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

Job Description

Tax Preparers prepare tax returns for individuals or small businesses. They also interview clients to obtain additional information on taxable income and deductible expenses and allowances.

Other tasks include:

• Use all appropriate adjustments, deductions, and credits to keep clients’ taxes to a minimum.
• Prepare or assist in preparing simple to complex tax returns for individuals or small businesses.
• Compute taxes owed or overpaid, using adding machines or personal computers, and complete entries on forms, following tax form instructions and tax tables.
• Furnish taxpayers with sufficient information and advice to ensure correct tax form completion.
• Check data input or verify totals on forms prepared by others to detect errors in arithmetic, data entry, or procedures.
• Consult tax law handbooks or bulletins to determine procedures for preparation of atypical returns.

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

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68% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 35% 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 Preparers use all appropriate adjustments, deductions, and credits to keep clients’ taxes to a minimum. They answer questions and provide future tax planning to clients.

A typical day for a Tax Preparer will also include:

• Review financial records such as income statements and documentation of expenditures to determine forms needed to prepare tax returns.
• Explain federal and state tax laws to individuals and companies.
• Compute taxes owed or overpaid, using adding machines or personal computers, and complete entries on forms, following tax form instructions and tax tables.
• Furnish taxpayers with sufficient information and advice to ensure correct tax form completion.
• Prepare or assist in preparing simple to complex tax returns for individuals or small businesses.

We asked some Tax Preparers 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?	85% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	10% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	65% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	40% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	5% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	65% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Tax Preparers also consult tax law handbooks or bulletins to determine procedures for preparation of atypical returns. They may also answer questions and provide future tax planning to clients.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Tax Preparers Calculate form preparation fees according to return complexity and processing time required. They might also Check data input or verify totals on forms prepared by others to detect errors in arithmetic, data entry, or procedures.

In addition, they Use all appropriate adjustments, deductions, and credits to keep clients’ taxes to a minimum.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Explain federal and state tax laws to individuals and companies.

To some Tax Preparers, it is also their responsibility to Interview clients to obtain additional information on taxable income and deductible expenses and allowances.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Seasonal (only during certain times of the year)

In a typical work week as a Tax Preparer, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per 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/oes/current/oes132082.htm

http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2016/concentration-of-tax-preparers-and-accountants-and-auditors-in-2015.htm