Revenue Agent Grades 5-12

Use your bachelor’s degree or higher in accounting or your Certificate as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) to qualify for an entry to mid-level Internal Revenue Agent (Examiner) employment opportunity.

As a Revenue Agent (Examiner), you will independently examine and investigate complex income tax returns filed by individuals or organizations. Revenue Agents (Examiners) are known for their ability to accomplish comprehensive analytical examinations of tax returns to determine tax liability and violations of Federal tax statutes and to make fair and impartial recommendations for criminal prosecution and civil penalties. You’ll use your skills and knowledge to perform professional accounting work, as well as provide accounting and financial management advice and assistance to higher levels of management. You’ll examine accounting and financial information systems that reflect a variety of complex financial operations.

As an IRS employee, you’ll enjoy all the rights and benefits of federal employment. At the same time, you’ll have that sense of public service, knowing that your accounting and auditing responsibilities contribute to everything from funding domestic programs to the defense of our nation.

A career at the IRS provides you with professional development and advancement opportunities so your career can grow with your aspirations.

The following duties describe what a Revenue Agent (Examiner) does at the full working level. The complexity of your assigned cases and the amount of supervision and guidance you will receive is based upon the grade level you are hired at and advance through to reach the full performance level of GS-12.

• Prepares audit statements with appropriate schedules and exhibits to reflect finally determined adjustments, tax liabilities, and additions on cases encompassing all types of taxpayers (e.g., individuals, corporations, partnerships, trusts, estates) engaged in all phases of economic activity where income may be derived from many sources and where several operating sub-divisions may exist. Cases involve income, profits, estate, gift, excise, and employment taxes.
• Prepares computations in Tax Court cases giving effect to the Court's opinion and any stipulated adjustments.
• Conducts independent examinations and related investigations of income tax returns that cover a diversified spectrum of individual and business taxpayers.
• Conducts examinations of complex individual and business taxpayers involved in activities or transactions designated or structured to hide or conceal income—such as offshore activities, multiple-related entities, and other means—using a wide range of financial and other investigative skills.
• Conducts independent examinations, reviews, and related financial investigations of complex cases encompassing all types of financial institutions and non-financial trades or businesses.
• Independently conducts examination of large exempt organizations and related business entities and makes determinations on initial and continuing exempt status of these organizations. Provides technical advice and assistance on exemptions to organization representatives and other service employees.
• Reviews exempt organizations’ financial and other operating data as well as related records of business operations intended to further exempt purposes and income sources unrelated to exempt activity.
• Ensures that qualified retirement plans comply with qualification, reporting/disclosure, and excise and income tax matters.

Federal experience is not required to qualify for the grade levels identified below. You will qualify for one of the following opportunities based on your specialized experience and/or education.

A Certificate as a CPA or a bachelor's or higher degree in accounting that includes at least 30 semester hours in accounting or 24 semester hours in accounting and an additional six (6) semester hours in related subjects such as business law, economics, statistical/quantitative methods, computerized accounting or financial systems, financial management, or finance.

OR

A bachelor's or higher degree in a field other than accounting or a combination of education and experience equivalent to four (4) years that included at least 30 semester hours in accounting or 24 semester hours in accounting and 6 semester hours in related subjects.

For the GS-5 grade level, education alone, as described above, is the minimum requirement to qualify.
In addition to meeting the basic educational requirement above, to qualify for this position at the GS-7, 9, 11, and 12 grade levels, you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

You must have one (1) year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty that includes experience in or related to accounting or auditing that provided the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience must have been acquired in a federal or business environment and must be sufficient to demonstrate the 1) knowledge of and skill in applying the principles, concepts, and methodology of professional accounting and related fields and 2) skill in communicating and dealing effectively with others. Qualifying experience may have been in accounting, auditing, tax, financial, legal, or other work.

OR

You may substitute education for specialized experience at the GS-7 grade level as follows:

You must complete one full year of graduate level education in a field of study such as accounting, business, finance, law, economics, management, statistical/quantitative methods, or computer science.

OR

Superior Academic Achievement, which will meet the specialized experience requirement at this grade level by having a bachelor’s degree with one of the following:

• A GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all completed undergraduate courses or those completed in the last two (2) years of study, or a GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all courses in your major field of study or those courses in your major completed in the last two (2) years of study, OR
• A ranking in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university, or major subdivision, or 3) membership in a national honor society recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies
• OR a combination of experience and education.

To qualify at this grade level, you must have specialized experience equivalent to work performed at the GS-7 grade level.

OR You may substitute education for specialized experience at the GS-9 grade level as follows:

A course of study that includes two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Master's degree in accounting or related field of business, finance, law, economics, management, statistical/quantitative methods, or computer science.

OR

A Master's degree in Accounting or related field of business, finance, law, economics, management, statistical/quantitative methods, or computer science.

OR

An equivalent amount of combined education and experience as described in the paragraphs above.

To qualify at this grade level, you must have specialized experience equivalent to work performed at the GS-9 grade level.

OR You may substitute education for specialized experience at the GS-11 grade level as follows:

A course of study that includes three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a PhD degree or PhD or equivalent doctoral degree in accounting or related field of business, finance, law, economics, management, statistical/quantitative methods, or computer science.

OR

An equivalent amount of combined education and experience as described in the paragraphs above.

Specialized experience for the GS-12 grade level

To qualify at this grade level, you must have specialized experience equivalent to work performed at the GS-11 grade level.

This position’s starting salary varies depending upon grade level and location. Please see the How to Apply section below to access the official Job Opportunity Announcement and salary information. Employees receive the full package of federal employment benefits, which includes health and insurance plans, a generous annual and sick leave program, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan, which is a retirement plan similar to a traditional 401(k).

A monetary recruitment incentive has been authorized for eligible, highly qualified individuals. 

Click this site’s APPLY link to access the official Revenue Agent (Examiner) Job Opportunity Announcement (JOA). You will learn exactly how to submit your application package, including your resume, an online assessment questionnaire, and possibly other documents. You will also learn about duty locations, telework eligibility, U.S. citizenship, maximum entry age, medical, and other requirements that should be reflected in the information you provide in your resume.