Tax Associate
Financial Planning Company— Portland, ME -- $82K, may stretch, plus 18K flex dollars per year
THE SIZZLE:
•    Role is in office 3 days per week (Tues-Thurs)
•    Targeting 5 years of experience (will consider 3-5 if they have in-depth research skills) public accounting preferred
•    Reports to SVP, Tax Director
•    Great benefits, 11 holidays, 4 weeks’ vacation
SKILLS/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
•    Bachelor of Science Degree in Business or Accounting. 
•    Fiduciary tax experience. 
•    At least 5 years’ experience in a public accounting firm, preferably in a tax preparation role. 
•    Demonstrated tax knowledge and expertise. 
•    Ability to research tax issues and communicate results. 
•    CPA designation preferred. 
•    Microsoft Office programs. 
•    Excellent time management skills with the ability to multitask and maintain workflow to meet both internal and external deadlines. 
•    Ability to work independently and as part of a team. 
•    Strong verbal and written communication skills. 
•    Must be technologically adept with the ability to learn new software programs quickly and intuitively. 
•    Organized, responsible, loyal to and enthusiastic about the firm’s purpose/goals/values. 
•    Customer service, diplomacy, ability to observe strict confidentiality policies. 

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
General Fiduciary Tax Responsibilities: 
•    Work with Tax Director to develop high-level understanding of company’s fiduciary client base and individual client needs. 
•    Review of tax filings and forms prepared by outside preparers and/or Tax Director. 
•    Ability to research, coordinate and manage tax projects for our client base. 
•    Coordinate with Tax Director and outside preparers to track all required fiduciary filings and ensure timely and accurate remittance. 
•    Preparation of returns for a very small portion of fiduciary client base not done by our preparer. 
•    Coordination with obtaining third party information and preparation of quarterly estimates. Help project income and potential tax liabilities for estimated tax purposes. 
•    Respond to agency notices for our client base. 
•    Involvement with engagement letter process with Tax Administrator for preparing, sending and tracking fiduciary fee engagement letters. 
•    Communicate frequently and routinely with outside preparers to aid with information necessary for return preparation, to address transactional and coding questions, and to monitor flow of items. 
•    Ability to work directly with our fiduciary tax return preparer for ongoing best practices related to our client data. 
•    Share projected and final balance due and estimate amounts with relevant teams, including the Portfolio Management group for cash balance/investment purposes and Operations for timely processing of payments. 
•    Assist Tax Director with needs related to the firm’s entity tax returns. 
•    Field internal and client inquiries on timing of specific tax items and forms and develop relationships with those parties. 
•    Perform various duties to assist the Tax Administrator with processing and other items during peak periods. 
•    Work closely with Trust Officers and Tax Director on items requiring specific attention, including onboarding of new trust accounts, trust terminations, changes to grant status of returns, private and/or foreign holdings, assessing the need for new state filing requirements, etc. 
•    Stay current on tax laws, regulations and proposals impacting clients. 

Technology Specific Responsibilities: 
•    Learn to master the tax group’s primary software, One Source Trust Tax (OSTT) and become the firm champion, maintaining responsibility for keeping up to date with software developments. 
•    Become proficient with the firm’s trust accounting system from which OSTT derives its information. Understand transactional flow and coding. Generate system reports and create custom reports, as needed. 
•    Maintain responsibility for data bridge between OSTT and the trust accounting system 

Relational Responsibilities: 
•    Serve as a resource to the firm and clients on tax related items. 
•    Work closely with Client Advisors, Portfolio Managers, Trust Officers, Real Estate and Operations groups as needed to better achieve efficiencies and compliance from a 360-degree perspective. 
•    Develop and maintain relationships with outside preparers, client CPAs and other professional advisors. 
•    Assist with managing client relationships with outside trustees. 
•    Work on individual client tax planning items and requests, as needed. 
•    Willingness to lead internal training on select topics. 
 
OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 
•    Assist with formulating tax group procedures to create efficiencies and high-level client service. 
•    Represent the tax group on company committees as requested. 
•    Participate in special firm or departmental projects. 
•    Attend weekly firm meetings and scheduled group meetings. 
•    Pursue educational and professional development opportunities. 
•    Other duties as assigned.