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Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents

Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents is the O*NET name for people who determine tax liability or collect taxes from individuals or business firms according to prescribed laws and regulations. The skills rated most useful are speaking, reading comprehension, and active listening. One core duty is to send notices to taxpayers when accounts are delinquent. With a code of CES, this is mostly a job for people drawn to orderly work with data, records and clear procedures. Enterprising interests also help, rated 4.4 out of 7. Getting in usually takes one or two years of vocational training, an apprenticeship or an associate’s degree, a level O*NET calls medium preparation. People who want orderly work with data, records and clear procedures usually fit better here than those who need creative work with room for original expression.

What they do

Determine tax liability or collect taxes from individuals or business firms according to prescribed laws and regulations.

Main tasks

  • Send notices to taxpayers when accounts are delinquent.
  • 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.
  • Contact taxpayers by mail or telephone to address discrepancies and to request supporting documentation.
  • Answer questions from taxpayers and assist them in completing tax forms.

Skills

  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Listening
  • Critical Thinking
  • Writing
  • Monitoring

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You like taking the lead and making the call.
  • You are willing to put in a year or two of focused training.
  • You are comfortable relying on speaking and reading comprehension.

May not suit you if

  • You get restless with routine, records and exact procedures.
  • You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You need to start within a few months, with no training period.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code CES takes the three highest, and Conventional comes first here.

Preparation

Medium preparation. Expect vocational school, an apprenticeship, related experience or an associate’s degree, usually one or two years in total.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • City Tax Auditor
  • Collections Specialist
  • Revenue Agent
  • Revenue Collector
  • Revenue Officer

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.