Tax Accounting Online Resource Guide

Tax associations

National Association of Tax Professionals (NATB)
This website is considered the largest organization providing tax professionals with education within a community of other tax preparers. The member benefits include forum discussions, blogs and podcasts created by industry professionals for their peers.

American Institute of CPAs (AICPA)
The American Institute of CPAs has a community of professionals providing guidance and raising awareness of issues that are of a concern to tax professionals. There are numerous groups, conferences and special communities available to help tax professionals network with their peers. The American Institute of CPAs provides resources and information for those firmly embedded in their chosen careers or for those that are just starting out as a tax professional.

International Federation of Accountants (IFAC)
Around since 1977, the International Federation of Accountants was started with 63 founding members from 51 countries. It now includes 173 members and associations as well as the members of those associations in 129 countries. The goal was to strengthen accountancy as a whole in many countries while raising the public awareness of the importance of education and high-quality standards.

National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)
Created in 1908, the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy is still a viable force in the world of accounting professionals. It’s a community of professionals dedicated to addressing the issues of tax professionals. They continue to provide support to all members by promoting ethical conduct in all public dealings.

The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)
The IIA provides members with various certification opportunities from Certified Internal Auditor to Certification in Control Self-Assessment. The IIA gives members access to a resume posting service free of charge. Advice and resources are available in the Audit Career Center where employers post job opportunities to IIA members. There’s resources available to help members build relationships with oversight committees, regulators and governments.

The Association of Accountants and Financial Professionals in Business (IMA)
IMA provides a forum for tax professionals to share knowledge, research industry standards and provide sound business practices to its members. They provide research and testing to receive the CMA certification. IMA advocates ethical business and promotes leading-edge research in the accounting profession.

Resources

Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB)
This independent organization establishes standards of accounting and reporting for the state and local U. S. governments. While not a government agency itself, the GASB is recognized to be an industry standard in reporting accounting and financial information. The GASB keeps tax professionals up to date on the latest government reports.

Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)
While the governmental board advises the government on standards of accounting practice, the FASB advises and sets standards of accounting practice to the nongovernmental agencies. The standards are officially sanctioned by the Securities and Exchange Commission. This is an important resource for both students and established tax professionals.

Government Agencies

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
The IRS regulates and oversees all tax professionals’ accountancy procedures. At the end of the year, all business and workers must provide tax information to the government. The IRS provides information on the newest tax laws and third-party reporting for tax professionals.

U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
The SEC regulates private industries for the protection of the public. They govern the information that must be made available to investors and enforce rules and security laws. This includes regulating the accounting and auditing industry. They work closely with the Federal Reserve and the Treasury department.

SEC Edgar Filings, Forms and Tutorial
All companies are required to file periodic reports through EDGAR, which is the SEC’s Public Dissemination Service System. Anyone can access and file through EDGAR. The program allows anyone to access specific company information like name, address and telephone number.

Accounting and Business Journals

Business Week
This publication reports up to date news on the world of business and finance. It has sections on banking, commodities and investing news. Helps both students and tax professionals keep abreast of the latest global economy information and industry management.

Bloomberg
With video, radio and news reports, Bloomberg keeps tax professionals in touch with finance news, market data and other news that could effect the business or accounting world. It’s important for tax professionals to be appraised of changing accountancy issues.

U. S. News & World Report
Not only does this publication report on the newest financial and business news, they analyze the reports to provide information for tax professionals to make better, more-informed decisions for their clients. There are articles for local news and personal financial strategies as well as international and business practices.

CNN Money
With links to Fortune articles and Money magazine, CNN Money has hundreds of world business reports for tax and accounting professionals. They have investing news, economy and tech news that can effect a variety of tax and accounting management professionals.

Industry Conferences

Practitioners Symposium and Tech+ Conference in Partnership with the Association for Accounting Marketing Summit
The practitioner’s annual symposium will help accounting business owners evaluate their firm’s strength, prepare for accounting business changes, teach professionals how to price their services, and grow revenue. The symposium covers the latest tax issues, helps accounting professionals keep current on developments and decisions by various government agencies.

AICPA National Advanced Accounting and Auditing Technical Symposium
Annual conference and symposium with sessions on fiscal responsibility, private company financial reporting and auditing standards. Sessions include talks on equity transactions, not-for-profit reporting and ARSC updates.

Accounting Blogs

Bloomberg BNA
This blog is for accountants and other tax professionals to exchange ideas about articles, raise issues within the accounting world and generally talk about issues that effect the tax universe. It’s divided into various sections based on interest. Estate tax, federal and state tax are just a few places that tax professionals might find useful information.

Turbo Tax Blog
While not an industry standard, this tax blog informs and educates the general public about tax ideas and filing tips. Tax professionals and students will find it interesting to see what tips and tricks the general public is receiving. It has basic tax help in easy to understand language for the beginner.

Paul L. Caron
This blog is written by Paul L. Caron. He’s a Charles Hartsock Professor of Law at University of Cincinatti College of Law. He’s a distinguished visiting professor at Pepperdine University. He’s published numerous books and law reviews. His blog has coverage of the latest tax news and information. The archives on his blog are a rich resource for both tax professionals and tax students.

Accounting Student Resources

Accounting Coach
Teaches accounting terms that are easy to understand. This site can help accounting students reinforce hard to understand concepts with easy, learning topics and quizzes. It allows the general public to learn accounting principles and accounting terms. Terms like Chart of Accounts and Bonds Payables are explained in detail with easy to understand language.

U. S. Department of Labor
Statistics for accountants and auditors to help students narrow down their focus based on educational requirements, work experience and job outlook.

The Accounting Degree Guide
Lists programs by state, degree and specialty to help students decide what they want to focus on when obtaining their degree. Gives an overview of education news, accounting introduction and accounting ethics. Discusses the difference between a bookkeeper and accountant, and what a CPA is.

Owl Purdue Online Writing Lab
For the student that has general research, business essays and report writing to complete. It will help a student write APA, Chicago Manual or MLA style resource, sample papers and citations. A resource-rich site that will help students write job search letters, resumes and Curriculum Vitae.

American Institute of CPAs
A map listing colleges and universities offering accounting degrees by U. S. state. There is a text only version as well as the ability to list schools by public or private settings.

Federal Student Aid
This site allows potential students to get federal financial help to attend school. There are many resources and links for students to better understand their financial options and deadlines.

Linkedin Groups

Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
Official CIMA group for tax professionals, accounting management professionals and students. They have information and discussion boards on a variety of industry topics in the area of management accounting. Helps to connect and network accounting professionals.

Jobs for Accountants and Finance & Accounting Professionals
This group has more than 18,000 members. There are jobs as well as other resources for the professional looking to switch jobs or the student just graduating from school.

Chartered and Professional Accountants
This group is for networking with other like-minded financial and accounting professionals who are committed to outstanding ethics and accounting practices.

Twitter Accounts

@IRStaxpros
Guidance and news for tax professionals. This is the official twitter account for the IRS.

@NATPTAX
The National Association of Tax Professionals. Educating professionals in the latest tax updates, publications and tax laws.

@NSAtax
The National Society of Accountants (NSA) brings updated news and tax information to tax professionals and accounting students.

@USATODAYmoney
USA TODAY money brings twitter followers the newest and latest news about economy, business and personal finance.

@AccountingToday
Provides online business new to tax professionals and accounting world.