VAT audit: accountant or tax lawyer? Which one to choose ?
Tax Lawyer or Chartered Accountant? Which Professional Should You Choose for VAT Audits?
Should you choose a tax specialist or an accountant to obtain the best results during a VAT audit?
The tax lawyer: the VAT control specialist
Tax lawyers are professionals in corporate taxation and VAT. They are tax law experts who must hold a law degree (at least a Master’s degree or equivalent) as well as additional training to obtain the Certificate of Aptitude for the Legal Profession. Tax lawyers practice independently and adhere to the ethical principles governing the legal profession. To practice as a tax lawyer, they must also be registered with the Bar Association.
The role of a tax lawyer is exclusively focused on tax advice and tax audits. These professionals have a significant expertise and experience in VAT audits. The complexity of tax procedures and VAT requires a high level of technical knowledge that only a tax lawyer can master through their education and experience.
The accountant: the accounting expert
The chartered accountant is a professional holding the Advanced Degree in Accounting and Management (DSCG, Bac +5) and the Diploma of Accounting Expertise (DEC) who practices as an independent professional. As such, the chartered accountant must be registered with the Order of Chartered Accountants.
The role of the chartered accountant is centered around accounting. Thus, accounting and taxation are two different specialties. The chartered accountant’s role is to maintain the company’s accounts and assist in various routine administrative and tax declarations.
Which tax lawyer or accountant should you choose for VAT audits?
When it comes to VAT tax inspections, it is essential to systematically turn to a tax lawyer. Due to their legal education, tax lawyers have better knowledge of tax law and possess greater specialization in taxation.
As soon as a company is subject to a VAT inspection, the complexity of the matter should lead them to engage a tax lawyer to benefit from an independent and VAT-specialized tax advisor.
Moreover, the tax lawyer is the only professional who can directly and exclusively practice the activity of tax advisory.
In this regard, tax lawyers and chartered accountants often collaborate on the most complex tax matters.