Taxes, audits, and record keeping are all handled a certified tax accountant for individuals or businesses. She’ll be in charge of calculating earnings, filing paperwork, and preparing tax statements. This type of accountant may work for a company as an internal employee whose primary responsibility is to ensure that company taxes and related documentation are handled correctly. This type of accountant could be a public accountant who works with multiple clients at the same time.
A certified tax accountant may be in charge of tax preparation, while another type of tax accountant may be a supervisory position in the accounting department, depending on the size of the firm for which she works. A manager who supervises others and works with executives to run a business efficiently and cost-effectively may be a certified tax accountant with a degree in accounting and a lot of related expertise, education, and experience.
A certified tax accountant is responsible for completing a large amount of paperwork. She can work with paper documents like receipts and forms, or she can work with electronic documents. She will be in charge of gathering information from customers and company executives in order to properly handle tax forms. She’ll need tax preparation experience, but she might also need an accounting degree or a certificate, depending on the employer’s requirements and local laws and policies.
An accountant who is certified in tax accounting must be up to date on industry trends as well as any governmental or agency regulations that may apply. She’ll use her understanding of these standards to ensure that her firm or clients are properly preparing and submitting their taxes. She’ll collaborate with tax agencies to ensure accurate financial records.
A tax accountant may be involved in certain types of special situations, and many tax accountants choose more narrow career paths within tax accounting. For example, one might choose to work as a forensic accountant, who investigates company records to ensure that tax laws are followed. A tax accountant may choose to specialize in auditing as a full-time job, or a general tax accountant may be called in for audits only when necessary.
A certified tax accountant’s typical day consists of working on a computer and filling out forms, meeting with clients, and reviewing files and records. She might spend time in her department supervising and training other tax accountants. She will also be in contact with tax agencies on a regular basis, whether through computer technology, live meetings, or phone calls. If she is a senior tax accountant, she may spend a significant portion of her day in planning meetings, gathering information to be used in tax preparation or supervision.