Occupation Profile

Tax Preparers

(SOC Code : 13-2082)

in California

Prepare tax returns for individuals or small businesses but do not have the background or responsibilities of an accredited or certified public accountant.

Employers usually expect an employee in this occupation to be able to do the job after Moderate-term on-the-job training (1-12 months) .

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Occupational Wages

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Area	Year	Period	Hourly Mean	Hourly by Percentile
				25th	Median	75th
California	2012	1st Qtr	$22.36	$13.68	$19.77	$29.69

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")

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Area	Estimated Year-Projected Year	Employment		Employment Change		Annual Avg Openings
		Estimated	Projected	Number	Percent
California	2010 - 2020	10,200	10,600	400	3.9	280

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange

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Enter a Zip Code Find a Zip code in California

Within miles of Zip Code.

Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)

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Industry Title

Number of Employers in State of California

Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California

Accounting and Bookkeeping Services

24,363

69.0%

About Staffing Patterns

Training Programs (click on title for more information)

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Program Title

Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping

Taxation

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About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)

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Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)

Compute taxes owed or overpaid, using adding machines or personal computers, and complete entries on forms, following tax form instructions and tax tables.

Prepare or assist in preparing simple to complex tax returns for individuals or small businesses.

Use all appropriate adjustments, deductions, and credits to keep clients` taxes to a minimum.

Interview clients to obtain additional information on taxable income and deductible expenses and allowances.

Review financial records such as income statements and documentation of expenditures to determine forms needed to prepare tax returns.

Furnish taxpayers with sufficient information and advice to ensure correct tax form completion.

Consult tax law handbooks or bulletins to determine procedures for preparation of atypical returns.

Calculate form preparation fees according to return complexity and processing time required.

Check data input or verify totals on forms prepared by others to detect errors in arithmetic, data entry, or procedures.

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Top Skills used in this Job

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.

Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others` reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.

Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.

Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

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Data for Tasks not available.

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Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)

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.

Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

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Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)

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.

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.

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