IRS Agent

As the saying goes, “Nothing is certain but death and taxes.” So as you can imagine, the job of an IRS (Internal Revenue Service) Agent is pretty secure.

Federal, state, and local governments all are potential employers of an IRS Agent. But no matter which government hires you, you pretty much have the same job responsibilities as an IRS Agent: you review tax returns to make sure the math on them is correct and the proper deductions and credits are applied. You also audit incorrect taxes, collect money, and keep informed on the latest tax codes. There are subtle differences, though. For example, IRS State Agents need to know their state’s income and sales tax codes, whereas an IRS Federal Agent wouldn’t need to.

There are different types of Agents within the IRS, and while their job descriptions overlap, the difference lies in the size and type of businesses they work on. As a newbie IRS Agent, you can be looking at the taxes of small businesses. And as you gain more knowledge and experience, you can start handling the taxes of large corporations and big businesses. Then you can specialize on a specific area, like construction or real estate. But even with a specialty, you still have to stay on top of any changes to the general tax codes, which can happen often and be confusing and lengthy.