VIRGINIA BEACH, VA--(Marketwired - Jan 9, 2017) - Liberty Tax, Inc. (
Liberty Tax Service, a leading tax preparation franchise, has named Richard Ernst as Compliance Counsel to consult with the Company's compliance team in enhancing the robust compliance program. Mr. Ernst will also aid in expanding training and education opportunities for the nationwide network of more than 1,800 franchisees and their 22,000 seasonal tax preparers.
Enhancing the compliance program has been at the forefront of the Company's efforts as Liberty Tax Service works to combat compliance issues that face the tax preparation industry. With his wealth of experience, Ernst will help Liberty Tax Service work toward that goal.
Ernst comes to Liberty Tax Service from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, where he served for five years, most recently as Deputy Commissioner for Professional Responsibility. In that role, he was responsible for the registration, training and discipline of tax preparers in the state. Before joining the department, he spent 23 years with the Office of the New York State Attorney General, where his job titles included Deputy Section Chief for Financial Crimes, Senior Investigative Counsel and Deputy Bureau Chief in the Criminal Prosecutions Bureau. Ernst earned his J.D. from Albany Law School.
Ernst brings a keen sense of tax law and regulation to Liberty Tax Service. As a deputy tax commissioner he observed how the nation's increasingly complex tax code led to confusion and unintentional non-compliance. He made it a goal to provide education and training to tax preparers in the state in an effort to reduce errors and non-compliance. As Compliance Counsel for Liberty Tax Service, Ernst will work to ensure that the high standards of the Liberty brand are upheld.
"With health insurance, mortgage deductions, student loans, the role of the tax preparer has evolved to more than just adding income and subtracting deductions," said Ernst. "It involves everyday life, so it's imperative that our franchisees have the training and tools for their preparers to ask the right questions, get the right documents, and ensure that accurate tax returns are being prepared."
Liberty Tax Service is a brand that stands for integrity. The Company remains steadfast in compliance efforts and looks to work to ensure that Liberty Tax Service franchisees provide the highest level of service to every customer.
About Liberty Tax, Inc.
Founded in 1997 by CEO John T. Hewitt, Liberty Tax, Inc. (
MEDIA CONTACT: Martha O'Gorman Chief Marketing Officer Liberty Tax Service (888) 848-5344 martha@libtax.com
