How To Become A Tax Specialist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a tax specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

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

Individuals and organizations pay taxes to fulfill their national duty. The tax money helps in the development of the country and is very beneficial for the citizens as well due to the facilities they enjoy. But people and businesses face difficulties in understanding and preparing their taxes. Tax specialists help them with that. They explain to their clients exactly why and where taxes are applied and how to file them.

Other than tax preparing and advising, tax specialists suggest organizations on investment decisions and doing business to boost their tax returns. They are accountable for resolving discrepancies, handling tax correspondence and compliance of a firm, and finalizing tax audits. In short, they are responsible for documenting every stage of the accounting cycle for preparing local, Federal, and State tax returns.

Tax Specialists work a lot of hours at the beginning of the tax year. Other than that, they perform a standard forty-hour week. Passionate specialists demand a salary of $25.48 per hour. To follow this career path, get a bachelor's or associate's degree in accounting or business.

What general advice would you give to a tax specialist?

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 SpecialistUS Average

Salary

4.5

Avg. Salary $57,168

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.0

Growth rate -7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.55%

Asian 10.03%

Black or African American 10.50%

Hispanic or Latino 17.76%

Unknown 4.03%

White 57.13%

Gender

female 69.25%

male 30.75%

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

Key steps to become a tax specialist

Explore tax specialist education requirements

Most common tax specialist degrees

Bachelor's

56.6 %

Associate

19.9 %

Master's

11.2 %

Start to develop specific tax specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
IRS	10.80%
Customer Service	7.85%
Tax Compliance	7.80%
Tax Issues	6.80%
Taxation	6.50%

Complete relevant tax specialist training and internships

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

Gain additional tax specialist certifications

Tax specialist certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific tax specialist certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for tax specialists include Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA).

More About Certifications

Research tax specialist duties and responsibilities

Operate industry-specific taxation software to complete the tax returns.
Author of several articles on topics of international taxation.
Prepare and electronically file accurate and timely individual tax returns base on IRS regulations and company policies.
Conduct confidential interviews with individuals/couples using current IRS and state laws and manually or electronically file returns through proprietary software.

Prepare your tax specialist resume

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

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a tax specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable tax specialist resume templates

Build a professional tax specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your tax specialist resume.