Updates to the Statements on Standards for Tax Services become effective on January 1, following their recent adoption by the Tax Executive Committee of the American Institute of CPAs.Revised standards include a new structure to organize the SSTSs by type of work performed.
There are standards regarding reasonable safeguards to protect taxpayer data in all formats and a definition of when members may reasonably rely on tools of all types such as technology used in the performance of tax services.
In addition, the emphasis on representation of clients before taxing authorities has expanded from compliance services to include other services, in particularity a separate tax representation services standard.
Finally, existing Interpretations and FAQs have been updated to reflect the reorganization of revised tax standards with updated citations.
The project reorganized the SSTS so that most existing standards have been incorporated into either general standards (SSTS No. 1) or compliance standards (SSTS No. 2). Because SSTS data protection and reliance on tools are applicable to different types of tax services, they are now included in general standards.
