The model tax curriculum: 2014 revisions provide a valuable tool for accounting programs.

• Author: Purcell, Thomas J., III

Editor and Co-Author: Annette Nellen, J.D. CPA

The AICPA has in the past published a model tax curriculum (MTC) for accounting programs to consider in developing the tax component of their curricula (see Dennis-Escoffier and Rubin, "Curriculum Tools for Tax Educators," 39 The Tax Adviser 110 (February 2008)). This model represented the core content that any person majoring in accounting should master, regardless of where that student might ultimately choose to work. As recommended by the Accounting Education Change Commission (AECC), the model curriculum was not based on CPA exam preparation but on providing a solid foundation of tax from which to further build. Although the MTC was sponsored primarily by the AICPA, faculty members of the American Taxation Association (ATA) were also involved. In 2012, a task force of AICPA and ATA representatives was convened to revisit the MTC and recommend modifications to address changes in the tax environment since the last MTC revision in 2007 (see Dennis-Escoffier, Kern, and Rhoades-Catanach, "The Revised Model Tax Curriculum," Issues in Accounting Education, May 2009). The authors of this article are the members of this latest task force, with Jina Etienne, CPA, CGMA, director--Taxation, serving as AICPA staff liaison.

The final report was approved by the AICPA Tax Executive Committee (TEC) on May 5, 2014. This column is an adaptation of that final report.

The MTC Task Force membership represented various constituencies with an interest in tax education. In addition, the Pathways Commission Implementation group provided guidance so that it could coordinate its work with the Task Force. Understandably, since the TEC convened the group, the Task Force's primary frame of reference is based on positions and prior studies the AICPA sponsored. The 2012 Pathways Commission report, though, was considered in the latest revision. (The Pathways Commission report and related information are available at tinyurl.com/2b7v388.)

The difficulty in presenting any ((model" document is that user groups quickly find disparities between what they perceive as feasible and the course of action the model proposal recommends. The MTC is no different. The Task Force recognizes that adoption and adaptation of the MTC may necessitate some compromises by accounting programs. Nonetheless, the group remains convinced that presenting a model curriculum provides accounting programs with a starting point for discussions. The Task Force's intention has not been to mandate a "one-size-fits-all" approach but instead to present principles that can be used to elevate the teaching of tax concepts and rules and ensure the integration of taxation into the overall accounting curriculum.

The AICPA Vision Statement and Tax Education

The AICPAs Vision Statement states that CPAs deliver value by:

* Communicating the total picture with clarity and objectivity,

* Translating complex information into critical knowledge,

* Anticipating and creating opportunities, and

* Designing pathways that transform vision into reality.

A practicing accountant cannot fulfill this vision without a foundation in tax. The mission of the AICPA Tax Section is to "serve the public interest by assisting AICPA members to be the most trusted professional providers of tax services, and by advocating sound tax policy and effective tax administration."The MTC has been developed and revised to assist students, faculty, administrators, and professionals in meeting these aspirations.

The MTC provides recommendations for designing the tax component of the academic accounting curriculum to address the Vision Statement, the Tax Section's mission, and, to a more limited extent, preparation for the Uniform CPA Examination. The MTC's recommendations are intended to assist educators in preparing students for initial success in any one of the various entry points to the accounting profession or in other positions in which accounting knowledge is a critical skill set. The MTC also can aid educators in designing and assessing accounting curricula that will attract students to careers in taxation. Regardless of a student's interest in becoming a tax professional in the future, the tax curriculum should provide a sound foundation for learning relevant to any other career aspiration.

An accounting program should not implement the learning objectives presented in this MTC without significant discussion and thought given to adapting to the specific needs of and mission governing that particular program. The Task Force recognizes that the wide...