What’s in a Tax Preparer Job Description?
In general, a tax preparer job description is the same type of job description you’ve had before: helping customers find all the deductions they’re entitled to while ensuring that they’re following the law. Your tax preparer job description will outline that you have all the information and documentation that would be needed to back up their tax returns in case the IRS ever has a question.
You’ll be working with customers using video conferencing. Your customers will see you, right within the tax preparation platform. It’s essential that you appear like the professional you are, and that you are comfortable working with clients in a virtual setting. There are two key roles for a remote seasonal tax preparer when you’re working with an existing tax preparation service.
a tax preparer job description means that you will be Helping Customers Complete Their Tax Returns
Most tax preparation services have an online self-serve option, and customers are trying hard to use that self-serve interface to prepare their tax returns. But the customers will have tax questions that you’ll answer. They may be wondering about whether a particular expense is deductible if they can open a Roth IRA for their children, whether they can take a home office deduction, or whether they’re eligible for a childcare tax credit, and the list goes on.
You’ll need to answer their questions based on your knowledge of tax laws. If you don’t know the answer, you’ll need good online research skills to find the answer from reputable sources.
A tax preparer job description also includes answering questions about the use of the online tax preparation software. Customers will be confused about where and how to enter their information into the software. They may also have questions about how the system displays the data on the tax forms they will submit to the IRS.
You’ll need to be comfortable using tax preparation software, and just as importantly, comfortable helping make clients understand they are computer literate enough to utilize software to complete their returns themselves. You’re not just a Tax expert, you’re a coach and a mentor.
Preparing Customers’ Tax Returns
Some customers will want to have a professional prepare their taxes for them. In that situation, you will meet your customers online to discuss their tax situation, answer their questions, and make sure they have provided all the required information. These meetings will also be your chance to create a relationship with the customer, establish trust, and assure them that you’ll do an excellent job preparing accurate tax returns.
You will use the online tax preparation software to prepare a 1040 and all related schedules, and you may also do state or local tax returns. The tax preparation software will help you verify that the returns are accurate. But you need to use your expertise to ensure that you have found all deductions, gathered all the related documentation, and entered the data into the software accurately.