Tax accountant vs tax consultant

The differences between tax accountants and tax consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a tax consultant has an average salary of $66,737, which is higher than the $62,142 average annual salary of a tax accountant.

The top three skills for a tax accountant include CPA, tax audits and income tax returns. The most important skills for a tax consultant are CPA, tax planning, and tax issues.

Tax accountant vs tax consultant overview

	Tax Accountant	Tax Consultant
Yearly salary	$62,142	$66,737
Hourly rate	$29.88	$32.09
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	57,919	39,379
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age	44	47
Years of experience	4	-

What does a tax accountant do?

A tax accountant is an individual who works with clients to produce tax return documents that follow tax laws and regulations while keeping them updated on their return information. Tax accountants must determine tax strategies for their clients that may minimize or eliminate tax payments while arranging audits with taxation authorities. They prepare tax documents for different clients, including private companies, non-profit organizations, and private individuals. Tax accountants are also required to obtain a bachelor's degree in accounting and should understand business concepts.

What does a tax consultant do?

Tax consultants are experts in providing commercially centered tax advice and tax services to wide-ranging clients who function in all sectors of the economy. The work they do involves devising tax-efficient strategies for international and domestic-based clients in various business situations, including takeovers, company merges, and corporate reconstructions. They work continually to help clients ensure that the best business decisions are met. They also monitor and get ahead of possible changes concerning tax legislation and responding fast with guidance specific to their clients' tax requirements.

Tax accountant vs tax consultant salary

Tax accountants and tax consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Tax Accountant	Tax Consultant
Average salary	$62,142	$66,737
Salary range	Between $45,000 And $83,000	Between $47,000 And $93,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	Hartford, CT
Highest paying state	New York	Rhode Island
Best paying company	Pacific Investment Management Company LLC	Cargill
Best paying industry	Finance	Finance

Differences between tax accountant and tax consultant education

There are a few differences between a tax accountant and a tax consultant in terms of educational background:

	Tax Accountant	Tax Consultant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Southern California

Tax accountant vs tax consultant demographics

Here are the differences between tax accountants' and tax consultants' demographics:

	Tax Accountant	Tax Consultant
Average age	44	47
Gender ratio	Male, 47.3% Female, 52.7%	Male, 52.7% Female, 47.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.5% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 10.4% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	7%	8%

Differences between tax accountant and tax consultant duties and responsibilities

Tax accountant example responsibilities.

Utilize QuickBooks to manage client data and prepare necessary financial statements.
Manage and prepare sales and use tax account reconciliations and property tax liability accounts and prepare corresponding journal entries.
Prepared/Review financial statements according to GAAP and propose adjusting entries for clients.
Prepare tax returns for corporations, partnerships, non-profit organizations and individuals.
Work with various accounting departments, with duties such as account reconciliations, customer service, and administrative/clerical positions.
SAP, ONESOURCE, YESWIN, and BSAEfiling

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Tax consultant example responsibilities.

Manage the training and use of new FactSet products and enhancements with various client bases including portfolio management and performance teams.
Maintain and generate the process of structuring and conducting business transactions to ensure that GAAP procedures are followed.
Develop, maintain, and ensure accounting policies and procedures are in accordance with company member agreements & GAAP.
Prepare returns and consult on tax and accounting issues for own clients as well as contract work for other CPA firms.
Work closely with CPA on data verification and documentations processing.
Save customers thousands of dollars on Mexico-U.S. cross-border taxation advisory.

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Tax accountant vs tax consultant skills

Common tax accountant skills

CPA, 9%
Tax Audits, 4%
Income Tax Returns, 4%
Tax Research, 4%
Reconciliations, 4%
Financial Statements, 4%

Common tax consultant skills

CPA, 13%
Tax Planning, 7%
Tax Issues, 6%
Taxation, 6%
Tax Research, 5%
Income Tax Returns, 5%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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