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That is definitely something you would want to ask your compliance department about. So much red tape and nuances, it's just better to be safe than sorry.
There are some fairly strict rules/regulations on this separation. You can certainly have your CPA, but performing work (like tax returns) generally requires a separate entity. That’s why you’ll often see RIAs that offer tax work will have a separate LLC for this work - this is usually listed in their ADV.
When I worked at a wealth firm, we kept it all under one entity and engagement letter. However, I personally felt that was bad from a liability standpoint. If you’re at a broker-dealer, they likely have explicit rules on this type of work.
I’m the CCO at a mid size BD/RIA (old title with JPM) and I wouldn’t allow it. You can have your CPA license, but you can’t practice with it. The CPA license has very strict guidelines and I wouldn’t approve one of my FAs to have a tax practice with them being the CPA as an OBA. We have a lot of practices that also own tax services but there is an absolute and very strong distinction between the two entities. None of my 265+ FAs are the ones giving tax advice on that side. I am not about to go learn the CPA side of the world to become an expert in both and we live in an extremely litigious society. The liability with that would just be too much.
I don’t think the litigious piece can be stated enough - tax is a highly litigious practice. There are also stringent rules on services and plenty of other practice-related items. I was blown away that my old firm's outside counsel signed off on no division of services and one engagement letter. Then again, he was well versed in laws governing RIAs but not accounting firms or tax providers.
This was VERY helpful thank you friends