What is a tax consultant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. J. Klaus Ph.D., CPA (KY)

A tax consultant provides professional advice and support to clients regarding their tax obligations. They specialize in tax laws and regulations and work with clients to minimize their tax liability while ensuring legal compliance. Tax consultants may work with individuals or businesses and provide tax planning, preparation of tax returns, representation during audits, and advice on complex tax issues. Overall, a tax consultant helps clients navigate their taxes to achieve their financial goals.

What general advice would you give to a tax consultant?

Dr. J. Klaus Ph.D., CPA (KY)

Assistant Professor, The University of Texas at Arlington

Choosing a career in accounting today is particularly appealing due to the strong demand for skilled professionals in the field. Accounting stands out for its stability, offering a secure and reliable career path. The diversity within the profession, including areas like tax accounting and financial analysis, provides individuals with flexibility to align their work with their specific interests. With a global relevance, accountants are in high demand internationally. The current technological advancements have streamlined routine tasks, allowing professionals to focus on more strategic aspects of their roles. Pursuing well-regarded certifications, such as the CPA designation, ensures continuous learning and opens avenues for career advancement. Additionally, the flexibility for remote work and potential for entrepreneurial ventures make accounting a highly sought-after and promising choice in response to the prevalent demand for skilled professionals.

ScoreTax ConsultantUS Average

Salary

5.2

Avg. Salary $66,737

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.0

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.55%

Asian 10.38%

Black or African American 10.46%

Hispanic or Latino 16.96%

Unknown 4.06%

White 57.58%

Gender

female 47.34%

male 52.66%

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

What are the pros and cons of being a tax consultant?

Pros

Ability to specialize in a particular area of taxation
Flexibility in work schedule
Possibility for remote work
Potential for career advancement
Chance to work with a team of professionals

Cons

High stress levels during tax season
Long hours during peak times
Heavy workload and tight deadlines
Constant pressure to meet billable hour targets
Possibility of making mistakes that could lead to legal issues for clients

Key steps to become a tax consultant

Explore tax consultant education requirements

Most common tax consultant degrees

Bachelor's

63.3 %

Master's

16.5 %

Associate

9.7 %

Start to develop specific tax consultant skills

Skills	Percentages
CPA	13.07%
Tax Planning	6.54%
Tax Issues	6.07%
Taxation	5.50%
Tax Research	5.15%

Complete relevant tax consultant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New 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 a tax consultant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real tax consultant resumes.

Research tax consultant duties and 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.

Prepare your tax consultant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your tax consultant resume.

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