Tax preparer vs income tax expert

The differences between tax preparers and income tax experts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a tax preparer has an average salary of $51,020, which is higher than the $39,306 average annual salary of an income tax expert.

The top three skills for a tax preparer include customer service, good communication and exceptional client. The most important skills for an income tax expert are financial statements, tax software, and tax returns.

Tax preparer vs income tax expert overview

	Tax Preparer	Income Tax Expert
Yearly salary	$51,020	$39,306
Hourly rate	$24.53	$18.90
Growth rate	-	-
Number of jobs	41,736	34,945
Job satisfaction	3	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	-	-

Tax preparer vs income tax expert salary

Tax preparers and income tax experts have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Tax Preparer	Income Tax Expert
Average salary	$51,020	$39,306
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $85,000	Between $20,000 And $74,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	-
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	-
Best paying company	Goldman Sachs	-
Best paying industry	Finance	-

Differences between tax preparer and income tax expert education

There are a few differences between a tax preparer and an income tax expert in terms of educational background:

	Tax Preparer	Income Tax Expert
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Southern California	University of Southern California

Tax preparer vs income tax expert demographics

Here are the differences between tax preparers' and income tax experts' demographics:

	Tax Preparer	Income Tax Expert
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 28.2% Female, 71.8%	Male, 42.4% Female, 57.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 10.3% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 9.6% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between tax preparer and income tax expert duties and responsibilities

Tax preparer example responsibilities.

Verify data input and totals on forms prepare by others to detect errors in math, data entry, or procedures.
Follow IRS's guidelines in accurately preparing taxes and complete entries on forms, following tax form instructions and tax tables.
Prepare a wide range of tax returns, help prepare subscription agreements, and help small start-up companies comply with GAAP.
Perform monthly bank statement reconciliations and create monthly financial statements.
Assist outside real property tax appeal providers by providing information necessary for filing appeals.
Create engaging Microsoft PowerPoint sides about associate trading arrangements with transfer pricing policy for upcoming speeches for the group director.

Income tax expert example responsibilities.

Manage the training and use of new FactSet products and enhancements with various client bases including portfolio management and performance teams.
Review domestic payroll reporting metrics, ensure home/host payments are updated and reconcile for timely submission and payment.
Start job by assisting TurboTax user's on how to enter information into the TurboTax program.

Tax preparer vs income tax expert skills

Common tax preparer skills

Customer Service, 27%
Good Communication, 14%
Exceptional Client, 8%
Math, 7%
Excellent Interpersonal, 6%
Taxable Income, 6%

Common income tax expert skills

Financial Statements, 10%
Tax Software, 10%
Tax Returns, 10%
Tax Season, 10%
Turbo, 9%
Income Tax Returns, 9%