Salary of an IRS Enrolled Agent
The Internal Revenue Service hires numerous employees every year to assist in collecting taxes owed by individuals and companies. The IRS has positions available for individuals to become tax collectors, examiners, auditors and enrolled agents. Each position has different job duties and varying salaries. IRS enrolled agents are paid at the higher end of the government pay scale due to the expertise needed for their jobs.
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Qualifications
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To become an IRS enrolled agent, an individual must become licensed before the federal government. This includes filing an application with the Office of Professional Responsibility and passing the special enrollment examination or providing proof of tax experience as a former IRS employee. A background check will also be performed to ensure that the individual has the requisite tax experience needed for the position. Applications can be denied if the applicant has failed to timely file or pay taxes.
Salary
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According to the BLS, IRS enrolled agents earn an average salary of $91,507 per year. This is higher than tax examiners who only receive a yearly salary of $42,035 and tax specialists who earn $63,547 per year. IRS enrolled agents clearly earn the highest salaries among IRS employees. In addition, they receive family, sick and vacation leave. Full-time IRS employees can also participate in tax-deferred retirement plans with employer matching contributions. Health and life insurance benefits are also provided.
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Job Duties
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An IRS enrolled agent is an individual with tax expertise authorized by the federal government to represent taxpayers before all administrative levels of the IRS for audits, collections and appeals. Job duties include working with taxpayers on tax reporting issues including giving advice and preparing tax returns. IRS enrolled agents have a limited client privilege with taxpayers. This privilege extends to conversations between the agent and the taxpayer dealing with the audit and collection matter at issue.
Job Outlook
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The job outlook for IRS enrolled agents is expected to continue to grow over the next 10 years. This is due to the combination of a large number of retirements expected in the federal government and the increased vigilance of the IRS to collect taxes from higher earning individuals and businesses. The National Association of Enrolled Agents and the IRS both provide information regarding openings for IRS enrolled agent positions.
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References
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