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Tax clerk skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted experts

Curtis Nicholls Ph.D.,

Dr. Nicholas Robinson

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical tax clerk skills. We ranked the top skills for tax clerks based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 30.3% of tax clerk resumes contained corrective action as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a tax clerk needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 tax clerk skills for your resume and career

1. Corrective Action

Here's how tax clerks use corrective action:

Recommended corrective action, as appropriate, under the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998.
Aided leadership by producing payroll and tax reports for corrective action planning.

2. IRS

IRS stands for internal revenue services. It helps many compliant taxpayers become conversant with the law regarding taxes; it ensures the minority who refuse to comply with paying taxes pay the required amount.

Here's how tax clerks use irs:

Utilized Microsoft Excel, Word and Outlook as well as proprietary software during my time at the IRS.
Ensured that all information was on file and it matched IRS records via TIN Matching website.

3. Data Entry

Data entry means entering data into a company's system with the help of a keyboard. A person responsible for entering data may also be asked to verify the authenticity of the data being entered. A person doing data entry must pay great attention to tiny details.

Here's how tax clerks use data entry:

Performed data entry operations as needed.
Performed data entry of necessary records.

4. Treasury

Here's how tax clerks use treasury:

Calculated and prepared all refunds for Collin County, State of Texas and disbursements to Collin County Treasury Department.

5. Individual Tax Returns

Here's how tax clerks use individual tax returns:

Reviewed documentation / performed quality assurance checks of individual tax returns prior to completion by accountant.
Researched, examined, corrected tax returns, and sent electronic correspondence regarding individual tax returns

6. Revenue Service

Here's how tax clerks use revenue service:

Confirmed all checks were accurate and met Internal Revenue Service guidelines.
Interpret the law as it relates to the issues and if affects the performance and efficiency of the Internal Revenue Service.

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7. Property Tax Payments

Here's how tax clerks use property tax payments:

Processed bi-yearly property tax payments.
Collect property tax payments, answer property tax phone calls, correspondence letters, filing, general office duties.

8. Tax Data

Here's how tax clerks use tax data:

Searched for discrepancies between information in our tax database and information sent by the assessor.
Prepared pivot tables using information in our tax database for the compliance analysts to research.

9. Tax Laws

Here's how tax clerks use tax laws:

Answer phones, keep records for business clients and stay abreast on tax laws.
Full understanding on all Federal and State tax laws.

10. Tax Forms

Here's how tax clerks use tax forms:

Examine individual and corporate tax forms for accuracy and completeness.
Processed applications for vehicle registrations, title transfers, replacement tags, boat licenses, real estate tax forms and more.

11. Tax Code

Here's how tax clerks use tax code:

Developed a Tribal Tag Agency following outline of a new Tribal Tax Code.
Research in tax codes and applicable accounting principles.

12. Tax Liability

Here's how tax clerks use tax liability:

Adjust and prorate vehicle tax liability in response to or appeal or vehicle sale.
Determine whether the adjustments affect the taxpayer's State tax liability.

13. Tax Issues

Here's how tax clerks use tax issues:

Identify potential tax issues and prepare tax adjusting entries and tax trial balances based on audited or client provided trial balances.
Researched a variety of sources, analyzes, and initiates actions on tax issues obtain applicable returns.

14. Income Statement

Here's how tax clerks use income statement:

Prepared monthly income statements and weekly payroll for 5 clients.
Review financial records such as income statements and documentation of expenditures.

15. Property Taxes

Here's how tax clerks use property taxes:

Calculated unpaid property taxes and penalty rates for local jurisdictions.
Created new schedule for due property taxes to decrease risk of late paid / unpaid property taxes by 90%.

5 Tax Clerk resume examples

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What skills help Tax Clerks find jobs?

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What skills stand out on tax clerk resumes?

Curtis Nicholls Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Accounting, Co-director of the Student Managed Investment Fund, Bucknell University

The obvious trends are going to become more pronounced: coding and technology-related skills. I think we are going to see an elevation in the coding expectations. In the future, I expect employers to begin providing coding assessments to potential candidates. This is a common feature of engineering and finance jobs, and I think we will see it with respect to claims about coding prowess.

Data skills will also continue to become more prevalent across all business disciplines. Employers are looking for experience with large data sets, data visualization software (e.g. Tableau, PowerBI, Alteryx, etc.) and statistical analysis. Data has become a major currency, and employees' ability to utilize data for decision making will be critical to success in the employment marketplace.

Beyond the obvious, I think the pandemic has also shifted focus to skills surrounding resilience and motivation. I've heard employers during the pandemic express surprise at the disparity of responses to the pandemic: some employees made the pivot to remote work seamlessly, others required significantly more support. Skills that demonstrate resilience, such as group work, honors programs, etc. will become more important.
I would encourage job seekers to highlight skills learned during the pandemic. I would anticipate a regular interview question inquiring about how the job seeker used their extra time during the pandemic. The most common answers will likely include lots of Queen's Gambit and Tiger King, but employers will look for answers surrounding the development of new skills or acquired certifications. Imagine the employer's thoughts when you suggest that you used the extra time to pursue a lifelong dream such as learning to play the piano or guitar. If you missed the early pandemic window of opportunity, take advantage now!

This line of questions may precede a dangerous trend for employers to look for indications of mental strength. I find this possibility disheartening as we could see employers screening employees with mental health challenges at a time when the solidarity of a job could provide much needed structure.

What soft skills should all tax clerks possess?

Dr. Nicholas Robinson

Director of Accountancy, Eastern Illinois University

Thinking of the less than the obvious answer would be the ability to ask questions the right way. If something is unclear or you just cannot figure it out, ask a question. The key part to this is TRYING to figure it out first and understanding when you are wasting your own time not getting anywhere. People will respect that you tried before coming to them for help. Another aspect of asking questions is listening to the answer. Make sure the answer is clear, and you know where or what you are supposed to do from there. Carry a notebook or something like that to both write down the questions you have on your project and their answers. I always find it impressive when people take notes and pay attention to the answer because it happens far too often that people ask questions but never listen to the response.

What hard/technical skills are most important for tax clerks?

Dr. Nicholas Robinson

Director of Accountancy, Eastern Illinois University

Excel, excel, excel. It does not matter how much you know in Excel. There is always something more to learn, improve upon, or make more efficient. If you are coming straight out of school, you may have had a lot of exposure to Excel, but if you are not using it every day in a work-like setting, you can get slow and forget how things work. Know how to look up techniques and tools. You will spend much of your working life dealing with Excel spreadsheets, so be sure you are comfortable with them.

Do you want to know more?

List of tax clerk skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a tax clerk resume and required skills for a tax clerk to have include:

Corrective Action
IRS
Data Entry
Treasury
Individual Tax Returns
Revenue Service
Property Tax Payments
Tax Data
Tax Laws
Tax Forms
Tax Code
Tax Liability
Tax Issues
Income Statement
Property Taxes
Tax Accounts

Sales Tax Returns
Delinquent Taxes
DMV
Real Estate Taxes
Computer System
Income Tax Returns
Journal Entries
Administrative Tasks
Idrs
County Tax
Bank Deposits
Provide Clerical Support
Tax Season
Business Licenses
Tax Reports
Office Equipment

Taxation
Tax Preparation
Tax Statements
Telephone Calls
Word Processing
Inbound Calls
Customer Accounts
GIS
AS400
W-2
Customer Inquiries
Business Transactions
Cash Drawers
QuickBooks
Title Transfers
Manual Refunds

Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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