Small Business Tax Accountant

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If you are looking for a very secure job with excellent earning potential, then you may want to consider a career as a Small Business Tax Accountant. There are always going to be accounting jobs and the complexity and burden of taxation seems to increase year after year, ensuring that tax accountants stay in demand with a longevity that few other professions enjoy. In contrast to working as a Corporate Tax Accountant where the accountant is in-house, a small business tax accountant often works directly for a tax accounting firm, or is self-employed. Choosing this path helps many small business tax accountants enjoy more flexibility and work-life balance than a corporate job – except of course during the annual crush that comes around tax time!

In order to qualify for this type of job you will need a relevant college education, as well as certifications such as the Certified Professional Accountant (CPA) qualification. This adds a barrier of entry for new people that want to get a job in this area. This is good because it helps provide job security for those that are already working in a similar position.

We are going to take a look at a few things that most people want to know about small business tax accountant jobs. These include what type of responsibilities they have, how much they can make, what type of education and certifications are necessary to qualify, where they can get jobs, and what type of promotion potential they have.

Responsibilities

The basic responsibilities of someone in this position are to help small businesses complete their tax returns as well as help them manage their books throughout the year. This usually involves annual federal tax and state tax filings as well as quarterly tax filings. In some cases accountants may also provide business advice or tax strategies to small business owners to help their business become more profitable.

Small Business Tax Accountant Salary

The average starting salary, for someone that has just graduated from college, ranges anywhere from $36,000 up to around $54,000 per year. The difference here depends on where someone finds a job. On average, the more prestigious accounting firms will pay more money than small local firms will.

Position Qualifications

In order to get the job in this field in most cases it will require a bachelors degree in accounting and in many cases it will require a masters degree. In most states there are now laws that require those seeking to become a certified public accountant to have enough college credits to qualify for a master’s degree before they can sit to take the CPA exam. Some accounting firms will not hire candidates that are not already qualified to sit for the exam.

Where to find Small Business Tax Accountant Jobs

Some of the places that someone can get hired on as a small business tax accountant include local accounting firms, national “Big Four” accounting firms, as well as state and federal governments. Obviously the job description will be a little bit different depending on where someone actually gets hired, but they all have positions based around small business tax accounting.

Small Business Tax Accountant Career Prospects

In order for someone to advance in this career it will be necessary to move up the ladder slowly. Most of the people that make a lot of money either have become partners of firms or have started their own firms. In most cases this is where the majority of the money is at because state and federal government jobs will have a limit on the amount of money that can be earned.

You now should have a good idea of what a small business tax accountant career is all about. If this sounds like something you are interested in pursuing then it would be a good idea to find a college or university in your area and speak with an education advisor.