Tax examining technician vs internal revenue agent

The differences between tax examining technicians and internal revenue agents can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a tax examining technician and an internal revenue agent. Additionally, an internal revenue agent has an average salary of $71,853, which is higher than the $43,422 average annual salary of a tax examining technician.

The top three skills for a tax examining technician include corrective action, sound judgment and IRS. The most important skills for an internal revenue agent are partnerships, CPA, and IRS.

Tax examining technician vs internal revenue agent overview

	Tax Examining Technician	Internal Revenue Agent
Yearly salary	$43,422	$71,853
Hourly rate	$20.88	$34.54
Growth rate	-7%	-7%
Number of jobs	43,996	35,750
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	2	2

What does a tax examining technician do?

In comparison to other jobs, tax examining technician is projected to have an enormous growth of reputation with the taxation service. Moreover, tax examining technicians have a plethora of skills in relation to tax compliance and revenue service.

What does an internal revenue agent do?

An internal revenue agent is primarily in charge of auditing and examining businesses' and individuals' financial records to ensure compliance with tax laws and payments. Their responsibilities typically revolve around reaching out to clients through calls and correspondence, arranging appointments, traveling to different locations, gathering and reviewing documentation, and even processing tax payments. Furthermore, as an internal revenue agent, it is essential to discuss and help taxpayers understand the tax laws, assist in complex procedures, and provide counseling as needed, all while adhering to the government laws and regulations.

Tax examining technician vs internal revenue agent salary

Tax examining technicians and internal revenue agents have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Tax Examining Technician	Internal Revenue Agent
Average salary	$43,422	$71,853
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $65,000	Between $32,000 And $161,000
Highest paying City	Hoboken, NJ	Laguna Niguel, CA
Highest paying state	Washington	New Jersey
Best paying company	Deloitte	Internal Revenue Service
Best paying industry	Government	Government

Differences between tax examining technician and internal revenue agent education

There are a few differences between a tax examining technician and an internal revenue agent in terms of educational background:

	Tax Examining Technician	Internal Revenue Agent
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common major	Business	Accounting
Most common college	University of Southern California	University of Southern California

Tax examining technician vs internal revenue agent demographics

Here are the differences between tax examining technicians' and internal revenue agents' demographics:

	Tax Examining Technician	Internal Revenue Agent
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 36.9% Female, 63.1%	Male, 59.3% Female, 40.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 9.9% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 13.0% Unknown, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 10.3% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between tax examining technician and internal revenue agent duties and responsibilities

Tax examining technician example responsibilities.

Review and correct tax returns in accordance with the IRM and instructions from supervisors.
Review correspondence attach to the return for further actions in accordance with IRM and establish guidelines.
Maintain current knowledge of procedures, policies and directives to provide employees both classroom and OJT instructions.
Input and/or update taxpayer and/or representative information using IDRS.
Update individual accounts as instructed by very complicate IRS procedures.
Research of computerize records by accessing multiple online/database systems including IDRS.

Internal revenue agent example responsibilities.

Manage teams of cooperating agents from areas such as international taxation, employment tax, and economists when conducting tax audits.
Utilize computer technology to access legal bulletins, IRS notices, and tax-relate court decisions.
Conduct workshops on occasion in specific areas of the tax law and regarding IRS procedures.
Negotiate with CPA's and attorneys to settle and close audits and assess deficiencies and refunds.
Review and approve relief application forms.
Generate partnerships with existing and new businesses.

Tax examining technician vs internal revenue agent skills

Common tax examining technician skills

Corrective Action, 15%
Sound Judgment, 14%
IRS, 11%
Account Adjustments, 6%
Enforcement Actions, 6%
OJT, 5%

Common internal revenue agent skills

Partnerships, 23%
CPA, 18%
IRS, 15%
Financial Transactions, 13%
Income Tax Returns, 9%
Tax Issues, 5%

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Tax Examining Technician
Tax Examining Technician vs Internal Revenue Agent

Updated January 8, 2025

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