Clarification from the agency

Current IRS Internal Employees; Treasury CTAP eligible employees within the Washington DC commuting area.

WHAT DOES AN INTERNAL REVENUE AGENT DO? An Internal Revenue Agent (IRA) conducts examinations of entities of varying complexity, including corporations, partnerships, foreign entities, individuals, and fiduciaries. In this position, you will use your professional knowledge and skill in accounting and auditing techniques and practices to examine various tax returns, determine the correct tax liability, identify situations with potential for understated taxes, and to recognize potential fraud. Many situations may require a specialized knowledge of a particular industry and/or may involve varied or complex systems of accounting. In addition to internal stakeholders, you will interact with taxpayers and their representatives, all from varied socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, provide examination findings, interpretations of tax laws and regulations, and other necessary information to ensure future compliance.

As an Internal Revenue Agent you will:

• Conduct independent examinations and related investigations of income tax returns that cover a diversified spectrum of taxpayers, to include corporations, partnerships, foreign entities, individuals, and fiduciaries. Examinations may also contain special audit features or anticipated accounting, tax law, or investigative issues.
• Conduct examinations to ensure proper reporting of income and expenses of individual and business taxpayers using financial and other investigative skills.
• Conduct package audits to determine that other required returns such as information, excise, or specialty returns are filed and conduct concurrent examinations or make referrals of these and other returns when warranted.
• Identify issues to be pursued based on large, unusual or questionable items which produce significant tax or compliance effect and utilizes the appropriate tax law and facts needed to resolve them. Recognizes indicators of fraudulent activity and develops appropriate referrals.
• Utilize standard accounting methods and techniques during the course of examinations in order to develop information regarding the income and financial operations of taxpayers.
• Examine accounting systems and records including computerized accounting and financial information systems which reflect a variety of complex financial operations. Gathers and researches data from a variety of sources, and/or specialized accounting practices unique to a particular trade or industry.
• Confer with taxpayer or their representatives to explain the accounting and other issues involved and the applicability of pertinent tax laws and regulations and explains proposed adjustments.

Opportunity is available within Enterprise Activities/Financial Institutions and Products as a Revenue Agent with a focus on Financial Products issues.

WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OTHER IRS CAREERS? If you want to find out more about IRS careers, visit us on the web at www.jobs.irs.gov

Conditions of employment

• Please refer to "Other Information".
• Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
• IRS Employees with Career or Career Conditional Appointments.
• Must be U.S. Citizen or National

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Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement.  

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

You must have a Bachelor's or higher degree in accounting from an accredited college or university that included at least 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) in accounting or 24 semester hours in accounting and an additional 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 combination of experience and education at an accredited college or university equivalent to a four year degree that included courses equivalent to a major in accounting, i.e. at least 30 semester hours in accounting or 24 semester hours in accounting and 6 semester hours in related subjects as described above.

OR A Certificate as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) obtained through written examination in a State, territory or the District of Columbia.

OR Are currently serving as an Internal Revenue Agent GS-0512 and have been in this position for at least one year or was previously an Internal Revenue Agent GS-0512 and held the position for at least one year.

In addition to the above qualifications, you must possess the following professional accounting knowledge: Principles of Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Cost Accounting, Advanced Accounting and Auditing. For more information on the required accounting knowledge please refer to Internal Revenue Agent Basic Requirements.

In addition to the above, you must meet the requirements described below:

GS-13 LEVEL: You must have 1 year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: Progressively responsible and diversified professional accounting or auditing work that required: Experience applying professional accounting principles, theory, and practices to analyze and interpret accounting books, records, or systems specifically to determine their effect on Federal tax liabilities and their adequacy for recording transactions affecting tax liabilities; Experience interpreting and applying Federal tax law for individuals, business and/or exempt organizations, partnerships, and corporations; Experience of business and trade practices to develop tax issues based on analysis and evaluation of overall business operations and financial condition; Experience of corporate financial transactions and financial management principles and practices; and Experience interacting effectively with a broad range of individuals and negotiating with specialists in accounting, legal, tax, and other similar business related professions.

- The experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector or Volunteer Service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part- time work is considered on a prorated basis.

- To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.

In addition to the above, you must have been at the GS-12 level for 52 weeks (time-in-grade requirement).

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application includes your resume, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a “not qualified” determination.

Rating: Your application will be evaluated on the CJEs of the position to be filled per the National Agreement Article 13.

Your application will also be rated and ranked among others, based on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, education, training, performance appraisals and awards relevant to the duties of this position. IRS employees may obtain most recent awards listing at https://persinfo.web.irs.gov/

Your rating may be lowered, if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application.

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview (telephonic and/or in person at the discretion of the Selecting Official in accordance with hiring polices). We will not reimburse costs related to the interview such as travel to and from the interview site.

If you are a displaced or surplus Treasury employee eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), you must receive a score of 80  or better to be rated as well qualified to receive special selection priority.