Tax Professional

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as a Tax Professional. A Tax Professional provides tax advice (e.g., risk analysis and in-depth ancillary explanations), manage tax revenue authority queries, audits, assessments, and further aspects of the tax controversy process prior to judicial involvement, and prepare and review recurring tax returns for businesses of a medium and large sizes as well as for upper-income and wealthy individual clients and their families. A competent candidate shall demonstrate among others the following attributes: honesty, punctuality, initiative, critical analysis, integrity, ethical, etc. A qualified learner will be able to: • Advise on corporate, personal, value-added and payroll taxation risks, processes and transactions. • Manage corporate, personal, value-added and payroll taxation controversy. • Manage corporate, personal, value-added and payroll taxation compliance of significant complexity.

The reviewed qualification integrates an analysis of the feedback provided by practitioners and ensure that it addresses the scope of practice of tax professionals. Besides a different focus for the knowledge modules, the nature of job functions (including the depth of these functions) was broken down clearly and clearly distinguished. Tax professionals are engaged in tax compliance. At its core, the taxation compliance function ensures that taxpayers adhere to tax legislation in terms of internal controls and calculations. Taxation compliance related functions pertain to key regulatory objectives in order to protect a taxpayer's risks in terms of professional conduct, ethics, fairness, efficiency (paying tax timely and accurately), transparency and applying applicable tax law and case law. Tax professionals engage in tax compliance at a higher level of tax compliance in terms of risk and analysis and usually with larger taxpayers that are more sophisticated. Tax Professionals are frequently involved in formulating opinions based on research of applicable statutory law and interpretation, including case law analysis. Tax Professionals are engaged in controversy management, takes it further into the litigation process, provide a full legal analysis of options and risks. There is a shortage of specialist tax professionals to serve the South African economy in various ways; viz. as: • Tax specialists in private practice. • Tax advisors in commerce and industry. • Tax auditors or investigators within the Revenue Service. The qualification serves as a learning pathway for learners who have already obtained a first qualification in accounting, taxation, law or any other relevant field of study into full professional status as tax professionals. People with this qualification will be able to register with a regulating authority as a Tax Advisor (SA). The qualification covers all aspects related to corporate, personal, value-added and payroll taxation as it applies to the South African context. The content and focus on practical application will enhance the quality of tax services provided to the public by private practitioners and by the South African Revenue Services with its emphasis on providing taxation advice and managing controversy and compliance related to corporate, personal, value-added and payroll taxation. Improvement of knowledge and skills shall improve revenue collection to grow the South African economy.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): • Learners will gain access to the qualification through RPL for Access as provided for in the QCTO RPL Policy. RPL for access is conducted by accredited education institution, skills development provider or workplace accredited to offer that specific qualification/part-qualification. • Learners who have acquired competencies of the modules of a qualification or part-qualification will be credited for modules through RPL. • RPL for access to the external integrated summative assessment: Accredited providers and approved workplaces must apply the internal assessment criteria specified in the related curriculum document to establish and confirm prior learning. Accredited providers and workplaces must confirm prior learning by issuing a statement of result. Entry Requirements: The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is: • NQF Level 7 qualification in Accounting, Taxation, Law or any other relevant field of study.

• Advise on corporate, personal, value-added and payroll taxation risks, processes and transactions.
• Manage corporate, personal, value-added and payroll taxation controversy.
• Manage corporate, personal, value-added and payroll taxation compliance of significant complexity.