Interview Questions

Tax Preparer Interview Questions


A Tax Preparer is a qualified professional who assists clients to file their income tax returns. They meet with clients during the tax preparation process to review financial records, complete all tax forms, and ensure that completed forms follow legislation and regulations.

Whether you're a job seeker preparing to be interviewed for the role of Tax Preparer or an employer preparing to interview candidates for Tax Preparer position, these Tax Preparer interview questions will help you prepare yourself for the job interview session.

Tax Preparer Interview Questions

Below are a list of some skill-based Tax Preparer interview questions.

  1. As a tax preparer, how do you manage your time?
  2. How would you assist a client who has overdue tax payments?
  3. Describe your approach to filing tax returns accurately.
  4. Imagine you were tasked with learning a new tax software, then teaching a colleague how to use it. Talk me through your approach.
  5. Why do you believe it is vital for consumers and businesses to maintain tax records for at least the last 10 years?
  6. Tell me about your research experience in analyzing customer data.
  7. Maintaining our reputation for accurate tax assistance is important to us. What is your strategy for maintaining and improving your accuracy?
  8. Describe a recent project in which you added value in your role as a tax preparer.
  9. Tell me about a personal trait that increases your efficiency.
  10. If a client came to you with a question about their tax liability, how would you go about answering it?
  11. What are some of the most common challenges you’ve encountered when filing taxes?
  12. What is your experience with preparing business tax returns?
  13. If I were the owner of a small business, what are some tax deductions that you would recommend for me?
  14. As a tax preparer, how do you stay up-to-date on the latest tax changes?
  15. Are you familiar with our state and national tax laws?
  16. How do you ensure that tax returns are submitted in a timely manner?
  17. Have you ever discovered compromising information in a tax document? What did you do?
  18. Think about the last time a client or stakeholder was unhappy with your work. How did you handle the situation?
  19. Describe a situation where you made a mistake on a tax return. What did you do?
  20. As a tax preparer, do you recommend that all married couples file their income tax returns together and why?
  21. We want to increase our client base. As our tax preparer, what would your strategy be to do so?
  22. We want to improve our customer service and reduce the number of calls our clients have to make regarding their tax returns. As our tax preparer, how would you encourage clients to reach out if they have questions about their tax return?
  23. Does the filing status have an impact on potential tax refunds? Please explain your answer.
  24. Why is it important to analyze customer data before recommending tax deductions?
  25. How do you build confidence in a new client?
  26. Do you have experience using tax preparation software?
  27. To increase the tax refund effectively, name three key areas of customer data you need to know about.
  28. Why should we hire you as our next tax preparer?

Tax Preparer Interview Questions and Answers

Every interview is different and the questions may vary. However, there are lots of general questions that get asked at every interview.

Below are some common questions you'd expect during Tax Preparer interviews. Click on each question to see how to answer them.

  1. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?
  2. Why Should We Hire You?
  3. What is Your Salary Expectation?
  4. What is Your Greatest Weakness?
  5. Tell Me About Yourself
  6. What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?
  7. Are You a Leader or a Follower?
  8. Why Do You Want To Leave Your Current Job?
  9. Why Do You Want This Job?
  10. What is Your Greatest Strength?