One of the most fundamental yet frustrating tasks for a tax practitioner is tax research: getting answers to tax questions. This two-part series will cover the six-step process of tax research from establishing the facts, identifying issues, locating and evaluating authority to developing and communicating recommendations and conclusions of the research. With each of these steps, tips and techniques are discussed and demonstrated to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the process through the use of electronic tax research services (CCH IntelliConnect and RIA Checkpoint) and the Internet.
Learning Objectives
• To understand the differences between each of the primary source authorities and hierarchical weight of each.
• To develop and enhance an accountant's ability to analyze facts, identify tax issues, locate and evaluate primary source authority using an electronic tax research service.
• Reasoning skills in evaluating conflicting administrative (IRS) and judicial sources (court decisions).
• Synthesizing skills through reconciling and/or distinguishing similar cases.
Major Topics
• Primary and secondary sources of authority
• Research methodologies
• Online tax research sources
• Evaluating and communicating tax research results
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