The New Year is almost upon us and many people are evaluating their career paths. If you are considering a career in tax preparation but think you don’t have what it takes to join this growing profession, you may want to think again.
Unfortunately, there are some myths surrounding the tax preparation field that keep otherwise qualified individuals from joining its ranks. If one or more of these myths is holding you back from embarking on a career in tax preparation, read on to learn the truth!
Myth: You must be a CPA or hold a degree in accounting to prepare taxes.
Reality: While you do need an ability to work with numbers and figures, a high level of math or finance is not necessary. You don’t require a college degree, either. Tax preparation deals with the law and is not the same as tax accounting.
Myth: It takes years to learn tax preparation.
Reality: You can take tax preparation courses that take far less time than it would take to earn a college degree. Further, tax preparation is a career that allows you to become more qualified the longer you work. In other words, work experience is more important than anything else.
Myth: Tax preparation is only for numbers people.
Reality: Tax preparation, in many ways, has more to do with relationship building and trust than anything else. While it is true that you have to be able to prepare taxes accurately, customer service skills are equally important. In fact, many taxpayers say they left a tax preparer because although their taxes were prepared well, they didn’t feel that their tax preparer cared about them as a person.
Myth: Preparing taxes is boring.
Reality: Like most things in life, the more you put into your tax preparation career, the more you will get out of it. It is extremely rewarding when people trust you with their finances and you are able to help educate them on financial issues. And there is nothing more challenging than helping your clients avoid the dread that comes with having their taxes prepared.
Myth: Tax preparation is a seasonal career.
Reality: While tax season is undoubtedly the busiest time of year for tax professionals, preparing taxes can keep you busy all year long. For example, if you learn business tax, you can prepare taxes for business owners on a quarterly basis. You also can help clients settle payments owed to the IRS or assist with audits or other issues throughout the year.
If you are serious about a career in tax preparation, read on to learn more:
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/start-tax-preparing-business-4306.html
http://www.wahm.com/articles/6-tips-for-starting-your-tax-preparation-business.html