anyone ever work as a part time tax preparer?

[phillmolly]

I have an opportunity to work as a tax preparer for the upcoming tax season. I would have to take a 25 hour class, where they teach you how to use the software and the basics of tax laws. It is a free class but you are also not getting paid for it.

What I am wondering is how much does someone usually get paid for this type of job? I talked to the man in charge and he wouldn't answer the question, just said that it an hourly rate plus bonus. I also asked him what where the chances of being hired after investing my time in the class and he said as long as you score well on the test you will get hired. I am not worried about doing well, in fact I am pretty confident that I will be one of the top in the class, I am a very quick learner and have a background in banking, and I also took some bookkeeping classes in college and got A's.

I just really want to know if this is worth my time. I have a two year old and have not worked since he was born, I did go back to school last year and that was fine, but I was only gone a few hours a day, two or three days a week. I would like to do this part time, and if I can make $12 - $15 dollars an hour it would be worth it, but if I am only going to be making minimum wage it's not worth it. So please tell me your experiences.

 

[bicker]

I talked to the man in charge and he wouldn't answer the question

 

[LuvOrlando]

are they going to try and sell you the software to start your own business?

 

[Northstar]

It sounds scammy. I agree with Luvorlando, they're going to hit you up to pay for something at some point in the "free" course.

If this were really a training course for an employer, who is prepared to hire those who pass the test, there would be more details about the future job.

If this were a training course to prepare you to be a free-lancer, they would charge you for the course.

 

[phillmolly]

It is for a large tax company. I talked the man over the phone and we talked about hours, ect. He said he has a lot of SAHM who work for him and becasue of the nature of the business, open from 7 am to 10 pm, he is very flexible on hours. I said would be able to pretty much work my own schedule. I was going to this a few years ago for H & R block but then found I was pregnant and decided not to. I am not worried about him not wanting to talk about pay just yet, most prospective employers won't discuss pay untill after you have applied for and interviewed for the job. It's just that I usally have some type of idea of the pay range for a job when I apply and for this type of job I am really not sure what the pay range is like.

 

[golfgal]

Can you do a job search on Career Builder or a similar site in your area and see if there are jobs like this out there. Part of the problem is that the pay scale for something like this might vary drastically around the country.

 

[bicker]

I'd also wonder about how many hours you'd be given. I could imagine that if a lot of people pass the test, then you'll be splitting the available work ten ways instead of three ways, for example, because "as long as you score well on the test you will get hired", and so while you might be getting a decent wage per hour, it won't amount to that much return on your investment in the class.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My sister did H&R block as a receptionist last yr and loved it. She is going to go on and take the classes and try and do what you are doing.

As far as I can tell you with what she went through, it is not a long term position. The chances of getting hired on permanently are slim and none. It is seasonal work.

Basically she said most of the tax preparers working there were millionaires or well off. They did not need the money, most were retired. That was a shocker.

If you want long term career, I suggest going back to school and becoming a CPA. You sound young and able to do it.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I have an opportunity to work as a tax preparer for the upcoming tax season. I would have to take a 25 hour class, where they teach you how to use the software and the basics of tax laws. It is a free class but you are also not getting paid for it.

What I am wondering is how much does someone usually get paid for this type of job? I talked to the man in charge and he wouldn't answer the question, just said that it an hourly rate plus bonus. I also asked him what where the chances of being hired after investing my time in the class and he said as long as you score well on the test you will get hired. I am not worried about doing well, in fact I am pretty confident that I will be one of the top in the class, I am a very quick learner and have a background in banking, and I also took some bookkeeping classes in college and got A's.

I just really want to know if this is worth my time. I have a two year old and have not worked since he was born, I did go back to school last year and that was fine, but I was only gone a few hours a day, two or three days a week. I would like to do this part time, and if I can make $12 - $15 dollars an hour it would be worth it, but if I am only going to be making minimum wage it's not worth it. So please tell me your experiences.

I work as a tax preparer, but I get a flat hourly rate, no comission. But we don't charge clients-I work for the United Way and we do income taxes for people below a certain income level for free. My job is a grant funded position by a foundation. A couple people I work with used to work for HR Block, but they used to have to take far more than a 25 hour class to do taxes.

 

[Acklander]

M

If you want long term career, I suggest going back to school and becoming a CPA. You sound young and able to do it.

There's a big difference between doing taxes in your spare time for some extra income, and the commitment of going back to school and becoming a CPA.

OP - being that they're not charging you for the classes (just the time) it can't hurt - give it a shot.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

I am not worried about him not wanting to talk about pay just yet, most prospective employers won't discuss pay untill after you have applied for and interviewed for the job.

With this being a program to train people with no prior experience, I would imagine (I could be wrong) that there'd be a pretty narrow pay range, and that he should be able to give you some idea of what it is.

I'd also wonder about how many hours you'd be given. I could imagine that if a lot of people pass the test, then you'll be splitting the available work ten ways instead of three ways, for example, because "as long as you score well on the test you will get hired", and so while you might be getting a decent wage per hour, it won't amount to that much return on your investment in the class.

I agree.

Basically she said most of the tax preparers working there were millionaires or well off. They did not need the money, most were retired. That was a shocker.

Seriously?? Millionaires?

There's a big difference between doing taxes in your spare time for some extra income, and the commitment of going back to school and becoming a CPA.

OP - being that they're not charging you for the classes (just the time) it can't hurt - give it a shot.

Exactly, about becoming a CPA. It requires a college education, a difficult test, and experience. Not something you casually decide to do.

A tax course, particularly a free one, is a pretty good thing to have under your belt, if only for your own personal knowledge.

 

[allyphoe]

he wouldn't answer the question, just said that it an hourly rate plus bonus.

This came up on one of my tax mailing lists. I've copy-pasted the relevant bits of the discussion below.

[Chain place] usually pays 20% of return fee OR the minimum wage whichever is higher.

The way they did it when I worked there was the commission goes against the hourly wage. Once the hourly wage is covered, then you start receiving the commission. They take the total commission, subtract the hourly wage and you get a "bonus" check at the end of the season. You don't make much on the 1040 EZ's that cost $75.

Because the 20% is only calculated AT THE END, and all the hourly pay goes against it. So although they might 'earn' $100 in one hour, they are only getting paid Min wage for that hour, now, and then min wage for the hours when they earn nothing, or $10, etc will be set against the rest of it, so that in fact, many will never get more than min wage, the good ones will make their 'bonus' but only get it at the end.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Seriously?? Millionaires?

Yes. Nutty huh? These were retirees that would do this yr after yr.

My sister said most of them did not need the money.

I do have to say that the offices were small and appeared pretty selective.

 

[Fly4free]

I worked for H&R Block many years ago before becoming a parent. It was an extra job to supplement my current p/t job. I was paid minimum wage hourly. At the end of the tax season I received a nice bonus based on the percentage of $ generated from the returns I prepared.

The classes I took so many years ago have been invaluable to me and my family. I no longer have the time to commit to another job, but I am able to prepare my returns and family and friends taxes at home. I've saved a lot of $ and learned so much from the tax prep courses.

Just be sure to make clear your expectation of how many hours you are willing to work weekly before commiting. FYI... I ended up working much more than what I signed up for. When my kids are older I'd like to take the classes again and continue with tax prep.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Many years ago I worked as a Part-time Tax Preparer. My degree is in Accounting.

I received an hourly salary plus a commission based on my weekly sales, the higher the sales during a week the higher the commission for the week. For the last week of tax season I would take a week of anual leave from my regular job; I would get about 30 hours overtime as well as about a 20% commission on that week's work.

After a few years I started a private tax practice in addition to the part-time at the department store.

Then H&R Block got the contract with the department store where I worked. I read their employment contract and discussed it with them. I then turned them down as they said I had to treat all clients, including existing private clients, as if I did the returns for Block and would have to pay them.

I then built up my client base quite a bit. Although I have retired now (as a CPA) I still have 14 paying clients (some have both individual and Estate/Trust or Gift Tax returns) and took in about $6,200 last year.

And a nice thing about it is I can write off a lot of expenses as business expenses.