This is what’s likely going on in most graduates’ heads as the day they’ve been waiting for has come and passed. There’s a world of opportunity out there waiting for them, but knowing which road to take and how to get there is sometimes the hardest part.
Whether you just graduated from college or you just graduated from High School – tax preparation can be a very rewarding career path, part-time job or education. Taxes are something you will be dealing with for the rest of your life. In fact, a third of most people’s salaries go to paying taxes! It’s definitely a subject worth knowing about.
It’s not all about numbers
Tax preparation is not all about taxes – it’s a customer service based industry. A good tax preparer builds relationships that last with their clients. You are providing clients with a very important service – making the dreaded task of tax preparation a pleasant experience. You are also helping them with a very important part of their lives: their financials. This is why as a tax preparer, it’s just as important to be good with people as it is to be good with numbers and paperwork.
Skills needed
It doesn’t take much to get started as a tax professional. Here what you need:
- At least a high school diploma
- Computer literacy
- Good, basic arithmetic skills
- Good reading comprehension
- People skills
Income potential
Tax preparers have a high income potential. Experienced preparers can earn $25 or more per hour and self-employed tax professionals can earn more than $100 per hour. During the 3-month tax season (mid-January to mid-April) it is possible for a self-employed tax preparer to earn $50,000 or more. Year-round income opportunities also exist for tax preparers who provide taxpayer representation or related services such as small business bookkeeping, payroll and financial planning.
Opportunity for growth
Tax preparers can start preparing taxes for the general public with a small amount of training and continue on to learn to prepare more complicated returns and increase their income potential. From there, they can become an Enrolled Agent, the highest professional credential in the tax preparation industry. You can also elect to become a small business owner by working independently and growing your own tax firm.
Recession Resistant
Benjamin Franklin said, “…in this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” No matter where you live or where you move to, there will always be a need for tax preparation services.
If this sounds like the path for you, The Income Tax School can help. We teach taxes and have many different options to choose from. Here is a link to our Learn to Prepare Taxes page with more info. Our courses are 100% online and can be done at your own pace.