Tax preparers help customers file their taxes and ensure the accuracy of several tax forms. They prepare their customers to be able to pay the necessary fees and review financial records. They also calculate tax returns, managing communication between customers and tax authorities. A tax preparer is a qualified professional who helps clients file their income tax returns.
They meet with clients during the tax preparation process to review financial records, complete all tax forms, and ensure that completed forms comply with laws and regulations. Tax preparers are essential to organizing tax documents and ensuring that all tax returns are properly prepared for businesses and the people they represent. While they can work year-round with quarterly taxes and advanced preparation, the peak demand season for tax preparers can vary from country to country. Their job often involves interviewing clients, reviewing documents, and using their specialized knowledge in tax law to prepare returns.
An informative and friendly communication style greatly benefits tax preparers, as does the ability to organize themselves. Both businesses and individuals hire a tax preparer to help prepare and file tax returns and financial documents. Generally, a tax preparer is well-informed about the current legal requirements for several forms and understands the steps necessary to submit information correctly the first time. A tax preparer is generally found in an accounting firm or as an independent entity.
In addition, a tax preparer is well aware of several allowances, grants and deductible expenses that can save businesses thousands of dollars a year. Education and certification can vary widely by state, but a tax preparer is generally expected to have a high school diploma and some experience in the area of taxation or finance. Well-qualified applicants will hold a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or a related field. Certification is available from the National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP) and many employers prefer it.
Tax preparers prepare all types of tax returns for individuals and businesses, usually small businesses. Preparers are sometimes certified public accountants (CPA), but they are often hired on a temporary or part-time basis. They can fill staff gaps during the busiest times of the year. They have a good understanding of tax law and employers usually require, at a minimum, that preparers have an associate degree in accounting or a similar field.
Once the forms are completed, the tax preparer's tasks include informing the customer of the tax due or the amount of the refund. Tax preparers must include information in their tax preparation certification if they live in a state where it is required. Not all tax preparers are certified public accountants, although some do have this designation to demonstrate their professional qualifications. Tax preparers spend most of their time in an office environment reading financial documents and filling out forms.
For those preparers who don't use tax software, the IRS offers fillable forms that perform the calculations automatically. If the customer hired the tax preparer to prepare last year's taxes, the preparer could also review the previous year's tax forms and question any changes. Each bullet point should begin with an action verb that says exactly what a tax preparer will do and what the employer expects. When preparing the forms, the tax preparer will seek deductions or credits to save taxes and will try to reduce or eliminate the customer's taxes.
A tax preparer is a specialized accounting role, while a certified public accountant (CPA) is a broad designation that can refer to any type of accountant who has met their certification requirements. A tax preparer's job description is not the same as that of a certified public accountant, since duties are more limited. If the preparer doesn't use software to prepare tax returns, the IRS offers a free filing service. Because of your role in the hiring process, you probably already know the importance of creating a specific and accurate job responsibilities section in the tax preparer job description to effectively communicate your occupational needs to the job applicant community.
They review their clients' previous tax returns and collect new tax data to calculate how much their customer owes. Tax preparers can keep an individual's tax files or work with a company's tax records and help distribute W-2 forms to employees. . .
