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Tax Accountant

Occupation Information table
Overview: Tax accountants organize expenses and income information for private individuals and businesses. They prepare the legally required tax returns for federal, state and local governments. They advise their clients about tax laws and the impact on their financial affairs & income tax expenses.
Duties: Tax accountants confer with individual or business clients in order to analyze their financial transactions and determine taxes owed to federal, state and local tax offices. They advise clients regarding tax laws and their impact on business operations, investments, savings & personal expenditures, etc. They also recommend financial management methods to reduce taxes.

Tax accountants use computers to mathematically summarize clients' incomes and deductible expenditures as specified by the IRS. They advise clients about deductions that can be challenged by the IRS.

They represent clients and defends the tax returns submitted in the event of IRS tax audits explaining the reasons used for reporting taxes owed or refunds claimed. Tax accountants negotiate settlements with IRS when applicable.
Degree(s): A.A.S. Accounting 
A.A.S. Management: Marketing Concentration 
A.S. Business Administration (Accounting and Marketing) 
Job Outlook: Employment in this field is projected to grow 9% to 13% from 2018 to 2028, which is faster than the average projected growth for all occupations.
Salary Range (National Average): $40,000 to $47,000
Growth: Growth
Education Level: Typically, a Bachelor’s Degree from a 4-year college (some are 5 years) is required to be considered for this occupation.
Additional Training/Education: Most public accounting firms, business organizations and government agencies require applicants for accounting and internal audit positions to have at least a bachelor's degree in accounting. Most employers require that applicants be familiar with computer based accounting systems. An associate degree can qualify you for assistant jobs.
Recommended Skills:
  • Weighing out the options in a situation or a problem and logically choosing the best course of action.
  • Determining how much money is required to get a job done, allocating those monies, and then accounting for all expenditures.
  • Using mathematics and/or statistics to solve problems.
  • The ability to understand complex written paragraphs, instructions, or reports.
Recommended Values:
  • Persuading and influencing others to change their attitudes, behavior, and/or opinions.
  • Having a routine job where the duties are very predictable and not likely to change over a long period of time.
  • Being able to decide on how to get something done without significant direction from someone else.
  • Having a level of income that will afford you with luxuries, and which will allow you to become financially independent.
 

* National data collected by the Department of Labor in 2014 with projections through 2024. For New York green job information .

* For New York salary data information .

* For New York green job information .

Understanding acquiring positions in this field may be enhanced through continuing academic study (i.e. earning a baccalaureate or a master's degree) and/or work experience in the field, Queensborough Community College has established transfer agreements with other institutions for students who wish to further pursue their educational goals. Students are highly encouraged to meet with one of our Career Services to fully understand the opportunities available through study in their degree program.