What Do Tax Examiners Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Tax Examiners determine tax liability or collect taxes from individuals or business firms according to prescribed laws and regulations. They also collect taxes from individuals or businesses according to prescribed laws and regulations.

Other tasks include:

• Maintain knowledge of tax code changes, and of accounting procedures and theory to properly evaluate financial information.
• Maintain records for each case, including contacts, telephone numbers, and actions taken.
• Contact taxpayers by mail or telephone to address discrepancies and to request supporting documentation.
• Confer with taxpayers or their representatives to discuss the issues, laws, and regulations involved in returns, and to resolve problems with returns.
• Enter tax return information into computers for processing.
• Send notices to taxpayers when accounts are delinquent.

We asked Tax Examiners how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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72% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 38% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Tax Examiners maintain knowledge of tax code changes, and of accounting procedures and theory to properly evaluate financial information. They investigate claims of inability to pay taxes by researching court information for the status of liens, mortgages, or financial statements, or by locating assets through third parties.

A typical day for a Tax Examiner and Collector and Revenue Agent will also include:

• Impose payment deadlines on delinquent taxpayers and monitor payments to ensure that deadlines are met.
• Collect taxes from individuals or businesses according to prescribed laws and regulations.
• Maintain records for each case, including contacts, telephone numbers, and actions taken.
• Examine accounting systems and records to determine whether accounting methods used were appropriate and in compliance with statutory provisions.
• Review filed tax returns to determine whether claimed tax credits and deductions are allowed by law.

We asked some Tax Examiners a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	93% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	37% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	78% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	78% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	18% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	65% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Tax Examiners also direct service of legal documents, such as subpoenas, warrants, notices of assessment, and garnishments. They may also confer with taxpayers or their representatives to discuss the issues, laws, and regulations involved in returns, and to resolve problems with returns.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Tax Examiners Conduct independent field audits and investigations of income tax returns to verify information or to amend tax liabilities. They might also Examine accounting systems and records to determine whether accounting methods used were appropriate and in compliance with statutory provisions.

In addition, they Contact taxpayers by mail or telephone to address discrepancies and to request supporting documentation.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Review selected tax returns to determine the nature and extent of audits to be performed on them.

To some Tax Examiners, it is also their responsibility to Request that the state or federal revenue service prepare a return on a taxpayer’s behalf in cases where taxes have not been filed.

Working life

Standard 40 hour work week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Tax Examiner and Collector and Revenue Agent, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas..

They also like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/business-and-financial/tax-examiners-and-collectors-and-revenue-agents.htm

http://jobs.irs.gov/

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1100/internal-revenue-officer-series-1169/

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0500/internal-revenue-agent-series-0512/