Tax and Audit Intern

Position Summary 

The Tax and Audit Intern is an entry-level position for a student or recent graduate beginning a career in public accounting. The intern will gain practical experience in tax preparation, audit, review, compilation, accounting, and client service while working under the supervision of experienced professionals. 

The position is designed to build technical, analytical, communication, and professional skills through structured training and hands-on engagement experience. 

Qualifications 

• Currently pursuing a degree in accounting, finance, or a related field.
• Accounting coursework completed or in progress; progress toward CPA eligibility is preferred.
• Basic understanding of accounting principles and financial statements.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Excel and common office applications.
• Prior accounting, bookkeeping, tax, audit, or office experience is helpful but not required.

Training and Development 

• Receives training in tax compliance, audit, review, compilation, accounting, and firm procedures.
• Learns to use tax, audit, accounting, document-management, and workflow software.
• Develops skills in preparing workpapers, analyzing client records, organizing support, and documenting procedures.
• Is assigned a direct supervisor for guidance, performance feedback, and day-to-day support.
• Is paired with a project-level mentor for capstone and professional-development activities.
• Progress is evaluated based on work quality, technical development, initiative, communication, dependability, and responsiveness to feedback.

Key Responsibilities 

Tax 

• Organize and enter information from client source documents.
• Prepare basic tax workpapers, schedules, and supporting documentation.
• Assist with individual, business, fiduciary, and other tax returns as assigned.
• Tie tax-return information to source documents and prior-year workpapers.
• Assist with extensions, estimated-tax calculations, notices, and other compliance projects.
• Identify missing or unusual information and communicate it to the supervisor.

Audit, Review, and Compilation 

• Assist with engagement setup, client-request lists, and workpaper organization.
• Perform assigned procedures such as bank reconciliations, confirmations, vouching, tracing, cutoff testing, and subsequent-disbursement testing.
• Assist with testing in areas such as cash, prepaid expenses, accounts payable, other assets, revenue, and operating expenses.
• Prepare schedules and document procedures, evidence, and conclusions.
• Compare current-year information to prior-year balances and investigate differences with guidance.
• Assist with financial statement preparation and disclosure checklists.

General Accounting and Firm Support 

• Assist with bookkeeping, reconciliations, account analysis, and special projects.
• Prepare Excel schedules and use firm technology to support engagement work.
• Maintain organized client files and follow firm documentation procedures.
• Record time accurately and communicate obstacles that may affect deadlines.

Supervision and Client Interaction 

• Works under the direction of the assigned supervisor, Senior Accountant, Manager, or Partner.
• May communicate with client personnel regarding routine information requests, subject to engagement-team guidance.
• Does not independently make significant tax or audit judgments or communicate complex conclusions without review and approval.
• Escalates questions, exceptions, incomplete support, and potential issues promptly.

Core Competencies 

• Technical and analytical skills: Applies basic accounting concepts, demonstrates accuracy, learns firm procedures, and recognizes inconsistencies.
• Client service: Responds professionally, follows through on commitments, and communicates missing information or issues appropriately.
• Communication: Writes and speaks clearly, listens carefully, asks relevant questions, and maintains communication with the engagement team.
• Professionalism: Protects confidential information, meets deadlines, accepts feedback, and demonstrates reliability and initiative.
• Teamwork: Treats coworkers and clients with respect and contributes to a professional, collaborative environment.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Progress toward a bachelor’s or master’s degree in accounting.
• Coursework in taxation, auditing, intermediate accounting, or financial reporting.
• Eligibility or future eligibility to sit for the CPA examination.
• Prior internship, bookkeeping, customer-service, or office experience.
• Familiarity with Excel, tax software, audit software, or document-management systems.
• Availability to work additional hours during peak tax and audit periods.

Growth Opportunities 

Based on performance, academic progress, technical development, professionalism, business needs, and interest in public accounting, successful interns may be considered for continued employment or future full-time opportunities.