WASHINGTON, DC, October 25, 2011 - The Accreditation Council for Accountancy and Taxation® (ACAT) is now accepting exam applications for the November 28 - December 19, 2011 testing period from industry professionals seeking to earn any of the following four credentials:

• ABA Accredited Business Accountant/Advisor®
  
• Accredited Tax Advisor® (ATA)
  
• Accredited Tax Preparer® (ATP)
  
• Accredited Retirement Advisor® (ARA)
  

The exams are offered at computer-based testing centers throughout the United States.

The ABA is a national credential that verifies the technical proficiency of practitioners in financial accounting, financial reporting, financial statement preparation, taxation, business consulting services, business law and ethics. The emphasis is on a practical approach to public accounting.The ABA is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), an independent resource recognized as the authority on accreditation standards for professional certification organizations and programs.

The ATA is a premier national tax credential for practitioners who handle sophisticated tax planning issues, including planning for owners of closely held businesses, planning for the highly compensated, choosing qualified retirement plans and performing estate tax planning. Their expertise covers tax returns for individuals, business entities, fiduciaries, trusts and estates, as well as tax planning, tax consulting and ethics.

The ATP is a credential for tax practitioners who demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the existing tax code and the preparation of individual tax returns with an expertise in comprehensive 1040 issues including supporting schedules, self-employed returns, and ethics. The ATP exam will not be offered beginning in 2012, although ACAT will continue to support recertification and promotion of this credential for tax practitioners who earned it before then.

 The ARA recognizes professionals who have a thorough knowledge of topics relevant to retirement planning and special issues of senior citizens including tax planning; preparing clients for retirement; tax preparation for decedents, the essentials of estates and trusts; financial planning; and applying your knowledge and skills in real-life situations when serving aging clients.

ACAT accreditation provides evidence to clients, prospective clients, employers, and the public that the accredited professional has met national standards and has a mastery of accounting and taxation procedures and practices. These credentials demonstrate a mastery of accounting and tax procedures and practices that far exceed the proposed IRS registered tax return preparer standard.

Candidate information with topic blueprints for each exam, credential information and exam registration, is available at www.acatcredentials.org.

The National Society of Accountants (NSA) offers preparatory course study guides for some of the exams. For more information, visit www.nsacct.org or call 800-966-6679.

In Spring 2012, the exam testing dates will be June 16 - July 7, 2012. There will also be a separate window for colleges to proctor a paper exam in their schools from May 21- June 18, 2012.

For more information about the exams and ACAT credentials, visit www.acatcredentials.org or call 888-289-7763.

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ACAT is an independent accrediting and monitoring organization affiliated with the National Society of Accountants. ACAT accredits professionals in independent practice who have demonstrated measurable knowledge of the principles, practices, and ethical standards of accounting, taxation, information technology and related financial services. For more information, visit www.acatcredentials.org.