Tax advisor, accountant: two professions that you probably associate with numbers above all. In reality, they contain much more than that. Think, for example, of all the aspects that can be covered by supporting businesses as they grow.
Are you thinking of moving into one of these professions?
Good idea, because the profiles of tax advisor and chartered accountant are currently highly sought after and often well paid. Find out what a day-to-day public accountant or tax consultant position entails, and how to get started in such a career by reading on. Those who are into online tax jobs are professionals on it.
What does an accountant do?
Let’s start by wringing our necks out of a widely held misconception: the terms “accountant” and “tax advisor” do not cover exactly the same job. In the first case, both the title and the content of the function are fixed by law, while only the title of tax advisor is fixed by law. Therefore, even if accredited tax advisers are the only ones entitled to use this title, in principle anyone can represent, assist or advise a taxpayer.Accountants can establish themselves as self-employed or become employees of a company.
The missions of independent accountants
Chartered accountants may, in their capacity as freelance, put themselves at the service of private companies, public administrations or other persons and organizations. These specifically call on an external accountant to perform the following tasks:
Revision and correction of all accounting documents and drafting of an expert report
On private request or legal request: control of the organization and accounting procedures, and assessment of the solvency, profitability and risks of a company
In SMEs: representation of partners for the exercise of their individual powers of investigation and control.
The missions of internal accountants
Accountants contractually engaged in a company usually perform crucial functions, such as:
Chief Financial Officer: responsible for developing and executing an organization’s financial policy, the Chief Financial Officer also participates in the design and implementation of the general strategy.
Internal auditor: he controls the processes and the way of reporting within the company, and supervises ethical matters such as safety and working conditions.
Tax manager: he is responsible for the company’s compliance with its tax obligations.
The missions of accountants and tax advisers are not limited to these examples. They also support companies at all stages of their development (in particular by drawing up a financial plan or supervising the search for financing), and can advise them in the context of administrative simplification or digitization of procedures, etc.
How to become a chartered accountant?
It is the Institute of Chartered Accountants and Tax Advisers (IEC) which controls the profession. In addition, accountants and tax advisers can obtain an additional certificate to exercise the mandate of independent director, and some members of the IEC have the status of accredited mediator.
Practical training: the three-year internship to become a chartered accountant
Access to the profession of chartered accountant or tax advisor is subject to the prior completion of a three-year internship at the IEC. This period allows the candidate accountant or tax advisor to learn all the facets of the profession under the guidance of an experienced training supervisor.
