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What is an income tax consultant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an income tax consultant. For example, did you know that they make an average of $31.99 an hour? That's $66,540 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 11% and produce 108,400 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreIncome Tax ConsultantUS Average
Salary
5.2

Avg. Salary $66,540

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.0

Growth rate 11%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.56%

Asian 10.68%

Black or African American 11.08%

Hispanic or Latino 14.95%

Unknown 4.10%

White 58.64%

Gender

female 50.36%

male 49.64%

Age - 48
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48
Stress level
6.0

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.0

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
2.0

Work life balance is very poor

6.4 - fair

Income tax consultant career paths

Key steps to become an income tax consultant

  1. Explore income tax consultant education requirements

    Most common income tax consultant degrees

    Bachelor's

    60.9 %

    Master's

    19.1 %

    Associate

    9.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific income tax consultant skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Tax Issues36.11%
    Taxation31.24%
    Income Tax Returns18.48%
    Tax Returns3.81%
    Financial Statements2.70%
  3. Complete relevant income tax consultant training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New income tax consultants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an income tax consultant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real income tax consultant resumes.
  4. Research income tax consultant duties and responsibilities

    • Achieve Quickbooks ProAdvisor status * Consultant/Controller for several clients using Quickbooks and Peachtree software
    • Provide SharePoint development and administration, budget and financial reporting; manage invoicing; and develop training manuals and user guides.
    • Consult tax law handbooks and initiate contact with IRS to determine procedures for atypical returns.
    • Communicate with existing, clients, colleagues, management, and IRS representatives regarding various tax matters.
  5. Apply for income tax consultant jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an income tax consultant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first income tax consultant job

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Average income tax consultant salary

The average income tax consultant salary in the United States is $66,540 per year or $32 per hour. Income tax consultant salaries range between $45,000 and $98,000 per year.

Average income tax consultant salary
$66,540 Yearly
$31.99 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do income tax consultants rate their job?

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Income tax consultant reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020
Cons

It needs more patience to apply the true solution and satisfy your client


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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020
Cons

Low pay, considering the knowledge required to do the work and the volume of work that has to be done in a limited amount of time.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019
Cons

People get very upset because they have to pay more then they expected to pay IRS and their state taxes.

Pros

Being able to assist people financially. Tell them how to keep must of their money and pay as little in taxes legally.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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