[univegabw]

Hey everyone coming up on a dilemma I must face. It looks like I’m going to be offered a position with a city as a sales tax investigator. Basically interviewing taxpayers, sending notices of assessment, arrange payment installments, analyze likelihood of payment and investigate taxpayers that fail to file.

Currently, I work in a Revenue management position that oversees most of the AR side of things. We are about to go through a major accounting system changeover. We are moving away from QuickBooks.

My question is should I stick it out here to gain that experience even though I feel completely underutilized and I’m not sure the future that is in front of me here or should I move into the sales tax job to gain a different area of experience?

My gut says to stick to the job I have, but my heart kinda pulls for the other job. Pay/Benefits are almost identical if anything the edge goes to the city job.

I’d like any feedback. It is tough making moves that feel kind as if they are a coin flip decision.

A- 53, 55
B- Passed!
F- Not Yet Taken
R- 1/17/2015

[univegabw]

Here are the responsibilities for the City Job:

Conduct interviews with taxpayers as part of the City's tax collection procedure; explain the City's tax code and related policies and procedures; and answer questions

Calculate the amount of taxes due from delinquent taxpayers through interviews and review of financial documents; process notices of assessment; arrange payment installments; determine the likelihood of collection based on independent assessment of records and other factors; and inform supervisory staff as necessary

Investigate instances of taxpayers failing to file, remit, or fully disclose sales and use taxes due; recommend legal action as necessary; assist in preparing legal notice documents; provide technical assistance to the City Attorney; and testify in court as ordered

Perform a variety of legal actions to claim trust fund money for past due taxes including legally sanctioned property seizures, conducting property sales, preparing and filing liens, and other activities and legal remedies

Collect vehicle sales taxes; investigate occurrences of vehicle owners claiming to reside at an address outside of the City limits in order to avoid registration fees and taxes; collect on returned checks; and assist other sales tax staff as needed

Contact representatives from other municipalities and outside agencies as needed regarding tax law enforcement; perform research and investigation

Respond to public inquiries in a courteous manner; provide information within the area of assignment

Conduct field visits to vendors to ensure proper licensing and compliance with sales tax ordinances

A- 53, 55
B- Passed!
F- Not Yet Taken
R- 1/17/2015

[univegabw]

Current responsibilities:

• Timely and accurate billing of new customer, existing customer, and solutions partner invoicing.

• Works with Account Management to ensure timely and accurate renewal billings.

• Updating and monitoring customer expiration dates and requesting license keys as needed.

• Posting customer payments to accounts.

• Following the collections process and contacting customer and following up on past due invoices

• Update and maintain deferred revenue schedules on a monthly basis.

• Ensuring the data integrity of information entered in our software through periodic and month end data checks.

• Updating the online sales tax system as required.

• Running and submitting monthly, quarterly, and annual sales tax reports.

• Work with internal Management on specific tracking and reporting needs.

• Providing support to internal and external customers regarding order status and processes.

• Providing support and training to other Billing and Receivable Accountants.

• Follow department and company policies and procedures and meeting department deadlines.

A- 53, 55
B- Passed!
F- Not Yet Taken
R- 1/17/2015

[Anonymous]

Get 1 year experience of that sales tax job and try to pass a few CPAs <= My advice.

[M.O.D.]

They are offering you the city job because nobody wants it. It sounds horrible.

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[Anonymous]

And I could think of a firm that deals with sales and use tax: Ryan LLC.

[Anonymous]

I have been a sales and use tax auditor at the state level for about 2 1/2 years. I feel that it has been good experience. You get to meet with businesses of all sizes, and see how they operate. The other nice thing about my job is that the hours are stable; there is no overtime to interfere with studying. I don't know if the city job would be the same, but I would imagine so.

[univegabw]

@Ajones19 do you feel there is any growth potential from the position? I know that city/state jobs tend to not have much upward mobility unless things fall your way with retirements. I really do consider it a choice to further myself that is why I'm torn. My current job offers me up a lot of promises of potentially large roles in the organization, but there is a lot of questions surrounding what they want to do as a quick growing start-up.

I like stability obviously, but wouldn't want to be stuck doing one thing for 5-10 years.

Do you feel the experience you have would also lend itself to move out of government and back into other industries with the knowledge you gain?

A- 53, 55
B- Passed!
F- Not Yet Taken
R- 1/17/2015

[Anonymous]

There is some potential for growth depending on the size of the organization. My department is currently in a hiring freeze, so I am stuck where I am now. Because of that, I am currently looking for opportunities outside the state, and I have seen positions advertised that want someone with sales and use tax experience. I think it also would add an additional skill that a firm might not have. The department I work for is doing more sales tax audits, and it seems that most of the firms I deal with don't really understand sales tax very well. I am trying to use that as a selling point. I have gotten a few interviews, but so far, haven't gotten any offers.

[univegabw]

Thanks for the information. I figured just the simple fact that you would know the Sales Tax laws through and through for your state would be a huge selling point.

I see the fact that I have so much uncertainty here and I'm not really developing that this could be a great opportunity and another skill I can add to my resume.

Good luck on the search and thanks for the info.

A- 53, 55
B- Passed!
F- Not Yet Taken
R- 1/17/2015

[jhd7]

One thing to consider is the reputation of gov't workers. I'm about 3 years into my public accounting career. I've had a couple jobs and have talked to many people in the accounting profession, including a few close mentors. Every single person I have ever talked to views gov't workers as lazy people that take weeks to answer simple questions. Not sure if other people view them this way, or if this would put a taint on your resume in the future, but I just figured I'd share my two cents. Also, I'm not saying this is my own view. Just the reputation I've heard.

AUD- 78
BEC- 79
REG- 91
FAR- 83

Licensed NJ CPA

DONE

[Author]

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