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Tax Preparer skills for your resume and career

Updated June 25, 2024
6 min read
Quoted Experts
Kenton Klaus,
Kenton Klaus

Tax preparers need a solid foundation in hard skills to excel in their role. These skills include knowledge of tax laws, math, and the ability to detect errors. They must also be skilled in preparing income tax returns, individual tax returns, and business tax returns. Expert Kenton Klaus, Director, Master of Science in Taxation, emphasizes the importance of understanding all areas of the tax profession, saying "Taxation is a very broad discipline, so it's important for a new tax professional to understand all the opportunities available for them to use their graduate degree."

In addition to these hard skills, tax preparers also need strong soft skills. Good communication is key, as they need to effectively interact with clients and colleagues. They must also possess exceptional interpersonal skills, which enables them to build strong relationships with clients. Furthermore, they need to be aware of brand awareness and have strong customer service skills, which allows them to provide the best service to their clients.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical tax preparer skills. We ranked the top skills for tax preparers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 27.0% of tax preparer resumes contained customer service as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a tax preparer needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 tax preparer skills for your resume and career

1. Customer Service

Customer service is the act of helping and supporting customers before, during, and after a purchase. Tax preparers use customer service by anticipating and meeting clients' needs, providing timely and effective support, and ensuring complete satisfaction. They also improve office efficiency by overhauling filing systems and providing excellent customer service to existing and new clients.

Here's how tax preparers use customer service:
  • Deliver exceptional customer service by anticipating customer needs and considers the impact of all decisions/actions on the customer.
  • Ensured complete customer satisfaction by providing incomparable customer service, leading to repeat clientele and client referrals.

2. Good Communication

Good communication is the act of sharing information clearly and effectively. Tax preparers use good communication to keep their clients informed about the status of their tax refunds or payments. They also need good communication skills to secure future year tax preparation and to maintain a positive relationship with their clients. This involves interacting with clients, answering their questions, and providing clear explanations of their tax status.

Here's how tax preparers use good communication:
  • Prepared taxes for customers and employed good communications regarding refund/payment status.
  • Position required good communication with clients

3. Exceptional Client

Exceptional client service means providing excellent support and care to customers. Tax preparers use exceptional client service by ensuring they provide the best possible product offerings and answer all questions about financial matters and tax law. They also build strong relationships with their clients, which leads to repeat business and successful outcomes. They handle sensitive financial information and large refund checks, always maintaining a professional demeanor.

Here's how tax preparers use exceptional client:
  • Ensured exceptional client service and quality product offerings.
  • Maintained an exceptional client retention rate

4. Math

Math is the study of numbers, quantities, and shapes. Tax preparers use math to prepare taxes, detect errors, and solve problems. They apply math skills to verify totals on forms, analyze information, and maintain office records. They also use math when advising clients on tax planning. For example, a tax preparer might use math to build a solid client base by accurately preparing federal and state income taxes.

Here's how tax preparers use math:
  • Checked data input or verify totals on forms prepared by other to detect errors in math Prepared Federal and State Income Taxes
  • Tutored children (one to one in home) in Math and English

5. Excellent Interpersonal

Excellent interpersonal skills are the ability to communicate effectively and build strong relationships with others. Tax preparers use these skills to train and maintain strong communication with their clients, colleagues, and other stakeholders. They need to have creative problem-solving capabilities to handle different client scenarios.

Here's how tax preparers use excellent interpersonal:
  • Trained in and maintained excellent interpersonal and communication skills that complement proven creative problem solving capabilities.

6. Taxable Income

Taxable income is the amount of money a person earns that is subject to income tax. Tax preparers use taxable income to determine taxes owed according to prescribed laws and regulations. They interview clients to gather information on taxable income and deductible expenses and allowances. They also use this information to compute federal taxable income and resolve complex tax problems for clients.

Here's how tax preparers use taxable income:
  • Interviewed clients to obtain additional information on taxable income and deductible expenses and allowances along with analysis of completed tax returns.
  • Created client questionnaire to effectively obtain all relevant information on taxable income, deductible expenses, allowances, and credit eligibility.

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7. Strong Customer Service

Strong customer service is the act of providing excellent support to clients before, during, and after their interaction with a company. Tax preparers use strong customer service by developing and maintaining good relationships with their clients. They do this by preparing tax returns and providing time management skills while also ensuring that clients have a positive experience.

Here's how tax preparers use strong customer service:
  • Developed strong customer service and time-management skills.
  • Franchise Owner: Tim & Marina DuganPrepared tax returns for customers while developing strong customer service and organizational skills.

8. Income Tax Returns

Income tax returns are documents submitted to tax authorities that report income, expenses, and other related information. Tax preparers use income tax returns to help individuals and families with their tax reporting. They prepare and review income tax returns, calculate deductions, and file them electronically. They also answer questions related to individual tax returns.

Here's how tax preparers use income tax returns:
  • Supported over 50 low-income individuals with their Federal and State income tax returns for accuracy and maximum deductions
  • Prepared individual income tax returns and reviewed individual income tax returns prepared by other staff members.

9. Tax Services

Tax services involve preparing individual tax forms, providing internal management reporting capabilities, and offering various methods to receive tax refunds. Tax preparers use tax services to support their clients, including advising on paperwork completion for all 50 states. They also market their services to attract clients, calculate form preparation fees according to return complexity, and provide free services to underprivileged individuals.

Here's how tax preparers use tax services:
  • Provide analytically support to Capital Tax Services, internal management team including development of internal management reporting capabilities.
  • Prepared individual tax forms and applications using centralized database system owned by Jackson Hewitt Tax Service.

10. Individual Tax Returns

Individual tax returns are documents submitted to the government by taxpayers to report their income, expenses, and other important information. Tax preparers use these returns to accurately prepare and file tax information for their clients. They collect confidential information, input it into tax preparation software, and review the returns for completeness and accuracy. They also provide auditing services to ensure the quality and accuracy of the returns.

Here's how tax preparers use individual tax returns:
  • Prepare individual tax returns utilizing information provided by clients, reviewing client information, and inputting into tax preparation software.
  • Prepared individual tax returns for Jackson Hewitt customers using a tax interview software database.

11. State Income Taxes

State income taxes are taxes levied on a person's income by individual states. Tax preparers use state income taxes by preparing and filing these taxes for their clients. They do this by analyzing individuals' W2 financial forms to obtain an accurate tax return. They also assist clients in collecting the necessary documentation for the preparation of state income taxes.

Here's how tax preparers use state income taxes:
  • Prepared federal and state income taxes for non-profit organization.
  • Prepared Federal and State income taxes electronically and written.

12. Tax Returns

Tax returns are official forms submitted to a government agency by a taxpayer to report income, expenses, and other relevant financial information. Tax preparers use tax returns to accurately complete their clients' tax information. They prepare individual and small business tax returns, review financial records, and calculate refunds, deductibles, and exemptions. They also conduct reviews for calculations behind consolidated federal and state tax returns.

Here's how tax preparers use tax returns:
  • Contacted customers for additional information, to insure accurate completion of tax returns.
  • Prepared over 75 tax returns, maintained and processed taxpayer confidential information

13. Tax Season

Tax season is the period each year when individuals and businesses prepare and submit their tax returns. Tax preparers use this time to assist clients with their tax preparation needs. They handle tasks such as preparing personal and business income taxes, communicating with clients, and managing their work during this busy period. They also need to stay current with new tax laws and rules, often attending training sessions before the start of the tax season.

Here's how tax preparers use tax season:
  • Achieved and performed tasks completely and accurately every tax season.
  • Participated in television commercial promoting the office for tax season.

14. IRS

The IRS, or Internal Revenue Service, is a government agency responsible for collecting taxes and enforcing tax laws. Tax preparers use the IRS in their job by following its guidelines to accurately prepare taxes, communicating with the agency for client issues, and filing necessary paperwork. They also resolve problems related to tax returns, analyze tax-related documents for compliance, and coordinate with the agency to clarify or resolve any issues.

Here's how tax preparers use irs:
  • Determined authorized tax deductions in accordance to IRS and Indiana Department of Revenue and recorded them accurately.
  • Processed all Tax Returns/Communicated to the IRS for customer issues/Filed all necessary paperwork

15. CPA

Here's how tax preparers use cpa:
  • Completed education requirements for CPA license.
  • Conferred and assisted CPA departmentally.
top-skills

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What Tax Preparer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Kenton KlausKenton Klaus LinkedIn Profile

Director, Master of Science in Taxation, Website

Taxation is a very broad discipline, so it's important for a new tax professional to understand all the opportunities available for them to use their graduate degree. In some cases, graduate students have already been in the workforce, and have specific plans to return to a certain area of practice. However, many students have not explored the available opportunities to see which line up best with their interests and skills. I encourage graduate students to explore the market before they graduate, reach out to alumni who work in different areas of the tax profession, and speak with the professors for the courses that most interested them.

List of tax preparer skills to add to your resume

Tax Preparer Skills

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

  • Customer Service
  • Good Communication
  • Exceptional Client
  • Math
  • Excellent Interpersonal
  • Taxable Income
  • Strong Customer Service
  • Income Tax Returns
  • Tax Services
  • Individual Tax Returns
  • State Income Taxes
  • Tax Returns
  • Tax Season
  • IRS
  • CPA
  • Business Tax Returns
  • Schedule Appointments
  • Detect Errors
  • QuickBooks
  • Income Tax Preparation
  • Tax Tables
  • Tax Return Forms
  • Financial Statements
  • Tax Software
  • Customer Complaints
  • Local Codes
  • Deductible Expenses
  • Refund Checks
  • W-2
  • Due Diligence
  • Partnership Tax
  • Federal Tax Returns
  • Tax Law Handbooks
  • Client Queries
  • Bank Deposits
  • Tax Issues
  • Vita
  • Taxation
  • State Tax Returns
  • Revenue Service
  • Clients Taxes
  • Local Tax Returns
  • Proseries
  • Tax Liabilities
  • Tax Code
  • Tax Form Completion
  • Unnecessary Taxes
  • Tax Advice
  • R Block

Updated June 25, 2024

Zippia Research Team
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.

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