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California Tax Preparer $5,000 Bond
Before a license may be given, tax preparers in the state of California are required to acquire a surety bond known as a California Tax Preparer Bond. The California Tax Education Council, more often referred to as the CTEC, has stipulated that this is an obligatory part of the law.
The CTEC requires that preparers first get their bond and then register with the organization. As long as they acquire their bond before they submit their registration, tax preparers are allowed to collect their bond before they finish their tax course and earn their completion certificate.
There are two names for the same thing: a CTEC Bond and a California Tax Preparer Bond.
A surety bond in the form of a California Tax Preparer Bond must be shown before a tax preparer may be granted a license in the state of California. This guarantees that you will abide by the industry’s laws and regulations.
The term surety refers to the firm that is responsible for issuing your bond. The CTEC is known as the obligee in the industry. You are known as the principal, by the way.
Your customers have the right to file a claim against your bond if they experience any kind of financial hardship or if they believe that you are not living up to your responsibilities. In the event that a claim is made against your bond, the surety bond firm will conduct an investigation into the allegation. In the event that the claim is found to be legitimate, the surety business will give you permission to fulfill the claim.
In the event that you are unable to settle the claim, the surety firm will do so on your behalf (up to the entire bond amount of $5,000). After then, the surety firm will come to you in order to collect the payback.
When you have this relationship, you are making a promise to your customers that you will carry out your responsibilities in a way that is both honest and ethical.
Any individual who files a lawful action against the Tax Preparer for financial damages owing to unethical activity or breaches of Section 22251 of the California Business and Profession Code or the terms of the code’s Division 8, Chapter 14 is eligible to receive compensation from the surety bond. This is for the benefit of the person who brought the case.
In the event that the Tax Preparer causes damages as a consequence of a false statement, a misrepresentation, dishonesty, fraud, or deceit, or other illegal act or omission while performing professional duties as a Tax Preparer, a claim may be made against the surety bond.
Qualifications/Requirements
A minimum coverage amount of $5,000 has been established for the bond as a requirement for tax preparers in the state of California. This indicates that the surety company is willing to settle claims brought about by the principal for up to but not more than $5,000.
Coverage lengths for bonds may range anywhere from one year to four years at a time. If someone wants to continue offering tax preparation services, they will be required to have their California Tax Preparer Bond valid and in good standing. This means that the bond will need to be renewed whenever the coverage expires. Otherwise, it will be against the law for them to work.
Bond Amount
A surety bond’s premium represents a relatively little portion of the total amount covered by the bond. In this scenario, the cost of the bond may be as little as 1% of the coverage limit every year or even lower, and there might be the option to pay for a longer term that covers many years of bond coverage in exchange for the same amount of money.
The cost of a CTEC bond, also known as a California Tax Preparer Bond, ranges from $55 for two years of coverage to $70 for three years of coverage and $80 for four years of coverage. Because these bonds are issued instantaneously online, there is no need for a credit check, which means that all applicants are given the same cost and are guaranteed approval.