Tax Preparers

1. 01Compute taxes owed or overpaid, using adding machines or personal computers, and complete entries on forms, following tax form instructions and tax tables.AI could speed this up a lot
2. 02Use all appropriate adjustments, deductions, and credits to keep clients' taxes to a minimum.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
3. 03Furnish taxpayers with sufficient information and advice to ensure correct tax form completion.People already use AI for this at work
4. 04Interview clients to obtain additional information on taxable income and deductible expenses and allowances.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
5. 05Prepare or assist in preparing simple to complex tax returns for individuals or small businesses.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
6. 06Review financial records, such as income statements and documentation of expenditures to determine forms needed to prepare tax returns.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
7. 07Check data input or verify totals on forms prepared by others to detect errors in arithmetic, data entry, or procedures.People already use AI for this at work
8. 08Explain federal and state tax laws to individuals and companies.People already use AI for this at work
9. 09Answer questions and provide future tax planning to clients.AI could speed this up, with extra tools
10. 10Consult tax law handbooks or bulletins to determine procedures for preparation of atypical returns.AI could speed this up, with extra tools

Tasks from O*NET® 31.0 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0, changed by us), most important first. “Already use” comes from Anthropic’s data on real work chats with Claude; “could speed up” from task ratings made with GPT-4 in 2023.

AI touches every main task of this job in some way. Your edge is judgment: knowing when AI’s work is right, and checking it before it counts.

What you can do next