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How Do I Become a Tax Trainee?

Terry Masters
Terry Masters

A person often needs some formal education in accounting to become a tax trainee in a setting that leads to a certified accountant position. There are other tax trainee positions, however, that do not require an accounting background. Some typically only require a proficiency with numbers and calculations or a bachelor's or advanced degree in an area related to taxation, such as law or business.

Before you become a tax trainee, it is often best to decide the direction of your future career path. Tax training can be offered for a specific tax-related task or as a career development approach. Working with a jurisdiction's tax code can be a matter of learning a specific set of rules that does not require knowledge of accounting. The more specific the task, the less likely you will need formal education in accounting.

Becoming a tax trainee begins with deciding the type of taxes that you wish to prepare.
Becoming a tax trainee begins with deciding the type of taxes that you wish to prepare.

For example, you can become a tax trainee who works with individual income tax preparation companies during tax season. In this scenario, you can apply for a training program that will teach you how to prepare basic tax returns according to the tax code. After you successfully complete training, you will work under the guidance of a certified tax professional. The requirements for this type of tax trainee position are typically broad, requiring a bachelor's degree and a demonstrated proficiency with numbers and calculations. Often, the employer will require you to take a test to gain admission into the training program or will even charge a fee for the training.

Corporations and accounting firms will also hire people into a tax trainee program that do not have backgrounds in accounting. Typically, these programs will be advertised for anyone with a bachelor's degree in a major that can relate to taxation, such as law, economic or business. The application process is similar to a business training program, where you should have a high grade point average and demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in a corporate tax department or with an entity that does corporate tax consulting.

A more traditional approach to become a tax trainee is obtain a bachelor's in accounting. With an accounting degree, you can apply for an entry-level position with an accounting firm that specializes in taxation. Beginning accountants are considered trainees until they satisfy their certification or licensing requirements. If you take this route to become a tax trainee, you will likely have to satisfy all of the requirements of a professional position. These requirements often include demonstrating the ability to successfully work with clients and to eventually attract your own clients to the firm.

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    • Becoming a tax trainee begins with deciding the type of taxes that you wish to prepare.
      By: pkstock
      Becoming a tax trainee begins with deciding the type of taxes that you wish to prepare.