The AICPA Tax Division serves the public interest by helping CPAs and other tax professionals be the most trusted providers of tax services and advocating for sound tax policy and effective tax administration.

The Tax Division volunteer family is made up of committees, technical resource panels (TRPs), task forces, working groups and other volunteers who work on specific initiatives and projects. Our volunteers serve as subject matter experts on tax policy and advocacy, tax practice management, membership support and ethics.

• Volunteers for tax policy and advocacy focus on emerging legislative, regulatory and administrative developments and issues. They develop positions and advocate for sound tax policy and effective administration.

• Volunteers for tax practice and ethics monitor the tax practice landscape and develop guidance, tools and communications for members in technical, ethical, practice management and procedural tax areas.

Most committees and TRPs have a chair, vice-chair or immediate past chair, and 10-12 regular members. An AICPA staff liaison also serves on each committee or TRP. Committee and TRP chairs and members are appointed annually by the chair of the AICPA Board of Directors.

There are also special task forces and working groups that will vary in size, scope and duration.

Five committees are divided between tax policy and advocacy and tax practice and ethics responsibilities.

• Tax Executive Committee (TEC)

• IRS Advocacy & Relations Committee

• Tax Practice & Procedures Committee

• Tax Practice Management Committee

• Tax Practice Responsibilities Committee

Ten TRPs are focused on tax policy and advocacy and include the following technical areas:

• Corporations and shareholders

• Employee benefits

• Exempt organizations

• Individual and self-employed

• International

• Partnership

• S corporations

• State and local

• Tax methods and periods

• Trust, estate and gift

In addition to committees and TRPs, the Tax Division also works with volunteers who serve on task forces, working groups and special projects. For example, some volunteers do not have a standing long-term commitment, but volunteer to write an article, speak on a webcast or help on a specific resource or initiative.

Chairs of all committees and TRPs serve one year as vice chair, two years as chair and one year as immediate past chair. After serving as chair, the member will generally not be reappointed to the same volunteer group.

Committee and TRP appointments are for a one-year term. Those who make positive contributions are generally offered reappointment for additional terms, up to a total of three consecutive years on a committee and four years on a TRP.

Members are expected to:

• Attend in-person meetings, where applicable

• Participate in conference calls

• Complete assignments in a timely manner

• Suggest items for the volunteer group to consider

Depending on which committee or TRP a volunteer serves on, typical duties can include:

• Track, review and analyze proposed legislation and regulations

• Identify issues that affect the profession

• Develop positions and policy recommendations

• Propose, draft and review comments

• Participate in meetings with government representatives

• Propose, develop and review resources

To serve on a committee or TRP, members must apply through Volunteer Central. The application window for candidates is generally from June 1 to October 1 for the next volunteer year with the volunteer year starting in May of the following year.