Tax Preparer Resume Examples
With a median hourly wage of $23.82 in 2019, tax preparers have the opportunity to make a better-than-average living. To land one of these competitive roles, job seekers must have a stand-out resume that will catch the eye of a recruiter. Our tax preparer resume examples can help. Study them to see what industry-specific details to add to every section of your resume.
OUR RECOMMENDED EXAMPLE
Customize This Resume Resume Success Stories
What is a Tax Preparer?
People and organizations hire tax preparers to determine tax liabilities, file returns and even sign returns on their behalf. Most tax professionals file income tax returns, but there are other types of taxes these professionals can handle on behalf of clients, such as estate and excise taxes. Tax preparers may work as either independent contractors or employees. At minimum, tax preparers typically need an undergraduate degree to be hired in this role.
What Makes This a Great
Tax Preparer Resume Example?
When creating the ideal tax preparer resume, illustrating competence is key. Tax preparers can either save or cost their clients a lot of money, so it’s important to create a strong resume that inspires trust. Studying tax preparer resume examples can be a big help as you learn to write a resume. Here are some of the ways our examples can guide your resume writing process:
- Examples of effective content: Tax preparation is a technical field, so employers want reassurance about your knowledge and communication abilities. Studying our professionally-written content can guide you in writing your own. Pre-written resume content, written by our certified resume writers, is also available through our Resume Builder. It will recommend content as you write. You can customize this content or use as-is.
- Examples of format choices: Every job seeker should become familiar with the three main resume formats so that they can learn which one will be most effective for their professional level. This tax preparer resume example uses a combination resume format, which makes room for detailing roughly 10 years of experience. Entry-level or senior level tax preparers might consider using a functional or chronological resume format.
- Industry-appropriate templates: Like most fields with a strong foundation in numeracy, tax preparation thrives on precision, not creativity. This resume example shows a clean, conservative design with muted colors, which would be appropriate in a variety of work settings. For tax preparers who might be applying in more casual or creative industries, our Resume Builder can suggest more colorful resume templates.
3 Tax Preparer Professional Summary Examples
Professional summaries sit at the top of your resume and serve as your introduction to future employers and clients. Choose your words wisely to make a good first impression. If you need help putting the right words together, our resume examples can offer recommendations such as these:
- Retired CPA who spent the past 10 years filing income tax returns on behalf of six- and seven-figure individuals. Proven ability to accurately track and report multiple streams of income. Looking forward to taking on temporary employment serving tax preparation companies during the busy tax-filing season.
- Seasoned tax preparer with eight years’ experience and extensive knowledge of federal, state and income taxes. Special focus on serving organizations during busy quarter-end and year-end seasons. Proven ability to assist with account reconciliations and tax filing responsibilities for all 50 states.
- Experienced tax preparer serving individuals and organizations over the past five years. Skilled at assisting clients with tax planning to take actions throughout the year that reduce tax liabilities for tax-filing season. Particularly trusted by clients with managing multiple income streams for individuals and multi-regional payroll taxes for businesses.
3 Tax Preparer Work Experience Examples
The work experience section of your resume shouldn’t be a dry list of tasks you performed at work. Instead, it should be a dynamic review of how your work impacted your past employers. Our tax preparer resume examples can show you how. Or, use our builder which will make suggestions for how to describe your professional history, which you can then customize by adding your own metrics. Here are three suggestion our Resume Builder might recommend:
- Audited tax returns prepared by interns at H&R Block to ensure 100% accuracy
- Assisted clients with resolving tax-related matters, such as setting up payment plans for large liabilities
- Filed $20 million in income taxes for the company during year-end filing for 2019.
Top Skills for Your Tax Preparer Resume
Tax preparer positions require many of the same skills as most other accountants. However, interpersonal abilities are more important for these accounting professionals. That’s because many of them interact directly with their clients or their employers’ clients during the filing process and to answer follow-up questions. With this in mind, here are eight skills to include on your resume:
Hard Skills
- Tax compliance
- Tax planning
- Numeracy
- Intuit QuickBooks
Soft Skills
- Communication
- Multitasking
- Attention to detail
- Strong customer service skills
Building Your Tax Preparer Resume with Our Builder:
Select a Resume Template
Choose Pre-Written Phrases
Download, Print and Apply
Tax Preparer FAQs
- What is the salary of a tax preparer?
- How do I become a tax preparer?
- What skills do I need to acquire to become a tax preparer?
What is the salary of a tax preparer?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a mean annual wage of $49,550 in 2019. However, these professionals can make over $81,720. Industries that pay above the national mean include tax preparers handling investments, serving technical and scientific fields and working in company management. The highest-paying U.S. regions for this job include the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, California, Alaska, Colorado and New York.
How do I become a tax preparer?
To become a tax preparer, complete at least an associate degree in accounting and seek internship opportunities at tax preparation companies. You may also need to complete additional training depending on the credentials you choose to pursue. The IRS recognizes the following professionals as legitimate tax preparers:
- Certified public accountants
- Preparer tax identification number holders
- Enrolled agents
- Attorneys
- Annual filing season program participants
What skills do I need to acquire to become a tax preparer?
The specific skills you need to succeed as a tax preparer depend on whether you serve individuals or organizations. Whether you work as an independent contractor or an employee also plays a role. Important skills for any of these roles include accounting, tax law and active listening. Negotiation skills are also crucial for your earnings, as you need to negotiate your per-return fees with clients or your salary from your employer.
