Get Certified!
- Advance your career
- Increase your knowledge
- Avoid fines
- Reduce frustration
An accreditation program for 1099 federal and state information reporting and withholding professionals.
"Research shows that on average, salaries for certified Tax, Accounting, AP and Claims professionals are 15%-18% higher than those who are not certified. Accredited Directors can see salaries 25% higher."
Register for Certification
To Register Multiple Candidates for Certification Please Call 866-827-6389
A Growing Profession with Strict Requirements
With the ever changing Federal and State Legislative Regulatory Requirements, the financial risks for any U.S. Organization that is not knowledgeable and the staff and business areas not prepared to comply with complex regulations could face significant financial risk and the possibility that you may be required to make a public disclosure of the risk. New legislation passed in 2010 on the requirement to document, withhold (when required) and report on payments issued for goods and materials and the new regulation to apply the same requirements on payments issued to Corporations has a far reaching impact on all business areas, policies, procedures and systems that begin now in order to be prepared to comply January 1, 2012. Of further concern, is recently passed legislation that increases the penalty amounts for information returns.
The IRS has already hired more than 1,100 IRS auditors to perform in-depth information reporting and withholding audits that review all business areas in an organization issuing payments on everything from policies and procedures, payee documentation, withholding, deposits, reporting, B-Notice and Penalty Notice processing to examining history of "Due Diligence."
And these are just some of the initiatives at the Federal IRS level - there are also many complex State Regulations on mandatory, backup withholding, cross-state withholding and direct information reporting. States are comparing information obtained from the IRS and do have penalty programs which they enforce. Several of the states in 2010 passed legislation to piggyback on the new IRS laws, further increasing the penalties and financial risks.
The IRS has launched websites, newsletters, bulletins and notices of new and proposed legislation to ensure that all U.S. companies have access to the information, have time to prepare and implement requirements.
Ignorance of the regulations is not an acceptable defense. It is your company's responsibility to stay educated, knowledgeable and implement any changes or processes necessary to comply.
The Standard of Excellence for Accounts Payable Professionals
The Certified Information Reporting Specialist (CIRS) program, sponsored by IRSCompliance, Inc. and The Accounts Payable Network, sets the standard for information reporting compliance excellence. The Certification designation signifies that an individual has demonstrated the knowledge and skills required to perform well in today's complex business environment with federal and state regulatory requirements.
Employers seek employees who are not only skilled, but who are responsible and have a credible way of demonstrating their professional and practical knowledge. Certification is the answer.
The Exam
The exam comprises 100 multiple choice questions. You will have 90 minutes to complete the exam. The exam is given live at conferences or can be taken online.
Content of the Exam
- Identifying and Documenting the Payee - US and non-US persons
- Federal Information Return Reporting
- Filing Extensions
- Corrections Processing
- Processing a "B-Notice"
- Processing a Proposed Penalty Notice
- Information Return Rules and Subjects
- State Reporting and Withholding
Renewed Certification Through Continuing Professional Education
Regulatory rules are changing at a rapid pace. Continuing education requirements of certification ensure you stay on top of these changes to reduce errors and potential penalties and fines to your company.
To retain certification without reexamination, CIRS must obtain 20 CEUs every two years. Examples of CEU credits include:
- Attendance at live conferences or webinars sponsored by IRSC or TAPN
Differentiate Yourself — Expand Your Knowledge and Advance Your Career
- The CIRS designation proves that you are a highly-skilled professional who is serious about advancing in and serving your profession, and demonstrates expertise and commitment to being fully compliant.
- The CIRS certification places you in the exclusive group of accredited AP professionals around the world whose skills are recognized and acknowledged - you get the respect you deserve.
- Earning continuing education credits guarantees that you keep abreast of new developments in your field, and it sets you apart, increasing your value to your organization or to prospective employers.
- More and more employers faced with critical staffing decisions are looking at certification as the differentiator in prospective employees. In fact, many organizations actively seek people who are certified.
- Adding those four letters after your name - CIRS - can improve your skills and boost your career to the next level.
Register for Certification
To Register Multiple Candidates for Certification Please Call 866-827-6389
Call TAPN at 866-827-6389 or 770-984-1184.
