Periodically, the AICPA Tax Section surveys its members to obtain input on its efforts to serve them and determine how to improve membership benefits. During summer 2006, it surveyed members, asking them how they view the benefits of membership, what they like and what should be improved or added. Of the total Tax Division membership (approximately 22,000), 1,320 members responded to the survey; the results follow.

1. Please rate the usefulness of the Tax Practice Guides and Checklists.

 

2. Please rate the usefulness of the different formats in which the Tax Practice Guides and Checklists are provided.

3. Please rate the following Tax Section products and services and other activities listed.

4. Please add the following items to the Annual Tax Practice Guides and Checklists:

There were thousands of requests for items that should be added to our Annual Tax Practice Guides and Checklists product. These suggestions have been compiled and are being assigned resources to produce them.

5. In the past year, we started sending you Tax eAlerts every two weeks. These brief emails are intended to put tax news into a practice context, with links to source documents. Which of the following most closely reflects your current usage of the eAlerts?

6. A portion of our website contains online discussion forums to float issues and bounce ideas off of other professionals. These forums use real names and are only accessible by Tax Section members. Please select the one statement, below, which most closely reflects your feelings about these forums.     

7. Do you use online discussion forums from a source other than the AICPA?

8. Please provide any comments you might have that would make our website forums more useful to you.

Most comments fell into the following typical response categories:

• Need to have more activity there, for members to visit.

• Some members are not aware of the forums.

• Difficulty-in-use issues.

• Problem of anonymity.

9. What products (not available elsewhere) would you like the Tax Division to produce? 

There were thousands of requests for items that should be added to the products the Tax Division produces. These suggestions have been compiled and are being assigned resources to produce them.

10. What do you like most about the Tax Section website?

    Most comments fell into the following typical response categories:

• Ease of use.

• Availability of checklists, guides and The Tax Adviser.

• Current resources.

11. What do you like least about the Tax Section website?

    Most comments fell into the following typical response categories:

• Difficult to use.

• Log-in issues.

• Navigation issues (i.e., too cluttered, hard to navigate).

12. What is the primary reason that you belong to the AICPA Tax Division and pay its accompanying dues each year?

    Most comments fell into the following typical response categories:

• Tax Practice Guides and Checklists.

• The Tax Adviser.

• Current events and timely information.

• Access to tax resources.

13. Please provide your comments on the quality and effectiveness of Tax Section advocacy activities, such as commentaries on proposed legislation and regulations. 

    Most comments fell into the following typical response categories:

• Members generally find the comments to be very good.

• Advocacy activities are effective and worthwhile.

• Useful for keeping informed of current events.

14. Which of the following most closely describes your primary area of employment?

15. If you are in public accounting, which of the following most closely describes your firm?

Conclusion

The survey indicates that members are satisfied with the activities in which the Tax Division engages and how they provide opportunities for further enhancement of member benefits. They particularly like the products and services that can benefit them in their daily work, such as practice guides, checklists and Tax Adviser articles. Of particular interest is the positive reception of a new Tax Division product, the bi-weekly Tax Section E-Alerts of current tax “news you can use.” 

Members made many suggestions for more guides they would like to see developed. The Division is responding to this by implementing new production procedures, to develop more hands-on practice tools in the areas requested.