Prepare to Prepare Taxes

If you’re looking for a job in finance and need something part time that could turn into full time, consider preparing people’s taxes. This is the time of year when the demand for tax preparation services skyrockets and those with accreditations in place will be ready to swoop in on a windfall of extra cash. Do a good job for the season and the company may even hire you on year round if you’re interested in making it a full time career. Otherwise they’re likely to invite you back next year when tax time rolls around to pad your saving account once again.

Sounds good but you may not know where to start. People looking for employment in tax preparation are required to have at least a high school diploma but some companies require higher education credits. Either way you must be good at math and computer savvy.

In your preparation to prepare people’s taxes you will need to take a course to clue you in on all the tax forms, laws and deductions. As these are constantly changing the more recent the class the more beneficial your knowledge is to a potential employer. Places like Jackson Hewitt and H&R Block offer in-house tax prep classes and often offer job placement within the company to people who complete the curriculum. These classes run about 6-12 weeks depending on how often they meet and are substantially less expensive that a degree in accounting. Make sure to read the fine print when signing up though, some courses require you sign a non-competition contract that restricts you from using your new skills to work for a competing company.

Whether working for yourself or someone else as an accountant, lawyer, or enrolled agent, those looking to do the paperwork for other people at tax time need to acquire a Tax Preparer Identification Number (TPIN) as required by the IRS. This is not the same as being licensed which is required only in Oregon and California nor is it the same as an Employee Identification Number (EIN). Even if you already have one, your TPIN will need to be renewed before you can prepare client’s taxes. If you’re seeking to be a self employed preparer however you will need a business license.

While this opportunity is as short lived as the availability of Cadbury Eggs, it’s a lucrative part time endeavor that can float you through the hard times while trying to find your dream job.

Are you looking for a job in Finance? Be sure to visit FinancialJobBank.com

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a multimedia developer with experience in web, film, photography and animation as well as traditional fine arts like painting and sculpting. In addition to writing for FinancialJobBankBlog.com, she is co-founder of design and promotion company, Creative Kazoo with fellow Nexxt blogger, Staci Dennis. Heather’s spare time consists of making puppets, teaching Sunday School, building Legos and doing science experiments with her children.