What I Learned as a Tax Intern

What I Learned as a tax intern

April 17, 2018

            Tax season is finally over, and I’ve had a while to think back about my experience as a tax intern. The good, the bad, and the business outfits I somehow threw together every morning before dragging myself to my cubicle to stare at a computer screen for 9 hours. To give a bit of perspective:

I did tax returns for people who made a lot more than me.

I did tax returns for people who made a lot less than me.

I did tax returns for people who made more in interest income than I make in three years.

I did tax returns for people who received refunds of 5 digits.

I did tax returns for people who owed tax of 5 digits.

I did tax returns for people who had many children.

I did tax returns for people who had no children.

I did tax returns for people who bought houses this year.

I did tax returns for people who sold houses this year.

I did tax returns for people who got divorced this year.

I did tax returns for people who got married this year.

I did tax returns for people who had a child this year.

I did tax returns for people who lost a father this year.

I did tax returns for people who lost a son this year.

I did tax returns for people who organized, numbered, and labeled every paper they brought in.

I did tax returns for people who just gave us a box of receipts to work from.

And through all of this I think I learned the most about people. Not numbers, or software, or data input. I didn’t learn anything about tax law that was mind-blowing (except Obamacare is literally the worst thing. Really just awful. AWFUL. What was he thinking?) I already knew the flow of a tax return. I knew where certain numbers went, and what boxes to check. I didn’t learn about numbers all that much, but I learned about people a lot.

Whenever I contacted a client, it was usually for a number: an expense, an income amount, a date. But whenever they talked to me, it was usually about a person. Sure, they would give me the number I was looking for. [they bought the home for $150,000. Their daughter was born on 04/26/17. They made $32,650 from their doTERRA business.] but I also got more than that. Because these clients, these people, would tell us about births, and twisted ankles, and moves across the country. They would tell me about their struggle with technology, their dentist appointment, and their vacation plans to Mexico. They would ask me about my job, and how they could contact me if they had questions.

I guess overall, I learned that people are the most important. Everyone is living a different life, struggling through different problems, and feeling different joys. Financial lives vary as much as reals lives, and I think they’re supposed to. It’s what makes this thing that we are living a little more exciting, and whole lot less boring.

P.S. I’m really grateful to have worked in a firm that values the person over the number as well.

Okay, so if this felt like clickbait at all, because you wanted tax advice, well here’s some of that as well.

1.      PLEASE!! If you do anything, fill out the tax organizer/questionnaire! I BEG OF YOU. I had a lady that emailed me right before we were about to send off her final return, telling me that they had a child during the year. (How do you forget that?!) If she would have filled out the organizer we would have known this, easy peesy. FILL IT OUT. JUST DO IT.

2.      Know your situation. I was surprised that most people didn’t seem to have any idea what their taxes would look like in the year. I’m not saying that you need to do your own tax return before sending it in, but at least have an idea about what it is going to look like.

3.      The more time you put into organization, especially for income and expenses of small businesses reported on personal returns, the less time it takes the preparer to do their job, which means you won’t have to pay as much. If you just give us a bunch of receipts, we have to go through and add them up and mark them. A quick income statement with total income and expenses can help a lot.