Tax Accountant Salary

Tax accountants specialize in preparing and submitting tax documents for clients, which can include private individuals and private and public companies; these companies may include non-profits and government agencies, as well. Tax accountants often devise tax strategies to defer or eliminate tax payments, coordinate audits with various taxation authorities, and advise corporate management of taxation strategies. As such, they must understand and interpret tax law and occasionally explain its implications to clients.

Duties of tax accountants include preparing and filing taxes, preparing presentations and reports on tax situations, advising clients regarding how to minimize tax liability, and informing them of changes in tax regulations; overall, their goal is to ensure that their clients comply with all federal and state tax laws. They must be highly knowledgeable of business concepts and government regulations, detail-oriented, and comfortable working with numbers and financial data. Great written and verbal communication skills and superior customer service are also important.

Tax accountants must have a financial background and deep knowledge of the taxation process and tax law and be able to effectively communicate, in verbal or written form, this knowledge to their clients in "layman's' terms." Most tax accountants have a bachelor's degree in accounting or a similar financial field, and concentration in tax law is highly beneficial. Some employers may prefer those who have a master's degree and/or certifications such as Certified Public Accountant, Enrolled Agent, or Certified Financial Planner.

Tax accountants typically work during traditional business hours of the week, except around tax season when their hours may increase significantly. Tax accountants usually work in accounting offices, and their co-workers include other tax accountants, supervisors, company leaders, and their clients. (Copyright 2017 PayScale.com)

Tax Accountant Tasks

• Prepare tax returns and reports, maintain records, analyze and research complex tax issues.
• Provides support during audits.
• Ensure compliance with state and federal regulations.
• Analyze tax regulations and recommend policies that minimize tax burden.

For Tax Accountants, working in the bustling city of San Francisco has its advantages, including an above-average pay rate. Tax Accountants can also look forward to large paychecks in cities like Chicago (+10 percent), Los Angeles (+8 percent), New York (+7 percent), and Atlanta (+6 percent). In Milwaukee, salaries are 10 percent below the national average and represent the lowest-paying market. St. Louis and Nashville are a couple other places where companies are known to pay below the median — salaries are 8 percent lower and 3 percent lower, respectively.