JOB DESCRIPTION AND RESPONSIBILITY
KEY RESULT AREA(KRA) & KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR(KPI)

finance

How to Become a Tax Preparer: Your Complete Guide

tax prepare

Introduction

The budget manager also sometimes referred to as budget supervisors play an important role in any organisation. They are the ones responsible for creating, implementing, and evaluating budgets and cost projections within the business. The Budget manager works in a variety of different environments such as a retail business, a corporation that provides products or services, a hospital, a government entity or any other establishment that spends money.

The projects and accounts that are undertaken and managed in such places have a specific budget, It is the work of the Budget manager to ensure that projects and accounts are managed cost-effectively to maintain adherence to the organization’s financial objectives. Such projects should not take more money than required in the short, medium or even the long term.

Do You Want to be a Budget Manager?

To build a career as a Budget Manager you need to first understand the Job profile and responsibility of the job

This blog gives you a detailed idea of what it is to become a Budget Manager in the Banking and Finance Industry of India.

Communication and Interpersonal skills are very important for a tax preparers as they need to communicate and Interview clients to get information on deductible expenses, allowances and taxable income. They have to notify the clients about Tax deductions or errors or miscalculations etc.

The Tax preparer needs to keep good management of different Client’s taxes and different tax forms etc. management skills are very important for a tax preparer as they need to work with multiple clients and those clients can be in different industries hence having different taxes and deductions, They need to manage the different requirements of such clients.

Computer Skills are required for any job now a days and the Tax Preparer’s job is no exception. They need to know how to operate different software that helps them in managing Client’s taxes and deductions.

The Tax preparer has to go through the client’s accounts to find out their expenses, liabilities and assets, such information is used by the tax preparer to calculate the taxes and deductions in a sound manner.

Job Description

The Tax preparer can have multiple as well as different job roles depending on where they are working, some of the common institutions they work in are accounting firms, management departments, insurance carriers, legal services or private companies, but a tax preparer can also work as an independent consultant too.

The Core responsibility of the tax preparer remains constant which is Calculating tax credits, deductibles, and liabilities of the employer, Reviewing if tax reports are in compliance with government tax rules and regulations and Answering clients’ financial questions and queries.

Other responsibilities of a Tax preparer include interviewing clients to get information on deductible expenses, allowances and taxable income, Using tax form instructions and tax tables to make proper entries on the tax form and compute the amount of taxes an individual or business owes, Consults tax resources and law books to obtain assistance with atypical returns.

They need to verify forms that individuals prepared themselves to check for errors or miscalculations before submitting them, Calculate the proper fee to charge each customer for tax preparation services based on the complexity of each form and the amount of time required for the work.

The Tax Preparer must be educated and have a high school pass out, in addition, the Tax Preparer should have completed a Three year college degree with majoring in business, economics, accounting or finance preferred, such as a Bachelor of Commerce (B Com), Bachelor of Business Administration in finance (BBA Finance), Bachelor of Business Management (BBM) etc.

If you want to have a good chance of working in a reputed organisation, A master’s degree is recommendable, such as a Master of Commerce (M. Com) or MBA in Economics, Finance or anything of that sort. It will also help to have at least 3 to 5 years of working experience in the field to get a job opportunity in a reputed company or organisation.

  • Advising clients:

The Tax preparer needs to advise clients about the tax preparation process so that the clients are efficient about preparing and managing records reducing the preparation work and margin for errors.

  • Providing future tax planning:

The Tax preparer gives advice about tax planning to clients for the next year or a few coming years. This will help the clients gain better tax returns.

  • Signing income tax returns:

Not everyone has time to fill out taxes and prepare for tax returns themselves as most businesses have other core tasks to focus on, hence, they need to sign income tax returns on behalf of individual and business clients.

  • Effective Tax Rate:

The effective Tax Rate or the ETR is the primary KPI when it comes to tax preparation jobs, as it is considered to be the most obvious metric of how well the tax cost of an organization is being managed.

  • Client satisfaction:

The Clients wish to get the most deductions and least payable taxes and the tax preparer must work to do so but on a legal border.

  • Quick and Easy taxations:

The Tax paying process by the organisations should be quick and easy so that they can focus on important work.

Work Environment

The majority of the working hours of the Tax Preparer will be spent in a controlled private office or shared office space setting. The usual job hours are somewhere between morning 8 and evening 6, the office timing may differ from office to office. Overtimes are very common in the job description of a tax preparer during the busy tax season which is between January to April.

The tax preparer spends most of their time keyboarding, manipulating a mouse and viewing a computer screen accessing and filing taxes as well as reviewing hard copy paperwork from clients.

Salary Package

The Average Salary for an Investment and Tax Preparer in India can range somewhere between 2 Lakh to 4 lakh INR per annum.

The Amount may vary through different banks, and cities depending on workflow and workload.

The tax Preparer’s Job is very hectic and stressful, especially during the taxation season which is between January to April. However, the work is mostly easy going and non stressful throughout the rest of the year. The pay is moderate but having multiple clients helps increase the pay. For someone who is skilled in taxation, accounting, auditing and such, a Tax preparer job can be a great career option.

Q1. What are the basic steps to become a tax preparer?

A1. To become a tax preparer, you typically need to follow these steps: Obtain a high school diploma or equivalent. Complete a tax preparation course to gain necessary knowledge. Obtain a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) from the IRS. Consider obtaining additional certifications or licenses, depending on your location and career goals.

Q2. What skills and abilities are important for a tax preparer?

A2. Important skills and abilities for a tax preparer include: Strong attention to detail Knowledge of tax laws and regulations Proficiency in tax preparation software Good communication skills Ability to work accurately and efficiently under pressure

Q3. What does a tax preparer's job entail?

Interviewing clients to gather relevant tax information Analyzing financial records and documents Completing and filing tax returns accurately and on time Providing tax planning advice to clients Keeping up-to-date with changes in tax laws and regulations

Q4. What are the roles and responsibilities of a tax preparer?

A4. The roles and responsibilities of a tax preparer include: Ensuring compliance with tax laws and regulations Maintaining client confidentiality Providing excellent customer service Keeping accurate records of tax filings Continuously improving tax preparation skills and knowledge

Q5. What are the eligibility requirements to become a tax preparer?

A5. The eligibility requirements to become a tax preparer typically include: Having a high school diploma or equivalent Completing a tax preparation course Obtaining a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) from the IRS Meeting any additional requirements set by local regulations or employers

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