Finding a great tax preparer can be tough.
You don’t just need someone to handle tax returns and review financial records…
You also need someone who aligns with your firm’s values and makes your life easier — not more difficult.
In this guide, I’ll share a free template you can use. I’ll also share a practical guide to writing a tax preparer job description that will help you attract the right applicants for your firm.
Let’s go!
Table of Contents
- Tax Preparer Job Description Template
- What Do Tax Preparers Do in Accounting Firms?
- What Should You Include in a Tax Preparer Job Description?
Tax Preparer Job Description Template
About Us
At [Your Firm’s Name], we help businesses [insert mission/vision, e.g., “stay financially strong all year round with accurate accounting and strategic financial guidance”].
About the Role
We are looking for a tax preparer to help clients handle tax returns and review financial records with precision. This role is essential in ensuring compliance, maximizing tax savings, and delivering a smooth tax filing experience.
As a tax preparer, you’ll work directly with clients to gather tax documents, prepare filings, stay updated on tax laws, and respond to IRS inquiries.
If you’re the kind of person who catches mistakes others miss and takes pride in getting every detail correct, you’ll fit right in here.
What Your Day-to-Day Will Look Like
- Handle tax returns and review financial records to ensure accuracy and compliance for individuals and businesses.
- Identify deductions, credits, and tax-saving opportunities for clients.
- Stay updated on changing tax laws and apply relevant updates to tax filings.
- Assist clients in gathering necessary tax documents and ensure proper record-keeping.
- Communicate tax matters clearly to clients, making complex topics easy to understand.
- Prepare for and respond to IRS notices, audits, and inquiries on behalf of clients.
- Work closely with accountants and other team members to optimize tax strategies.
- Maintain confidentiality and security of sensitive financial information.
- Utilize [insert tax software you use] to efficiently prepare and file tax returns.
What You Need to Succeed
- Strong ability to handle tax returns and review financial records with precision.
- At least 2+ years of tax preparation experience in a firm or industry setting.
- Knowledge of federal, state, and local tax laws and compliance requirements.
- Excellent communication skills. You can explain tax matters to clients in a clear, simple way.
- Ability to work efficiently under deadlines, especially during tax season.
- Tech-savvy and comfortable using [insert tools you use like tax preparation software] and other accounting tools.
- Highly detail-oriented and organized, ensuring accuracy in all filings.
- Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently.
- A team player who contributes positively to firm culture.
- Enrolled Agent (EA) or CPA certification preferred but not required.
Why Join Us?
At [Your Firm’s Name], we know that great work starts with a great team. Here’s what you can expect when you join us:
- [Insert reasons why people would want to join your firm. Below are examples.]
- Fair pay for great work – Competitive salary with benefits that support your well-being.
- Opportunities to grow – Whether it’s certifications, training, or mentorship, we invest in your development.
- Work that fits your life – Flexible schedules and remote options so you can do your best work.
- A team that has your back – We collaborate, share knowledge, and support each other to succeed.
- Clients who value what we do – We work with businesses that appreciate strong financial guidance.
Our Values
We hire people who share our values and bring them into their work every day:
- [Insert your firm’s values. Below are examples.]
- Accuracy matters – Small details make a big impact. We double-check everything.
- Clients come first – It’s not just about delivering the work, it’s about supporting clients’ goals.
- Keep learning – Tax laws change, and so do we. Growth is part of the job.
- Take ownership – We do the work, solve problems, and follow through.
- Work with integrity – We do what’s right, not just what’s easy.
Our Recruitment Process
We keep hiring simple and straightforward. Here’s how it works:
- Apply online – Submit your resume and any relevant details.
- Initial review – We’ll take a look and reach out if there’s a good fit.
- Meet the team – Interviews give us a chance to learn about you. You can ask us questions too.
- Skills check (if applicable) – Some roles may include a short assessment.
- Decision & offer – If it’s a match, we’ll send an offer and welcome you aboard!
Complete the application attached to this posting to apply.
What Do Tax Preparers Do in Accounting Firms?
- Prepare and file tax returns: I know a lot of firms that struggle with collecting and organizing documents from clients, especially during tax season. A good tax preparer can handle that and follow structured tax preparation processes that don’t require you constantly double-checking.
- Review financial records and documents: Tax preparers should be able to spot inconsistencies, flag missing information, and make sure everything holds up in case of an audit.
- Communicate with clients and tax authorities: Most clients aren’t fluent in tax terminology. They get letters full of jargon, confusing requests, and deadlines that only stress them out. Tax preparers can break down complex tax matters into plain language so clients know exactly what’s happening and why.
- Ensure tax law compliance: Tax preparers understand how changing regulations impact clients so they can adjust filings accordingly. They also catch tax issues before they turn into penalties. This means new deductions, updated reporting requirements, changes in filing deadlines, among other things.
- Provide tax planning and advisory services: While not exactly “tax preparing,” tax preparers can also advise clients on smarter ways to manage income, deductions, and expenses. Personally, I’m a big fan of providing advisory services as they provide a ton of value to clients and allow you to pull in strong profits.
What Should You Include in a Tax Preparer Job Description?
A Brief Summary of Your Company
Many job descriptions start with a long-winded company history that no one reads. That’s not what attracts the right candidates.
Instead, make it clear who you are and why someone would want to work with you. Think about questions like:
- Who do you serve?
- What kind of team are they joining?
- Do you prioritize work-life balance, growth, or a supportive environment?
If you want to find great people, you have to treat your hiring process like a sales process.
My advice is to think about your firm’s “why” when you write this section.
Your firm’s “why” is simply the reason your firm exists, like I shared on LinkedIn.
What you write in this section of your job description will determine whether a candidate will keep reading, let alone apply.
If you do this right, there’s a better chance you get applicants that will be good team fits.
On the other hand, if you post a very generic company summary, people might not even bother reading the rest of the job description.
In other words, you’re opening yourself up to not only potentially unqualified applicants but also ones who may not mesh with your team’s culture.
If you don’t know where to start with figuring out your “why,” I’ve got a podcast episode that will help you with just that.
Short Summary of the Role
Since you’ll write a detailed breakdown of the role’s responsibilities further down the job posting, I recommend keeping the tax preparer job summary fairly short.
This section should answer one simple question: What’s the point of this job?
Here’s one from a job posting at Robert Half that I like:
Don’t just blindly list the high-level stuff that the new hire will be doing. Instead, here’s an approach you can start with:
“We are looking for a detail-oriented tax preparer that will [insert the positive impact they will make on the firm or the clients]. You will be responsible for [insert primary responsibilities required in the role].”
Feel free to just fill that out as it is or expand on it!
Day-to-Day Responsibilities
I like to call this section “What Your Day-to-Day Will Look Like” because it helps candidates visualize what working at the firm would look like (and if that’s something they’d want to do).
Use bullet points to write this section, and make every item straight to the point.
For example…
| Don’t say this | Say this |
| 🔴 Leverage your expertise to facilitate the preparation and submission of tax returns for individuals and corporate entities while ensuring compliance with all relevant deadlines and regulatory requirements. | 🟢 Prepare and file individual and business tax forms accurately and on time. |
| 🔴 Analyze and assess client-provided financial data to identify discrepancies, potential areas of concern, and opportunities for enhanced tax optimization prior to submission. | 🟢 Review financial records to catch errors, missing info, or red flags before filing. |
| 🔴 Develop and implement proactive tax strategies designed to maximize financial efficiency and minimize liabilities while ensuring adherence to evolving tax codes and client-specific financial objectives. | 🟢 Advise clients on tax-saving strategies and help them plan ahead. |
No need for long-winded descriptions — just tell candidates exactly what they’ll be doing. As an example, here’s a section from a job posting from one of my Future Firm Accelerate members:
If you want to get hiring tips, templates like this one, and a system that lets you build a profitable firm that doesn’t require you to work overtime, check out my Future Firm Accelerate program. 🙂
Required Skills
I also call this the “What You Need to Succeed” section. Keep it precise to filter out unqualified applicants.
Here are a few examples of items you can include:
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field.
- CPA license or Certified Public Accountant designation preferred, but not required.
- Proficiency in tax software like [insert software your firm uses].
The skills and qualifications you list in this section must be clear and unambiguous.
This section should also include soft skills because these will dictate whether they can succeed in the long-term.
Here’s an example from my job description for senior accountants article.
The point of this section is to show candidates what they need to function, not to excel. So don’t worry about cramming all the qualities of an “ultimate” candidate here.
Why They Should Join Your Firm
The industry is currently experiencing an accountant shortage.
That’s not to say you won’t be able to find great candidates.
It’s just that great candidates often have options — so instead of trying to find them, you have to make them choose you.
And to do so, you need to give them a real reason to choose your firm over the next listing they scroll past.
Beyond just a paycheck, what makes working at your firm worthwhile? Is it the flexibility? The team culture? The growth opportunities?
Here’s a “Why Join Us” section from one of the previously open positions at Future Firm as an example:
Be upfront about what you offer. Vague perks like “great company culture” don’t mean much unless you back them up with specifics.
Candidates want to know:
- What’s the salary range? – Personally, I like to ask candidates their salary expectations first. If you think they’ll be a great fit and make a strong impact on the team, it’s worth considering paying them the number they’re happy with even when it’s outside your budget — or at least finding a middle ground between your budget’s ceiling and their desired salary.
- What benefits do you provide? – This includes things like health insurance, 401(k), etc. The biggest benefit I provide in my team is unlimited paid time off. Every year, my team members take several weeks off work completely disconnected. (I encourage them to.)
- What does career development look like for the position? – This is very important for candidates with long-term goals. Ideally, these are the people you want on your team.
- What is the work setup (remote, hybrid, etc.)? – Be honest and transparent here. No team member will appreciate being asked to come to the office after they joined a company expecting remote work. That being said, my Future Firm team and I work remotely 100% of the time.
Your Company’s Values
This section is every bit as important as the roles and responsibilities.
Why?
Because, according to a study by Leadership IQ, only 11% of new hires fail because of technical incompetence.
The other 89%? Coachability, emotional intelligence, motivation, and temperament.
You can train technical skills, but if someone isn’t adaptable, accountable, or a good team fit, no amount of training will fix that.
Let me give you an example. I previously shared in my newsletter that I switched tax advisors some time ago.
It wasn’t because they were not good at their job. It was because they communicated poorly.
Now imagine you’re on the other end of the scenario: losing a client because a team member didn’t communicate properly.
That’s why this section matters. It sets expectations for how your team works and helps filter for candidates who will thrive in your firm’s culture.
What do you value? Autonomy? Attention to detail? A willingness to take ownership?
Be upfront about what kind of people succeed in your firm so the right candidates see themselves here, and the wrong ones self-select out.
If you need help determining whether a client would be a good fit for your firm, check out my guide on interview questions to ask accounting candidates.
The Hiring Process
You’d be surprised how many people overlook basic instructions when applying.
Make it simple, but specific.
If you want a cover letter, say so. If there’s a skills test, let them know upfront. And if missing a step disqualifies them, make that clear.
But this isn’t just for you.
A structured hiring process also shows respect for candidates’ time. No one wants to submit an application and then sit in the dark for weeks.
Set clear expectations so applicants know what happens next, whether or not they’ll move forward.
Use This Job Description to Find the Right Tax Preparer
That’s a wrap.
Take the template above, and customize it according to your needs.
You can also bookmark this post and come back to it later as you fine-tune your job description.
Did we miss anything? What do you like to include in your job descriptions to find great candidates?
Share them in the comments below!
