Tax accountants review and collect financial documents from clients to prepare tax returns. They ensure that all taxes are appropriately filed and paid and that all due dates are met. Tax accountants might work for one particular company or retain many clients made up of individuals and/or businesses.
In your tax accountant job description, it is important to emphasize certain skills, especially knowledge of the state and federal tax codes. Some of the additional responsibilities include retaining records and organizing financial statements, so you want someone with strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
Tax accountants interact with clients and deal with potentially sensitive matters, so it is essential that they are effective communicators with strong interpersonal skills. Review the tax accountant job description below to see some other valuable information to include in your own job posting.
Tax Accountant Job Summary
Do you enjoy making financial calculations and have extensive knowledge of the state and federal tax codes? If so, then you might be the right person to join our team of tax accountants. We pride ourselves on providing accurate and timely tax preparation, even during the peak of the busy tax season. You will have the chance to nourish relationships with clients as you manage their personal and business taxes throughout the year. As part of our team, you have the opportunity to work independently with your individual clients, but you also benefit from having a team to assist you as needed to ensure that all documentation is accurate and turned in on time.
Job Responsibilities
- Obtain financial information from clients through interviews and email correspondence to determine taxable income and appropriate credits and deductions
- Prepare tax returns for clients, including individuals, small businesses, corporations, trusts and non-profit organizations, using law handbooks and bulletins as needed for atypical situations
- Nourish relationships with clients to retain their business from year to year through effective communication and proficient work
- Collaborate with the business development team to bring in new clients and attend networking events, and arrange free consultations with potential clients
- Review tax returns prepared by other team members to ensure accuracy of calculations and the appropriate deductions and credits are taken
- Advise and educate clients about the tax code and the deductions and credits for which they are eligible
- Attend audits and prepare all necessary documentation ahead of time for a positive outcome for the client
- Remain up to date on all changes to the tax code through attending continuing education events and consulting bulletins and other information released by the IRS
Job Skills & Qualifications
Reqiured:
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance
- 3+ years experience as a tax accountant
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office
- Extensive knowledge of the state and federal tax code
Preferred:
- Certified Public Accountant
- Experience in tax preparation for non-profit entities and trusts
Tax Accountant Job Responsibilities
When writing a tax accountant job description, a list of tax accountant job responsibilities that pertain to the needs of your company informs potential applicants of the expectations associated with the position being offered. This section should be comprehensive, with a focus on the daily tasks to be carried out by a new hire, and the writing should be clear and professional.
To convey the job requirements as concisely as possible, use bullet points. They allow you to share only the most important information regarding the position, and they add readability to what could be a daunting amount of text. Bullet points help jobseekers quickly sift through the posting to determine if they are qualified candidates or not.
The following are examples of responsibilities that often appear in a tax accountant job description:
- Complete all necessary paperwork for filing tax documents at the federal, state and local levels
- Review earnings statements and other documentation in order to create tax provision schedules
- Research federal, state and local tax laws to develop tax strategies for the company
- Update company tax procedures by developing new worksheets and other tools for calculating tax provisions
- Stay up-to-date on accounting best practices and seek ways to streamline this division of the company
Tax Accountant Job Specifications
Including tax accountant job specifications within the job qualifications and skills section eliminates many underqualified applicants. Setting the minimum standards of eligibility for jobseekers is vital in this area of the listing if you don’t want to spend too much time on applicants who likely won’t make it through to the next round of the hiring process. For this reason, requirements in a tax accountant job description should clearly and accurately depict the background experience that this role necessitates.
As you gather information for this position, consider separating the list of qualifications into groups of necessary skills and preferred skills. To determine what each of those lists should look like, plan to dialogue with the appropriate professional authority, such as the accounting manager. Doing so will grant you more understanding of the company’s specific needs for the position. Although a list of qualifications might look similar from one job posting to another, determining which required skills are non-negotiable and which ones are flexible differentiates your listing from others.
The following is a list of job specifications that will help you determine what to include when creating a tax accountant job description:
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting or 2-4 years of related experience
- Knowledge of federal, state and local tax laws
- Experience with Microsoft Office Suite, as well as using tax software
- Ability to analyze corporate spending reports
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail