Knowledge

• Most certified public accountants, or CPAs, have at least a bachelor's degree in accounting, if not a higher educational background. They carry extensive knowledge about the U.S. tax code, and remain up to date on changes year to year that could affect your personal or business taxes. Many CPAs are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and are board-certified through their states. Because they prepare taxes on a regular basis, they are typically less prone to tax filing errors than taxpayers who prepare their own taxes.
  
  

Efficiency

• If you run a small business, you may choose to use a tax accountant to keep track of your tax information throughout the year, rather than only during tax season. This could include preparing your payroll, withholding employee taxes, making quarterly estimated tax payments and keeping track of your business deductions. Leaving the business of crunching numbers and paying taxes to a professional can free you to run your business more efficiently.
  
  

Time and Filing

• The average American spends approximately 26 hours preparing his own taxes. If you own a business, this number is even greater, with some spending as much as an average of 325 hours preparing, filing and paying corporate, sales and labor taxes. By using a tax accountant, you can significantly cut down on the amount of time you spend on your federal and state taxes. Most CPAs will electronically file your taxes for you, resulting in an approximate 1 percent error rate as opposed to the estimate 20 percent error rate associated with returns filed on paper.
  
  

Support

• Some tax accountants will support you in the event of a tax audit. If the audit is an office audit, your tax preparer may assemble the information requested by the IRS and send it to the office for you, without your involvement. On the other hand, if the IRS request a field audit, your CPA may attend the audit either for you or on your behalf to simplify the audit process and help you avoid an uncomfortable tax interview.
  
  

Considerations

• While all CPAs are accountants, not all accountants are CPAs. A CPA holds a formal degree of education and is licensed on the state level, whereas an accountant has no minimum educational requirements. If you pay for the services of a tax accountant, choose a CPA to increase your chances of receiving quality work with minimal errors.