by Jennifer Bonner

Created on: October 10, 2009

Isn't the better question - Why do you want to become a tax preparer? How many people actually like to scour through the IRS code looking for that elusive loophole that the infomercials on the TV talk about? I guess I must be one of 'those' people because I truly enjoy being a tax preparer. I am a CPA, which means that education and licensing allowed me to become a tax preparer, but there are less time consuming and more focused ways to start in the profession. Below are 4 simple steps to becoming a tax preparer.

1. Become educated: H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt and some other local tax preparation firms offer classes in the preparation of individual income taxes. These classes are great for understanding the basics of individual tax returns such as dependency, Earned Income Credit, Child Tax Credit, income, adjustments to gross income, standards deductions, itemized deductions and residency status, just to name a few.

2. Research Tax Preparation Firms: After you have become versed in the federal, state and local tax regulations, you will want to find a job to find tune your knowledge. Employment with a tax preparation firm such as H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt or a local/regional chain would allow you to learn the interview process. This is one area that is not taught in college and many tax preparers learned this skill on the job in the first few years of preparing tax returns. The interaction with clients will teach you which questions you should ask to get the answers you need to accurately prepare the client's tax return. While working at Hewitt or Block you will more than likely prepare a separate return every hour and each return will have a focus on different areas of the tax code. However, if you do not wish to interact with clients as much, but would instead like to focus on the research aspect of tax preparation, a local or regional CPA firm would work best. A local or regional CPA firm normally has a tax senior or manager interact with the client, while the staff tax preparers do the research and actually enter in the data into the tax return.

3. Send out applications and your resume: After you have found out which tax preparation firms would best suit your goals, start the resume and application process. Most of the tax preparation firms will hire their tax season employees during the months of September through November and they will receive hundreds of applications. The number of applications the tax preparation firm will receive requires you to keep your resume on one page. Include a cover letter explaining why you chose to apply, what your education is and when you are available for training.

4. Never stop learning: Now that you have received the letter stating that you are gainfully employed in the tax preparation industry, the learning process has just started. Year after year you will learn new areas of the tax code, new interpretations of the tax code and new ways of pulling information out of your clients.

Being a tax preparer is a very rewarding and constantly changing profession. The tax preparers I hold in the highest regards are those that admit when they don't know the answer and then go on to research the subject and find the answer. If you keep that type of honesty with your clients and employers, you will have a very rewarding career.

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