Occupation Details
Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents
Determine tax liability or collect taxes from individuals or business firms according to prescribed laws and regulations.
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Interests
Enterprising
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
Achievement
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Relationships
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$51,180.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$65,570.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$87,900.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
4,110
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
4,260
+15 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
364
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.0%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
College Helps - Some college classes or training
Experience Requirements
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Education Requirements
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, desktop publishers, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters and simultaneous captioners, and medical assistants.
School Programs
The following lists school programs which are applicable to this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
State License and Certifications Requirements are not currently associated with this occupation.
Skills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Administrative
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Law and Government
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Economics and Accounting
Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Analytical Thinking
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Independence
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- 10-key calculators
- Computer laser printers
- Computer scanners
- Desktop computers
- Laptop computers
- Multi-line telephone systems
- Personal computers
Technology
- ADP Workforce Now
- Automated tax system software
- Document management system software
- Email software
- Fund accounting software
- Image processing systems
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Online databases
- Optical character recognition OCR software
- SAP business and customer relations management software
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- direct serving of legal documents
- advise clients on financial matters
- recommend customer payment plan
- prepare audit reports or recommendations
- prepare tax reports
- write administrative procedures services manual
- prepare correspondence relating to financial discrepancies
- negotiate payment arrangements with customers
- participate in appeals hearings
- follow tax laws or regulations
- use accounting terminology
- analyze data to discover facts in case
- analyze financial data
- conduct financial investigations
- analyze existing evidence or facts
- determine tax liability according to prescribed laws
- compute taxes
- verify bank or financial transactions
- note discrepancies in financial records
- determine if evidence is sufficient to recommend prosecution
- gather relevant financial data
- interview client to obtain additional tax information
- write legal correspondence
- make presentations on financial matters
- confer with taxpayer or representative
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Collect taxes from individuals or businesses according to prescribed laws and regulations.
- Send notices to taxpayers when accounts are delinquent.
- Determine appropriate methods of debt settlement, such as offers of compromise, wage garnishment, or seizure and sale of property.
- Check tax forms to verify that names and taxpayer identification numbers are correct, that computations have been performed correctly, or that amounts match those on supporting documentation.
- Examine and analyze tax assets and liabilities to determine resolution of delinquent tax problems.
- Impose payment deadlines on delinquent taxpayers and monitor payments to ensure that deadlines are met.
- Conduct independent field audits and investigations of income tax returns to verify information or to amend tax liabilities.
- Confer with taxpayers or their representatives to discuss the issues, laws, and regulations involved in returns, and to resolve problems with returns.
- Notify taxpayers of any overpayment or underpayment, and either issue a refund or request further payment.
- Maintain records for each case, including contacts, telephone numbers, and actions taken.
- Direct service of legal documents, such as subpoenas, warrants, notices of assessment, and garnishments.
- Contact taxpayers by mail or telephone to address discrepancies and to request supporting documentation.
- Review filed tax returns to determine whether claimed tax credits and deductions are allowed by law.
- Maintain knowledge of tax code changes, and of accounting procedures and theory to properly evaluate financial information.
- Answer questions from taxpayers and assist them in completing tax forms.
- Process individual and corporate income tax returns, and sales and excise tax returns.
- Request that the state or federal revenue service prepare a return on a taxpayer's behalf in cases where taxes have not been filed.
- Review selected tax returns to determine the nature and extent of audits to be performed on them.
- Investigate claims of inability to pay taxes by researching court information for the status of liens, mortgages, or financial statements, or by locating assets through third parties.
- Examine accounting systems and records to determine whether accounting methods used were appropriate and in compliance with statutory provisions.
- Participate in informal appeals hearings on contested cases from other agents.
- Enter tax return information into computers for processing.
- Prepare briefs and assist in searching and seizing records to prepare charges and documentation for court cases.
- Secure a taxpayer's agreement to discharge a tax assessment or submit contested determinations to other administrative or judicial conferees for appeals hearings.
- Install systems of recording costs or other financial and budgetary data or provide advice on such systems, based on examination of current financial records.
Learning Resources
More information on this occupation may be found in the links provided below.
Tax examiners, collectors, and revenue agents
Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.
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