What is a tax agent and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
ScoreTax AgentUS Average
Salary
2.2

Avg. Salary $27,788

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity
6.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.56%

Asian 10.68%

Black or African American 10.07%

Hispanic or Latino 16.02%

Unknown 4.10%

White 58.57%

Gender

female 65.72%

male 34.28%

Age - 48
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48
Stress Level
6.0

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.0

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
2.0

Work Life balance is very poor

6.4 - fair

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Tax Agent career paths

Key steps to become a tax agent

  1. Explore tax agent education requirements

    Most common tax agent degrees

    Bachelor's

    52.3 %

    Associate

    19.8 %

    High School Diploma

    12.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific tax agent skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Customer Service15.53%
    Tax Returns13.47%
    State Tax Laws9.53%
    Property Tax Payments7.58%
    Tax Audits6.95%
  3. Complete relevant tax agent training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New tax agents learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a tax agent based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real tax agent resumes.
  4. Research tax agent duties and responsibilities

    • Send state and federal taxes to IRS.
    • Review domestic payroll reporting metrics, ensure home/host payments are updated and reconcile for timely submission and payment.
    • Prepare individual tax returns using ProSeries base upon documents and client provide information.
  5. Prepare your tax agent resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your tax agent resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a tax agent resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Tax Agent Resume templates

    Build a professional Tax Agent resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Tax Agent resume.
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    Tax Agent Resume
  6. Apply for tax agent jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a tax agent job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Tax Agent Job

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Average tax agent salary

The average Tax Agent salary in the United States is $27,788 per year or $13 per hour. Tax agent salaries range between $12,000 and $62,000 per year.

Average Tax Agent Salary
$27,788 Yearly
$13.36 hourly

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How do tax agents rate their job?

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Tax Agent reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020
Pros

Seasonal work and flexible schedule

Cons

Low pay, considering the knowledge required to do the work and the volume of work that has to be done in a limited amount of time.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019
Pros

Being able to assist people financially. Tell them how to keep must of their money and pay as little in taxes legally.

Cons

People get very upset because they have to pay more then they expected to pay IRS and their state taxes.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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