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The Accreditation Council for Accountancy and Taxation^® (ACAT)

In today’s competitive marketplace, clients and prospects consider specialty tax and accounting credentials to be proof of knowledge and skill. Earning credentials from the Accreditation Council for Accountancy and Taxation (ACAT) gives you a reputation as a trusted accounting or tax professional who is miles ahead of the rest. Simply put, earning any or all four of the credentials offered by ACAT is an important success indicator for many practitioners.

Accreditation provides evidence to clients, prospects and the public that the accredited professional has met the national standard of knowledge that underlies the accounting and taxation field. Certified individuals demonstrate mastery of a broad range of knowledge of accounting procedures and practices as well as the field of taxation.

Certification is voluntary, the choice to become certified demonstrates individual pride in the profession. The desire to be recognized for mastery of the principles of accounting and taxation and an ongoing commitment to quality client care. Certification can be a means for upward mobility, a condition for employment, a route to higher pay, and a source of recognition nationwide.

ACAT credentials are earned through examination and/or course work, and maintained by adhering to a strict code of ethics and participating in Continuing Professional Education. Each ACAT credential has its own marketing niche:

Accredited Business Accountant® (ABA). The ABA credential is for practitioners who specialize in the needs of small to medium size businesses and financial services to individuals and families.

Accredited Tax Advisor® (ATA). The ATA credential is for practitioners who handle sophisticated tax planning issues, including planning for owners of closely held businesses, planning for the highly compensated, choosing qualified retirement plans and performing estate tax planning. Their expertise and ethical training covers tax returns for individuals, business entities, fiduciaries, trusts and estates, as well as tax planning and consulting.

Accredited Tax Preparer® (ATP). The ATP credential is for practitioners to obtain thorough knowledge of the existing tax code and the preparation of individual, corporate and partnership tax returns.

Elder Care Specialist?™ (ECS). The ECS credential is for practitioners who demonstrate expertise in preparing their clients for retirement including estate and trust planning, and financial planning for the elderly.

ACAT credentials are a valuable way to raise proficiencies, earn professional recognition, gain a competitive edge, boost business and jump-start careers. In fact, ACAT credentials are worth as much as $14,000 in increased annual income to a full-time practitioner principal or partner, according to the National Society of Accountants’s Income & Fees Survey.

Your ACAT credential also denotes the quality and integrity you bring to your profession and gives your clients and prospects a standard against which to measure your skills and knowledge. It is a public declaration that you have the expertise and qualifications to provide sound and accurate taxation and accounting advice to individuals and medium to small size businesses.