Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
David Letterman is not the only guy with a top-ten list. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the government entity that taxes your hard-earned dollars, also has a top-ten list of reasons why, if you are so inclined, you should work for the agency:
Enjoy great benefits and job security.
Have time to spend with your family and friends.
Work in a diverse and culturally rich environment.
Be trained by experts in their field.
Have continuous opportunities to improve your skills.
Develop the kinds of talents that other top U.S. employers demand.
Work with the nation's top tax professionals.
Become independent and accountable.
Have frequent opportunities to advance your career.
Be responsible for important work from day one!
Accounting Professionals
IRS accounting professionals have responsibilities that include the design, development, operation, or inspection of accounting systems; keeping up with accounting standards, policies, and requirements; the examination, analysis, and interpretation of accounting data, records or reports; and the provision of accounting or financial-management advice and assistance to management. IRS accountants develop new accounting and financial information systems and maintain and improve established systems.
Business and Finance Professionals
Your business and finance skills can be used in virtually all of the IRS's professional fields. You will receive training from the IRS, and the agency will keep you up to date throughout your career. You can take advantage of training delivered by what the IRS Web site calls “some of the best instructors in and outside of the government.”There is also tuition reimbursement should you wish to further your education. You will have the opportunity to advance within the government's largest agencies, which is also one of the largest financial institutions in the world. The IRS is one of the largest employers of professional accountants.
Internal Revenue Agent
You can enter the IRS as an internal revenue agent. From this position, a wealth of training and skills development is available. Many members of the IRS leadership and executive teams began their careers as internal revenue agents. You are eligible for an entry-level position if you are a recent college graduate with at least thirty hours of accounting courses. If you already have professional accounting experience, you can apply for advanced opportunities.
Agents work with customers, businesses, corporate executives, and members of the legal and financial communities. As an entry-level agent, you will learn the latest in computers, telecommunications and data management systems, and gain expertise in tax laws and accounting practices.
Senior Internal Revenue Agent, Large- and Mid-Size Business (LMSB) Division
The large- and mid-size business (LMSB) revenue agent is a professional accountant who examines and audits individual, business, and corporate tax returns to determine correct federal tax liabilities. These specialized agents also conduct examinations relating to compliance with technical requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code.
ssential
You may receive e-mail notification of internal revenue agent openings and all other positions by becoming a registered user at Career Connector, the agency's online applicant management system (online at
At this level, agents are responsible for administering the tax examinations of the largest corporations in America. They work on teams and individually, coordinating examinations of multinational and national corporations and other complex entities. Economists, international examiners, financial products specialists, and engineers assist the LMSB agent in determining the appropriate amount of tax owed. These agents frequently deal with corporations on complex concerns such as tax shelters, mergers and acquisitions, global operations, transfer pricing, and other issues. They deal with the senior levels of corporate tax departments and their representatives.
The LMSB division has a number of important specialists within the tax examination programs, including those described in the following sections.
These agents work with other parts of the IRS to provide examination support. They are responsible for examining, researching, and assessing corporate tax returns in order to determine an appropriate amount of tax as it relates to financial transactions and activities. They interact with corporate taxpayers, their representatives, and other agents regarding many of the most complex financial activities and the resulting tax issues.
Question
What does an international examiner do?
International examiners provide international tax expertise to the corporate tax program. They also work with other parts of the IRS to provide support. They are responsible for examining, researching, and assessing corporate tax returns in order to determine the appropriate amount of tax as it relates to international transactions and activities.
These agents conduct examinations of employment tax returns filed by large and multiconglomerate business firms. The businesses generally have extensive operations and contain several operating subdivisions. The examinations require the agent to have a special ability in accounting and auditing, as well as a highly advanced knowledge of tax law and industry practices. An employment-tax specialist conducts independent examinations and serves as the employment-tax expert on an audit team in the examination of a large case.
These agents provide analyses of complex computerized accounting systems, determining and recommending the most effective method for providing audit data, providing computer analyses of large volumes of data, independently designing applications, and continually searching for creative and innovative ways to use computer- assisted audit techniques.
Internal Revenue Officer
Internal revenue officers are responsible for protecting the interests of the federal government. This entails responsibilities involving the collection of delinquent tax accounts and securing delinquent tax returns. Officers conduct research, interviews, and investigations. IRS training includes classes in tax law, business law, investigative techniques, and enforcement procedures. Internal revenue officers work in IRS field offices across the country. Requirements include excellent communications skills and a bachelor's degree.
Tax-Resolution Representative
Tax-resolution representatives are the IRS's goodwill ambassadors, putting a friendly face on an agency many folks find scary. Representatives provide face-to-face assistance to taxpayers. This assistance includes resolving examination, collection, and account issues related to pre-filing, filing, and post-filing processes. This is a technical position wherein agents provide procedural assistance, tax guidance, and tax-related accounting assistance to taxpayers. Tax-resolution representatives are also involved in compliance-outreach activities, education, and volunteer programs. The skills required include customer-service ability, good communication skills, and knowledge of accounting principles and practices.
Tax Specialist
Tax specialists have a number of key responsibilities. They provide technical tax guidance, tax-related accounting consultation, and other services related to filing processes. They conduct surveys, studies, and focus groups to determine the effectiveness of agency products, services, and communications. They work to influence voluntary compliance. They serve as liaisons at IRS functions involving compliance-outreach activities, education, and volunteer programs. They also provide support to walk-in taxpayers during the filing season.
Tax Examiner
Tax examiners review filed returns for accuracy, and to make sure the filer is taking no more than the allowable deductions. They verify that the Social Security numbers on each tax return are legitimate, and that they belong to the filer. They also make sure the filer has filled out the tax return properly. In general, tax examiners handle the simple returns with few deductions that are filed by most individuals and small businesses. Once they've reviewed the documents, the examiner will then call the filer to discuss any discrepancies. They may also perform some general administrative tasks, such as entering the information from the tax returns into a computer system for processing.
Alert
The tax specialist position is less “accounting heavy” than some of the other positions you've read about in this chapter. Therefore, it's well suited for business majors who have taken a minimum number of accounting courses. Successful candidates must have six semester hours of accounting and be able to pass an accounting proficiency test.
Administrative/Clerical
These ground-level positions are crucial to the operation of the IRS. Employment opportunities range from file and mail clerks to administrative assistants. These men and women are integral to the smooth functioning of the IRS. There are also openings in IRS Service Centers in field offices across the country and at the agency's headquarters in Washington, D.C. The IRS guarantees “unrivaled growth potential,” adding that you can further your education and take on new responsibilities. In addition, if you demonstrate a “willingness to be mobile, you can rise to any level you desire. Additional training is always available. You can also take advantage of our HR Investment Fund that provides monetary support for applicable educational courses.”
Qualifications for administrative and clerical openings include a high school diploma or the equivalent, proof of U.S. citizenship, and the ability to pass a work/skills test.
Information Technology (IT)
Most computer-savvy folks already have a head for numbers, and you can put that talent to use for the IRS. The agency has an information technology (IT) environment dealing with some of the most sensitive data in the country. Tracking, organizing, and ensuring the security and confidentiality of that data is paramount. Opportunities exist for telecom specialists, programmers, computer specialists, network administrators, web designers and more. In these positions, IT people can advance while learning valuable skills.
Law Enforcement
Criminal investigation is the law-enforcement branch of the IRS. Its mission is to investigate potential criminal violations of the Internal Revenue Code and related financial crimes. An IRS criminal-investigation special agent combines accounting skills with law-enforcement techniques to investigate financial crimes. Special agents are duly sworn law-enforcement officers. Because of the expertise necessary to conduct these complex financial investigations, IRS special agents are considered the finest financial investigators in the federal government. These gun-toting tax collectors are busier than ever. The government has always been on the lookout for bogus businesses that are merely fronts for money laundering by organized and disorganized crime. Now more than ever they are checking out organizations that may be secretly funding terrorist organizations.
