now, tax agents do not have to look their clients square in the eye and explain to them in great detail and stuff papers into their hands explaining how they get paid, how much and by whom. Because tax agents aren't giving you advice per se, they are outside of the scope of the Financial Markets Authority's new disclosure requirements. Instead, they fall under the auspices of the Commerce Commission, the authority that oversees the Credit Contracts and Consumers Finance Act. One might argue that the Commerce Commission has taken a rather light handed approach to the regulation of this particular band of cowboys. These tax agents have been operation for some 12 years and it was only recently, following some complaints, that they issued a warning. The bigger problem, I would argue has to do with consumers themselves, for not taking more responsibility for their actions, and for deferring to tax agents a task that both technology and the taxman have made easier than ever. For the five minutes of effort required to jump on-line and plug the numbers into the calculator, Kiwis could save themselves money and learn a thing or to in the process. 3) Work it out - this calculator will tell you whether you can expect a return - without compelling you to request a personal tax summary. If will also tell you if you owe money. This page isn't monitored so doing step one won't affect you either way. You'll need to know how