US Tax Preparer (South Africa)

ABOUT THE ROLE

You’ll own the first — and most labor-intensive — stage of the two-step tax workflow: preparation. You’ll build complete, well-documented 1040s, 1120s, 1120-S, and 1065s, plus the state filings that ride alongside them. When something’s missing or unclear, you ask. When a treatment decision needs a second opinion, you raise it. By the time the return reaches the Tax Reviewer, every workpaper is in place and every number ties.

You’ll communicate directly with clients to request documents and clarify details, partner with U.S.-based teammates on context and tax treatment, and work in Drake plus a proprietary internal platform (training provided). The reviewer signs off — but the quality of that sign-off starts with how clean your prep is.

The Ideal Candidate

• You’re detail-obsessed and methodical — no skipped tie-outs, no “I’ll come back to it”
• You ask the clarifying question before you guess
• You can juggle a stack of client files without dropping context on any of them
• You write client emails that get the answer the first time
• You take pride in handing off a return the reviewer barely has to mark up

WHAT YOU’LL OWN

Return Preparation

Prepare returns that are review-ready on the first pass.

• Federal and state preparation across 1040, 1120, 1120-S, and 1065
• State filings tied to every applicable federal return, including NYC local tax where relevant
• Schedules, K-1s, depreciation, basis tracking, carryforwards, and supporting workpapers
• Roll forward prior-year returns; map trial balances and source documents to the current-year workplan
• Clean, consistent documentation so the reviewer can trace every number to its source

Client Communication & Document Gathering

Get what you need to finish the return — clearly and on time.

• Request missing documents and clarify ambiguous information directly with clients
• Write concise, specific follow-ups (no fishing expeditions)
• Track outstanding items and chase them down before they hold up the file
• Keep clients informed about where their return stands

Internal Collaboration

Work the call when the call needs to be made.

• Partner with U.S.-based colleagues on document context and tax treatment decisions
• Surface judgment calls early rather than burying them in the workpapers
• Hand off to the Tax Reviewer with a clean file and a clear summary of decisions made

Tools & Workflow

Work cleanly in the tools that ship returns.

• Drake tax software (preferred experience)
• Proprietary internal platform — training provided
• Manage multiple client files in parallel without losing the thread

Data Integrity

Leave a trail anyone can follow.

• Keep folders organized, naming consistent, and documentation complete so the reviewer (or any future reviewer) can follow your work quickly

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

• Demonstrated experience preparing U.S. tax returns across 1040, 1120, 1120-S, and 1065
• Familiarity with state tax filings across multiple jurisdictions
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple client files simultaneously
• Effective written communication skills for client-facing and internal correspondence
• Experience with Drake tax software preferred
• Confident written and spoken English
• Comfortable working U.S. business hours (night shift, PH-based)

Preferred (nice to have)

• CPA or Enrolled Agent (EA) designation strongly preferred
• Experience preparing R&D tax credits (Form 6765)
• Familiarity with NYC local tax filings