National Association of Tax Professionals

[Yardley CPA]

Wondering who here is a member of the NATP?  Do you feel the membership is useful to your practice?  What type of information does the association provide and how often?  I am considering a membership but wanted to get some feedback first. 

Thank you!

[Lion EA]

I am a member. For a national professional group, the dues are not too bad. For members, their education is very well priced, with at least one free course per year depending on your membership level. I have found their classes well taught and helpful. Their research service is good, providing cites with their answers; also one free question per year. Their Find a Professional directory is good if you're trying to grow your business. Great publications, via mail and a weekly tax update via email.

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

I second Lion's verdict. I'm not in the directory, because I don't wantnew customers. I do find their classes educational and their publications are great. 

Bonnie

[Lion EA]

I haven't done anything to my listing, but I still get a couple calls a year that I send away. At my age, I should be retired and definitely not growing!

[Sara EA]

I love their periodicals.  Tax Pro Monthly covers recent events like tax law changes, court cases, etc. and picks some topic and shows how to do it, e.g., foreign earned income exclusion, forms and all.  The quarterly journal is full of interesting and helpful articles.  I find their education overpriced and many of the seminars were a bit too basic for me but probably just right for others depending on what types of return you do.  I find membership well worth the price.

[Catherine]

I'm a member.  Price is good, research is also good (the one free question I really like - we get one doozy every year).  Unlike many places, their CPE has an "Intermediate" level as well as basic and advanced.  Those prices are also reasonable.  Some years ago, I went to their summer conference in Philadelphia, and it was the best conference I'd ever gone to.  There is also (I forget what they call it) a cut-rate price to include y our co-workers or assistant as a member.

Certainly far more bang for your buck than NAEA.  I am thinking very hard of NOT renewing that one this year; far more money and I stopped reading their magazine several years back.  The freebie benefit of Verifyle is about 1/3 the cost of the NAEA membership, so it's cheaper to pay for that than to get it free.

[Sara EA]

NAEA membership is expensive, but their education is less costly than NATP.  Here is VA the local chapter of NAEA has had a few really good seminars for free.  These appear to be live luncheon courses where those who attend have to pay (they get lunch included).  They've opened these up to members to attend online at no cost.  Makes it interesting for the speaker, who's juggling a live audience with an online one, but the ones I've experienced have been very informative and you can't beat the price.