Advocacy Philosophy & Guiding Tax Principles

Jump to:

• Guiding principles of Virginia tax policy
• Standing Board positions

Advocacy philosophy

VSCPA advocacy activities are generally focused on at least one of the following priorities:

• Ensure continued rigor of qualifications and experience required for CPA licensure: The laws and regulations governing CPAs and their services should reinforce the value and integrity of the CPA designation. All paths to licensure should adhere to the education, experience and examination requirements as established by the Uniform Accountancy Act (UAA) in evaluating jurisdictions for substantial equivalency. Due to the specialized education, training and expertise of CPAs, services traditionally restricted to CPAs should generally continue to be so. We work to promote certainty in CPAs’ work, and we work to prevent unreasonable or burdensome requirements for CPAs.
• Support diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the CPA profession: The CPA profession should reflect the diverse world around us. We actively seek to enhance opportunities in the profession by creating awareness of the profession among diverse populations and supporting public policies which promote an inclusive culture within the profession.
• Advance the CPA designation and profession: CPAs can provide a broad array of services beyond the traditional core CPA services, including data analytics, sustainability and cybersecurity. To ensure a sound future for the CPA profession, we support accounting education, communicate the value of the CPA brand through community outreach, and proactively seek opportunities to promote the designation to educators, business professionals, and the general public.
• Promote technical and ethical standards: The laws and regulations governing CPAs and their services should not put CPAs at risk of being in violation of the uniform professional or ethical standards developed by independent standard-setters. Laws and regulations should be written to reflect the appropriate standards and should not attempt to legislate standards, thus compromising the integrity of the independent standard-setting process.
• Support sound fiscal public policy: Laws and regulations, those impacting economic and financial sustainability, should adhere to sound public policy. The expertise of CPAs affords the profession a unique role in society to educate policymakers and the public on the impacts of fiscal policy.

Guiding principles of Virginia tax policy

The Virginia Society of CPAs (VSCPA) actively engages on tax policy issues at the state level to ensure that Virginia’s tax system is effective, fair, and sustainable. While the VSCPA follows the Guiding Principles of Good Tax Policy (PDF) on federal matters, we have developed these specific principles to serve as a framework for evaluating tax-related legislation and regulation in the Commonwealth. These principles provide a consistent lens for assessing whether proposed changes promote fairness, clarity, administrative efficiency, and long-term fiscal stability for Virginia’s taxpayers and government. 

Clarity and Administration 

• Conformity: Virginia’s tax laws should conform with federal tax laws whenever and as expeditiously as possible. Minimizing delays in adopting federal changes reduces complexity and uncertainty for Virginia taxpayers.
• Simplicity: Tax laws should be straightforward so taxpayers can understand and comply efficiently, without unnecessary cost or complexity.
• Certainty: Tax rules must clearly specify when, where, and how taxes are to be paid, and how liabilities are determined.
• Convenience: Tax administration should facilitate payment without imposing undue hardship on taxpayers. 

 Economic and Fiscal Stability 

• Competitiveness: Virginia’s tax structure should strengthen the Commonwealth’s ability to attract investment, create jobs, and retain both businesses and individuals in a regional and global economy.
• Sufficiency: The tax system should provide a stable, predictable, and sustainable source of revenue that is adequate to fund essential government services and meet the long-term needs of the Commonwealth. 

 Fairness and Trust 

• Information security: Taxpayer information must be safeguarded against unintended or unauthorized disclosure.
• Transparency: Taxpayers should clearly understand who and what is being taxed, and for what purpose.
• Equity: The tax system should incorporate both horizontal equity (similarly situated taxpayers are taxed similarly) and vertical equity (tax burdens account for differences in taxpayers’ ability to pay). 

Standing Board positions

The VSCPA Board of Directors and Executive Committee periodically take positions on behalf of the VSCPA. As positions change and new positions are taken, these standing positions will be updated accordingly. These are not intended to be all inclusive, but rather to reflect the positions of the VSCPA with respect ongoing, high profile or significant issues related to the VSCPA and the CPA profession.