William Foster, a certified public accountant at Foster & Foster CPAs in Russellville, has recently been elected president of the Alabama Association of Accountants and Tax Preparers.

In his new role, Foster, who has been involved in the profession since 1960, said he hopes to continue promoting the organization’s aims and purposes, one of which is to develop programs that increase the knowledge and efficiency of the members.

“Having well-educated and competent people prepare your taxes is more important than most people realize,” Foster said. “It could mean the difference in having to pay back a large sum because of an error in the preparation process or actually receiving money back on your tax return.”

Foster said the AAOATP does its best to provide continuing professional education opportunities for its members so each accountant or tax preparer who’s a member can be as knowledgeable as possible when it comes to doing their job.

He said they also strive to uphold a strong moral code within the profession and stay on top of existing or proposed legislation and laws that could benefit both accountants and the public at large.

“Members of the general public should be able to rest assured that having their taxes prepared by those who are members of the AAOATP means they will have someone working for them who is as knowledgeable as possible and will work to make sure they are getting back all they can to help support themselves or their families,” Foster said.

To learn more about the AAOATP and its membership, purposes or goals, visit www.aaoatp.com.