Tax Examiners, Collectors and Revenue Agents Careers

Tax examiners, as the name suggests, examine and review minutely tax returns submitted by tax payers for accuracy, process them on computers, review tax deductions and credits. They contact the taxpayer in case of any discrepancy, request for additional source documents, verify mathematical accuracy and make their own assessment of tax liability.

Collectors are also known as Revenue officers. They collect outstanding taxes from delinquent taxpayers. Collectors liaise with the taxpayer on debt settlement and work out repayment schedules. In some cases they attach assets or place a lien on their bank accounts or property. They can also pass garnishee orders to reclaim a debt. They have good knowledge of computers and mainly work independently.

Revenue agents handle complicated tax returns. They peruse returns of large organizations and verify accuracy of income tax, sales tax and other local taxes at the federal, state and local levels. Their work is at a higher level compared to tax examiners. They also look at complicated international transactions and transfer pricing. They are supposed to be well versed with the complicated tax laws and tax changes that occur frequently.

Qualification:
A bachelor's degree in accounting or taxation coupled with apprenticeship of two years.

Salary Range:
Ranges from $25,000 to $75,000.

Prospects:
Due to outsourcing of activities and dismal economic scenario the number of vacancies will be few and far between. The only vacancies would be replacements for staff that retire, expire or resign.