Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents: Salary, career path, job outlook, education and more
- Education Required
- Tax examiners need a bachelors degree in accounting or a related field, or a combination of relevant education and specialized experience in accounting, auditing, or tax compliance work. Candidates for tax examiner positions at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) must have a bachelors degree or 1 year of full-time specialized experience.
- Training Required
- Newly hired tax examiners get some formal training, which typically lasts between 1 month and 1 year. All tax examiners must keep current with changes in the tax code and in enforcement procedures.
- Job Outlook
-
The projected percent change in employment from 2016 to 2026: -1% (Little or no change)
(The average growth rate for all occupations is 7 percent.) - Advancement
- Tax examiners, revenue agents, and collectors have different opportunities for career advancement. Tax examiners who review individual tax returns may advance to revenue agent positions, working on more complex business returns. Those with experience in supervisory or managerial roles may move to jobs that involve supervision of other examiners and revenue agents. Collectors who demonstrate leadership skills and a thorough knowledge of tax collection activities may advance to supervisory or managerial collector positions.
- Median pay: How much do Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents make?
- $52,060 Annual Salary
- $25.03 per hour
Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents determine how much is owed in taxes and collect tax from individuals and businesses on behalf of federal, state, and local governments. They review tax returns, conduct audits, identify taxes owed, and collect overdue tax payments.
What do Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents do?
Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents typically do the following:
- Review filed tax returns to determine whether credits and deductions claimed are allowed by law
- Contact taxpayers to address problems and to request supporting documentation
- Conduct field audits and investigations of income tax returns to verify information or to update tax liabilities
- Evaluate financial information, using their familiarity with accounting procedures and knowledge of changes to tax laws and regulations
- Keep records on each case they deal with, including contacts, telephone numbers, and actions taken
- Notify taxpayers of any overpayment or underpayment and either issue a refund or request additional payment
Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents are responsible for ensuring that individuals and businesses pay the appropriate amount of taxes they owe, as prescribed by laws and regulations. In addition to verifying that tax returns are filed properly, they follow up with taxpayers whose returns are questionable or who owe more money.
Different levels of government collect different types of taxes. The federal government deals primarily with personal and business income taxes. State governments collect income and sales taxes. Local governments collect sales and property taxes.
Because many states assess individual income taxes on the basis of the taxpayers reported federal income, tax examiners working for the federal government report to the states any adjustments or corrections they make. State tax examiners then determine whether the adjustments affect the state taxpayer liability.
Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents have different duties and responsibilities:
Careers for Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents
- City collectors
- Collectors
- Customs appraisers
- Income tax adjusters
- Internal revenue agents
- Internal revenue service agents
- Revenue agents
- Revenue collectors
- Revenue enforcement agents
- Revenue officers
- Tax collectors
- Tax compliance officers
- Tax compliance representatives
- Tax examiners
- Tax investigators
- Tax revenue officers