How to hire a tax assistant

How to hire a tax assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step tax assistant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a tax assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new tax assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a tax assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a tax assistant, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A tax assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, tax assistants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of tax assistants and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Tax Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Tax Assistant		$11-37
   Tax Preparer	A tax preparer is responsible for preparing and processing the tax obligations of an organization. Tax preparers' duties include calculating tax returns, reviewing financial statements and make adjustments as needed, analyzing deductible expenses and credits, and adhering to the tax regulations and legislation procedures at all times... Show more	$14-40
   Tax Internship	A tax intern is responsible for supporting the finance and accounting department on preparing tax documents, including analyzing financial statements and performing account reconciliations, under the supervision of a tenured tax preparer. Tax interns observe tax processes, shadowing the staff on daily operations, and utilizing their classroom knowledge to practical applications by recommending strategic procedures to handle tax filings efficiently and accurately... Show more	$14-34

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Individual Tax Returns
   • Low-Income Families
   • Income Tax Returns
   • IRS
   • PowerPoint
   • Financial Statements
   • Low-Income Clients
   • Tax Forms
   • W-2
   • Tax Return Preparation
   • Tax Season
   • Quality Review
   • Tax Laws
   • Volunteer Income

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Perform bank and account reconciliations and process monthly payroll using QuickBooks.
   • Offer orientation to CPA s and college students to complete their continue education credits and increase potential candidates.
   • Perform data entry of banking and expense information into QuickBooks and other accounting software reconciling the accounts at month end.
   • Assure filling completion per client folder by gathering clients and CPA approval signature, tax form printouts and documentation backup scans.
   • General QuickBooks information and data entry.
   • Complete IRS tax-preparation training and prepare and electronically file income taxes for individuals.

   More tax assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your tax assistant job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A tax assistant can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, tax assistants' average salary in south carolina is 64% less than in rhode island.
   • Seniority. Entry-level tax assistants 70% less than senior-level tax assistants.
   • Certifications. A tax assistant with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a tax assistant's salary.

   Average tax assistant salary

   $43,893yearly

   $21.10 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level tax assistant salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average tax assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$66,817	$32
   2	Massachusetts	$63,879	$31
   3	California	$59,485	$29
   4	Texas	$51,957	$25
   5	Pennsylvania	$51,684	$25
   6	Washington	$49,360	$24
   7	Tennessee	$48,995	$24
   8	Minnesota	$48,453	$23
   9	Georgia	$47,443	$23
   10	Wisconsin	$43,697	$21
   11	Illinois	$43,125	$21
   12	Indiana	$40,719	$20
   13	Arizona	$40,102	$19
   14	Iowa	$34,369	$17
   15	North Carolina	$29,884	$14
   16	South Dakota	$28,843	$14
   17	Montana	$28,503	$14

   Average tax assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Ernst & Young	$82,095	$39.47	2,034
   2	Holthouse Carlin & Van Trigt LLP	$76,399	$36.73	5
   3	Crowe	$66,413	$31.93	46
   4	CyberCoders	$62,605	$30.10
   5	Andersen	$60,096	$28.89	23
   6	Moss Adams	$57,271	$27.53	226
   7	Washington State University	$49,715	$23.90
   8	Eurofins	$47,595	$22.88
   9	Group1001	$46,367	$22.29
   10	Randstad North America, Inc.	$42,948	$20.65	3
   11	Robert Half	$42,401	$20.39	307
   12	Concord Hospitality	$41,803	$20.10
   13	Heritage Holdings	$41,305	$19.86
   14	Forsyth County	$40,271	$19.36	3
   15	ABC Supply Co	$38,435	$18.48	1
   16	Adecco	$35,756	$17.19	5
   17	Maine	$29,097	$13.99	4
   18	Interfaith Community Services	$26,676	$12.82

4. Writing a tax assistant job description

   A good tax assistant job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a tax assistant job description:

   Tax assistant job description example

   The Firm
   
   At Andersen Tax LLC ("Andersen"), we offer a rewarding career path for exceptional, motivated, and entrepreneurial individuals. From the moment your employment begins, you will be exposed to a variety of projects giving you the opportunity to stand out and make a difference. Because of our favorable Managing Director to Associate ratio, you will receive hands-on mentoring from firm leaders that prioritize your growth and development.
   
   Once you join the team, you will become well-acquainted with our core values: Best-in-Class, Stewardship, Independence, Seamlessness, and Transparency. These are the qualities that define Andersen professionals.
   
   Know that through our sustained growth and best-in-class service, we offer substantial long-term career opportunities and the tools necessary to be an emerging leader. If you want to be a part of a growing and exciting organization, then consider your opportunities with Andersen - a name from the past, a firm for the future.
   
   The Role
   
   The Andersen Tax SALT team serves clients from the Fortune 500 to venture-backed startups and their owners. We are seeking a Tax Assistant to join this multi-faceted team to focus on Sales & Use Tax compliance and to provide administrative support to the Indirect Tax practice.
   
   Primary can expect to:
   
   * Prepare account reconciliations;
   * Prepare sales & use tax returns, property tax returns, business license and other tax returns;
   * Scan documents into an electronic filing system, copy and packaging returns;
   * Assist with document and/or extension preparation; and
   * Engage in administrative duties and projects, as appropriate.
   
   The Requirements
   
   * Associates or Accounting Certificate (preferred);
   * Solid foundation in accounting principles and practices (preferred);
   * Previous experience in accounting, tax return preparation, and/or account reconciliations;
   * Self-starter with the initiative to seek out opportunities and ability to work successfully in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment;
   * Proficient use of technology; and
   * Ability to work overtime as necessary.
   
   Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.
   
   Andersen Tax welcomes and encourages workforce diversity. We are an equal opportunity employer. Applicants and employees are considered for positions and are evaluated without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation (including gender identity and gender expression), mental disability, physical disability, sex/gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), age, marital status, military status, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws or regulations. All qualified individuals, including those with

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find tax assistants for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any tax assistants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level tax assistants with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your tax assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit tax assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit tax assistants, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new tax assistant

   Once you've found the tax assistant candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new tax assistant. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a tax assistant?