare a tax form. Other states have specific licensing requirements which can differ depending on whether or not the consultant is allowed to act as a representative during an audit. There are also professional associations which can give some guarantee of a consultant's professional expertise.

Discussion Comments

anon994834

If you are an independent contractor and you do not retain the services of an Enrolled Agent you are out of your mind. The fact that you are unaware of the tax implications of an inheritance yet prepare your own tax return as a private contractor makes me wonder how long it will be before you are audited.

Handycell
I’m an independent contractor who typically does my own taxes since I really don’t have a lot of assets or crazy deductibles to factor in. However, I just inherited money from a relative, and now I’m unsure of how to factor that properly into my taxes. I’m worried I’m going to screw something up and get audited. I figure this would be something a tax consultant could help me with.

If a tax consultant does your taxes, will he/she also deal with any issues that could arise such as an audit? Or do they just prepare your taxes and let you handle the rest? I would love to be able to just do my taxes myself online, since it’s so easy, but do others recommend using a tax consultant in my case? Is it worth it?

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    • A tax consultant advises their clients on how they can save money on taxes.
      By: ejkrouse
      A tax consultant advises their clients on how they can save money on taxes.
    • Someone facing a tax audit might turn to a tax consultant for help.
      By: Alexander Raths
      Someone facing a tax audit might turn to a tax consultant for help.
    • Tax consultants are financial experts who assist individuals and companies with tax-related issues.
      By: didden
      Tax consultants are financial experts who assist individuals and companies with tax-related issues.
    • A tax consultant may double-check her client's tax documents.
      By: Arto
      A tax consultant may double-check her client's tax documents.
    • Some tax consultants offer discounted or free filing advice for seniors or low income families.
      By: nyul
      Some tax consultants offer discounted or free filing advice for seniors or low income families.