These are the professional designations for SAIPA
The Professional Tax Specialist (SA) designation is offered by the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA)
A Professional Tax Specialist (SA) can register with SARS as a practitioner and perform all the services performed by a Professional Tax Practitioner (SA). They are also able represent tax payers in court, write tax opinions and mediate tax disputes.
The Professional Tax Practitioner (SA) designation is offered by the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA). [internal link]
A Professional Tax Practitioner (SA) is able to register with SARS as a Tax Practitioner and can offer all the services offered by a Professional Tax Technician (SA). In addition, they can register all tax types, prepare and file income tax returns for individuals and any business as well as preparing and filing of PAYE and VAT returns. This designation requires a minimum NQF level 7 qualification [internal link], such as the Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting [internal link]. UJ Online [external partner link] offers an online Bachelor of Commerce in Accountancy [partner link] degree.
The Professional Tax Technician (SA) designation is offered by the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA)
The Professional Tax Technician (SA) designation allows for all the registration with SARS as a Tax Practitioner. They are able to carry out may administrative tasks relating to tax, but they usually work in a support role for a Tax Professional as they are not authorised to submit VAT or PAYE returns.
They are authorised to register individuals for income tax, prepare and file income tax returns. For VAT and PAYE, they are able to carry out registrations, but are only able to prepare returns and not submit them. They are also able to post basic notice of objections for all tax types, check the tax compliance status of a tax payer, attend to enquiries in support of Tax Professionals and attend to SMEs without complex transactions.
The Professional Accountant (SA) designation is offered by the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA)
A Professional Accountant (SA) goes beyond merely accounting and preparing statements and is a business consultant/advisor that actively participates in the decision-making processes of a business.
The Accounting Technician (SA) designation is offered by the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA)
An Accounting Technician (SA) performs support functions to the Professional Accountant (SA), including the accounting functions, the preparation of working papers, working papers for tax returns and the preparation of financial reports. Notably, an accounting technician cannot sign off financial statements.