Tax Staff Accountant

About Balanced Accountants

Balanced Accountants is a local accounting firm that supports small business owners with bookkeeping, payroll, and tax and advisory services. We help clients create clarity, structure, and financial confidence through organized systems and steady support.

We’re growing our team so we can continue to deliver clients with thoughtful, high-quality service with integrity, consistency, warmth and follow-through..

*

We Value

• Financial Sovereignty. Clarity creates confidence. Structure creates freedom.
• Integrity. We do ethical, defensible work. No shortcuts.
• Calm Leadership. We don’t panic. We assess and prioritize to move with precision.
• Partnership. Count us in.
• Warm, professional client care. Clients should feel supported and respected.
• Follow-through. We close loops and don’t let things slip.
• Clear priorities. We stay aligned on what matters each day and each week.
• Kind, steady communication. Helpful energy, calm under pressure, comfortable on the phone.
• Organization. Clean files, clear status updates, and good systems.

*

The Role: Tax Staff Accountant

The Staff Tax Accountant is responsible for preparing individual and business tax returns, maintaining accurate financial records, supporting client accounting services, and ensuring organized, defensible financial and tax documentation across multiple client accounts.

This is an occasionally client-facing role inside a fast-paced public accounting environment. You will communicate directly with clients to gather missing information, explain issues clearly, manage deadlines, and keep work moving across multiple engagements.

We’re looking for someone who can take ownership quickly, work independently, stay organized under pressure, and contribute to a calm, solutions-oriented team culture.

• Employment type: W-2, Part-Time or Full-Time
• Hours: Monday–Friday 9 AM-4 PM PST
• Location: In-office at our “Tax Shack” office (Lacey, WA 98503)
• Pay: $62,000 - $75,000/year depending on experience
• Target start date: June 8, 2026

*

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare individual and business income tax returns, including Forms 1040, 1120/1120-S, and 1065.
• Prepare organized, accurate, and review-ready tax workpapers and supporting documentation.
• Review client financial data to identify missing information, discrepancies, and tax-related issues before filing.
• Prepare and review monthly financial statements for small business clients.
• Perform bank, credit card, payroll, and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Manage month-end and year-end close processes across multiple client accounts.
• Prepare and post adjusting journal entries.
• Review bookkeeping work for accuracy and completeness and follow up on corrections as needed.
• Support compliance work, including B&O tax, sales tax filings, and payroll reporting.
• Maintain organized, audit-ready digital client files and standardized workflows.
• Communicate professionally with clients regarding financial questions, missing items, notices, deadlines, and next steps.
• Identify risks, inconsistencies, or cleanup issues and escalate appropriately.
• Support ongoing process improvement and operational organization within the firm.

*

Ideal Candidate Profile

Required

• 3-5 years of accounting and/or tax preparation experience in a public accounting or tax firm environment.
• Experience preparing federal income tax returns for individuals and businesses, including Forms 1040, 1120/1120-S, and 1065.
• Strong understanding of GAAP-based accrual accounting fundamentals.
• Strong in Excel.
• Experience preparing and reviewing financial statements.
• Strong reconciliation skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to prepare organized tax workpapers and supporting documentation with minimal supervision.
• Proficiency in QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online.
• Experience supporting B&O tax and sales tax filings and compliance.
• Comfortable managing multiple client accounts, recurring deadlines, and frequent context switching.
• Confident, professional communication skills in a client-facing environment.
• High integrity and confidentiality with sensitive financial information.

Nice to Have

• Enrolled Agent (EA) license or active pursuit of EA or CPA credentials.
• Payroll experience or willingness to learn quickly.
• Experience responding to tax notices or supporting tax planning conversations.
• Experience with TaxDome or similar client management systems.
• Experience with UltraTax

*

What We Offer

• Paid time off (PTO) and paid holidays
• Paid sick time
• Medical Reimbursement Account
• Continuing education/tuition reimbursement
• Cell phone reimbursement
• Retirement plan

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $62,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Paid sick time
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement

Application Question(s):

• What is your ideal start date?
• We are planning to hold video interviews on Wednesdays. Would you be available for a zoom interview?

Experience:

• Accounting: 3 years (Required)
• QuickBooks: 3 years (Required)
• GAAP: 3 years (Required)
• Tax Return Preparation: 3 years (Required)
• Public accounting: 2 years (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Lacey, WA 98503 (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $62,000 - $75,000