Registration of Tax Preparer Program Responses: More Study Required

Resolution to seven key issues are required to make the RTPP (Registration of Tax Preparer Program) a success.

That was the conclusion in a report released last week by the CRA on the significant feedback it received on the proposed RTPP last spring. The tax preparer community, it said, was highly engaged and provided comments on the nine questions posed in the consultation paper. CRA noted that resolution of the issues raised during the consultations will be important to the development, implementation, and success of the RTPP.

The seven issues are:

• Error Definition. CRA should define errors more precisely and clarifying the type of error that would be linked to tax preparers;
• Leveraging of Existing Registrations. Tax practitioners want CRA to ensure existing registration systems are leveraged so that new registration, processes, and numbers are not needed to support the RTPP;
• Who Needs to Be Tracked?  CRA should allow registration to occur at the appropriate level within a tax preparation business;
• Educational Competencies. CRA should determine whether education or tax competency standards should be considered as part of the RTPP;
• Timely Redress. CRA should ensure decisions related to sanctions and redress procedures are carried out in a timely and objective manner; and
• Improved Services. CRA should improve their services and support for tax preparers to help reduce errors.

In addition, a strong desire was expressed for the CRA to continue working with stakeholders in the tax preparation industry to resolve these issues as the program is further developed and implemented.

CRA’s executive summary stressed that the success of the RTPP “depends on building a foundation of confidence and trust among tax preparers and the CRA, while keeping the system as simple as possible.” CRA senior management is now developing options to consider in continuing consultation with external stakeholders as final program decisions are made. After this, the legislative and policy framework will be advanced and the internal infrastructure developed.