National Application Center :: career details :: Tax Preparers
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Career Details :: Tax Preparers
Description
Prepare tax returns for individuals or small businesses but do not have the background or responsibilities of an accredited or certified public accountant.
Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a drywall installer might benefit from experience installing drywall, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be an installer with little difficulty.
Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.
Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.
Tasks
- Reviews financial records, such as income statements and documentation of expenditures, to determine forms needed to prepare return.
- Consults tax law handbook or bulletins to determine procedure for preparation of atypical returns.
- Verifies totals on forms prepared by others to detect errors in arithmetic or procedure, as needed.
- Calculates form preparation fee according to complexity of return and amount of time required to prepare forms.
- Interviews client to obtain additional information on taxable income and deductible expenses and allowances.
- Computes taxes owed, using adding machine or personal computer, and completes entries on forms, following tax form instructions and tax tables.
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Important Abilities
General Work Activities
- Getting Information Needed to Do the Job
- Processing Information
- Performing Administrative Activities
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Evaluating Information Against Standards
Important Skills
Frequent Work Context
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Importance of Being Sure All Is Done
- Consequence of Error
- Provide a Service to Others
- Sitting
Related Majors
| Major (A) Associate (B) Bachelors (C) Certificate (D) Doctor (M) Master | Add to MyPortfolio |
|---|---|
| Account Technician (C) |  |
| Account Technician (C) | |
| Accountant Assistant (C) | |
| Accountant Clerk (C) | |
| ACCOUNTING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (A) | |
| Accounting Assistant (A) | |
| Accounting Assistant (C) | |
| Accounting Assistant/Clerk (A) | |
| Accounting Assistant/Clerk (C) | |
| Accounting Assistant/Clerk (A) | |
| Accounting Associate (A) | |
| Accounting Associate (C) | |
| Accounting Clerk (A) | |
| Accounting Clerk (C) | |
| ACCOUNTING INFORMATION SYSTEMS-INFORMATICS CONCENTRATION (A) | |
| ACCOUNTING INFORMATION SYSTEMS-PROGRAMMING CONCENTRATION (A) | |
| Accounting Operations (C) | |
| Accounting Support Specialist (A) | |
| Accounting Technician (A) | |
| Accounting Technician (C) | |
| Accounting Technology (A) | |
| Accounting Technology (C) | |
| Accounting Technology (A) | |
| Accounting Technology Program (A) | |
| Accounting Technology/Full Charge Bookkeeper (A) | |
| Accounting Technology/Staff Accountant (A) | |
| Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping (A) | |
| Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping (C) | |
| Accounting Technology/Technician/Bookkeeping (A) | |
| Accounting Technology/Technician/Bookkeeping (C) | |
| Accounting/Assistant Bookkeeper (C) | |
| Accounting/Bookkeeping/Finance (A) | |
| Accounting/Bookkeeping/Finance (C) | |
| Accounting/Information Technology (M) | |
| Accounting/Tax Specialist (A) | |
| Accounting/Tax Specialist (C) | |
| Accounting/Taxation (C) | |
| Accounting/Taxation (M) | |
| Accounts Receivable/Payable Clerk (A) | |
| Advanced Taxation (M) | |
| Applied Taxation (M) | |
| Automated Accounting (C) | |
| Automated Accounting Applications (A) | |
| Automated Accounting Applications (C) | |
| Basic Bookkeeping (C) | |
| Billing/Cost/Accounting Assistant (C) | |
| Bookkeeper (A) | |
| Bookkeeper (C) | |
| Bookkeeper Assistant (C) | |
| Bookkeeper/Accounting Assistant (A) | |
| Bookkeeping (A) | |
| Bookkeeping (C) | |
| Bookkeeping Assistant (C) | |
| Bookkeeping Clerk (C) | |
| Bookkeeping Systems (C) | |
| Bookkeeping/Accounting (A) | |
| Bookkeeping/Accounting (C) | |
| Bookkeeping/Clerical (A) | |
| Bookkeeping/Clerical (C) | |
| Bookkeeping/Computer Applications (C) | |
| Bookkeeping/Office Administration (C) | |
| Bookkeeping/Office Management (A) | |
| Business Management - Accounting (A) | |
| Business Specialist - Accounting (A) | |
| Business Taxation (M) | |
| Business/Taxation (M) | |
| CERTIFICATE: ACCOUNTING 1 (C) | |
| CERTIFICATE: ACCOUNTING 2 (C) | |
| Clerical Specialist/Bookkeeping (C) | |
| Computer Accounting Technology (A) | |
| Computer-Assisted Bookkeeping (C) | |
| Computerized Accounting (A) | |
| Computerized Accounting (C) | |
| Computerized Accounting Assistant (C) | |
| Computerized Accounting Assistant (C) | |
| Computerized Accounting Technician (C) | |
| Computerized Bookkeeping (A) | |
| Computerized Bookkeeping (C) | |
| Computerized Bookkeeping/Data Entry (A) | |
| COST ACCOUNTING (C) | |
| EDP Auditing (A) | |
| Financial/Tax Planning (M) | |
| Graduate Tax (M) | |
| Graduate Taxation (A) | |
| Graduate Taxation (M) | |
| Income Tax Preparation (A) | |
| Income Tax Preparation (C) | |
| International Tax (M) | |
| International Taxation (M) | |
| Microcomputer Accounting (A) | |
| Microcomputer Accounting (C) | |
| Office Administration/Bookkeeping (C) | |
| Payroll Clerk (A) | |
| Payroll Clerk (C) | |
| Payroll Clerk (C) | |
| Payroll Income Tax (C) | |
| Science in Taxation (M) | |
| Tax Accounting (M) | |
| Tax Assistant Clerk (C) | |
| Tax Preparation (C) | |
| Taxation (A) | |
| Taxation (C) | |
| Taxation (A) | |
| Taxation (B) | |
| Taxation (C) | |
| Taxation (M) | |
| Taxation/Accounting (M) | |
| Taxes (M) | |
| Technical Accounting (A) | |
