Tax Preparers

Career Overview

Prepare tax returns for individuals or small businesses.

Also Known As

• CPA (Certified Public Accountant)
• Enrolled Agent
• Tax Advisor
• Tax Preparer

Alternate Job Titles

• Corporate Tax Preparer
• CPA (Certified Public Accountant)
• Credentialed Tax Expert
• Credentialed Tax Professional
• Enrolled Agent
• Income Tax Advisor
• Income Tax Consultant
• Income Tax Expert
• Income Tax Preparer
• Licensed Tax Consultant
• Preseason Tax Professional
• State and Local Tax Associate (SALT Associate)
• Tax Accountant
• Tax Advisor
• Tax Associate

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

• Compute taxes owed or overpaid, using adding machines or personal computers, and complete entries on forms, following tax form instructions and tax tables.
• Use all appropriate adjustments, deductions, and credits to keep clients' taxes to a minimum.
• Furnish taxpayers with sufficient information and advice to ensure correct tax form completion.
• Interview clients to obtain additional information on taxable income and deductible expenses and allowances.
• Prepare or assist in preparing simple to complex tax returns for individuals or small businesses.
• Review financial records, such as income statements and documentation of expenditures to determine forms needed to prepare tax returns.
• Check data input or verify totals on forms prepared by others to detect errors in arithmetic, data entry, or procedures.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• Economics and Accounting
• English Language
• Customer and Personal Service
• Mathematics
• Law and Government

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

1. Reading Comprehension
2. Active Listening

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Oral Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Near Vision
• Written Comprehension
• Deductive Reasoning
• Information Ordering
• Number Facility
• Inductive Reasoning
• Category Flexibility
• Speech Clarity

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Attention to Detail
• Dependability
• Cautiousness
• Integrity
• Achievement Orientation

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Relationships
• Support
• Independence
• Achievement
• Working Conditions

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

On-the-Job Training: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years

Education Details: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Experience Required: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

• Intuit QuickBooks
• Microsoft Access
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Word

Tools & Equipment

• 10-key calculators
• Desktop computers
• Notebook computers

Work Environment

• Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
• Spend Time Sitting
• E-Mail
• Telephone Conversations
• Importance of Repeating Same Tasks

Salary & Job Market

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$30,500
Median	$50,560
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$96,240

Workers Employed Nationally: 73,570

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.