Tax Preparer and Reviewer Senior Tax Associate | Individual and Entity Compliance, Review and Planning Support Vik Randhawa CPA | Tax, Planning and Advisory | 35111 Newark Blvd, Ste E, Newark, CA 94560 | vikprocpa.com Reports to Vik Randhawa, CPA, ChFC, MSA (Owner) Location Newark, CA office. In office during tax season; hybrid schedule available off season Employment type Full time, year round, hourly (non-exempt) Schedule Standard 40 hours off season. Extended hours January 15 through April 15 and around the September 15 and October 15 deadlines, including some Saturdays Pay range $35 to $55 per hour, depending on credentials and experience Software UltraTax CS, TaxDome, QuickBooks Online, Microsoft Excel and Word, Adobe Acrobat About the Firm Vik Randhawa CPA is a boutique tax, planning and advisory firm in Newark, California. We serve high income individuals, dental and physician practice owners, real estate investors, and small business owners with pass through entities.

Our work goes beyond compliance:

cost segregation studies, entity structuring, estimated tax projections, multi year planning, IRS and FTB representation, and business sale and purchase advisory. We run on fixed fee engagements, a modern tech stack (UltraTax CS, TaxDome, QuickBooks Online) and a small team where every person owns their work end to end. Clients hire us because they expect their return to be right, their questions to be answered quickly, and their CPA to spot planning opportunities before they ask. The Role This is a combined preparer and reviewer position for an experienced tax professional. You will prepare complex individual and entity returns yourself, and you will perform the first level review of returns prepared by associates and seasonal staff before they go to Vik for final sign off. In practice you are the quality gate for the firm: the person who catches the missing basis schedule, the wrong depreciation method, the unreported K-1 or the state sourcing error before the client or the IRS does. The role is roughly 60 percent preparation and 40 percent review during tax season, shifting toward review, planning support and client work off season. It is a hands on senior seat, not a manager title, and it is the natural path to a tax manager role as the firm grows. What You Will DoPreparation Prepare federal and multi state returns for individuals (Form 1040 with Schedules

C, D, E, K-1

activity, RSU and ISO/AMT situations, rental real estate, foreign income and

FBAR/8938

reporting).

Prepare entity returns:

Forms 1120-S, 1065, 1120 and 1041, including Schedule L and M-1/M-2, shareholder and partner basis tracking, PTET elections, and Section 199A calculations. Prepare California returns (540, 100S, 565/568, 541) and handle the differences between federal and California treatment, including depreciation, PTET and nonconformity items. Build supporting workpapers in

Excel:

fixed asset rollforwards, basis schedules, cost segregation implementation with Form 3115 and Section 481(a) adjustments, estimated tax projections and safe harbor calculations. Reconcile client books to the return, identify and book tax adjustments, and communicate needed corrections to the bookkeeping team. Prepare extensions, estimated payment vouchers and amended returns. Review Perform detailed first level review of returns prepared by associates and seasonal preparers: tie every number to source documents, check carryforwards against prior year, verify entity and individual returns reconcile to each other, and confirm elections and statements are attached. Return clear, written review notes in TaxDome that teach the preparer, not just correct the return. Track open points to closure. Maintain and improve the firm review checklist by return type. Flag recurring errors and propose process fixes. Sign off that a return is ready for final partner review, with a short summary of positions taken, open items and planning observations. Client Work and Planning Support Be a direct point of contact for an assigned group of clients: gather documents through TaxDome, answer questions, explain results and deliver the finished return. Draft estimated tax memos, planning memos and client emails in the firm house style for partner review. Research technical issues and document conclusions with citations (IRC, regulations, rulings, FTB guidance). Draft responses to IRS and FTB notices, penalty abatement requests and correspondence audit replies. Train and mentor associates and seasonal staff. Help onboard new preparers to firm procedures and software. Required Skills and Experience Every line below is a genuine requirement. Please apply if you meet them; please do not if you do not. Minimum 5 tax seasons of preparation experience in a CPA or EA firm, including at least 2 seasons preparing entity returns (1120-S and 1065) as well as complex 1040s. At least 1 season of experience reviewing returns prepared by others, or a documented senior or in charge role on engagements. Active CPA or EA license. CPA candidates with all four sections passed will be considered. Bachelor degree in accounting or a related field.

Working knowledge of California tax:

540, 100S, 565/568, PTET, and common federal and state differences. Hands on experience with pass through basis tracking, depreciation and fixed asset accounting, and Schedule L balance sheet reconciliation. Proficiency in Excel (lookups, pivot tables, building workpapers from scratch) and a professional tax package. UltraTax CS strongly preferred; CCH Axcess, Lacerte or ProSystem fx experience transfers well. Ability to read a QuickBooks Online general ledger, identify tax adjustments and explain them to a bookkeeper. Clear written English. You will be writing review notes, client emails and memos that go out under the firm name. Authorized to work in the United States. Able to work extended hours during filing season. Preferred (Not Required) Experience with dental or medical practice clients, real estate investors or short term rental owners. Cost segregation implementation, Form 3115 method changes or Section 481(a) adjustments.

Foreign reporting:

Forms 5471, 8938, 1116, FBAR. Trust and estate returns (1041, 541) and Form 706 or 709 exposure. IRS and FTB representation experience (notices, correspondence audits, penalty abatement, Rev. Proc. 2013-30 relief). Experience with TaxDome or a similar practice management and client portal system. Punjabi, Hindi or Spanish language ability is a plus with our client base.

How We Work:

Firm Ethos Accuracy over speed, then speed. A return that is 95 percent right is wrong. We tie out, we reconcile, we check prior year, and we do not release a return we would not sign ourselves. Own it end to end. You take the file from document intake to delivered return. No hand offs of half finished work, no "someone else will catch it." Think like an advisor, not a form filler. Every return is a planning opportunity. We expect you to notice the entity that should elect S status, the client who should be making PTET payments, the rental that qualifies for cost segregation, and to write it down. Say it plainly. Clients are busy professionals. We write short, direct and in plain English. Bottom line first, detail after. Responsive and organized. Client messages get a same day reply during business hours, even if the answer is "working on it, will have it Thursday." Everything lives in TaxDome, not in your inbox. Integrity is not negotiable. We follow Circular 230, the AICPA Statements on Standards for Tax Services, and the law. We take supportable positions and document them. We do not take aggressive positions to keep a client happy, and we protect client confidentiality without exception. Small team, no egos. Everyone pitches in, including the owner. You will teach others and be taught. Review notes are about the work, never about the person. Performance Expectations What success looks like in this seat, measured and discussed at 90 days and then quarterly: Quality. Returns you prepare pass final partner review with minimal changes.

Target:

fewer than two substantive review notes per return by the end of your first season. Review effectiveness. Returns you review go to the partner clean. Errors that reach the client or a tax agency on a return you reviewed are tracked and expected to be rare. Turnaround. Meet assigned due dates and communicate early when a file is stuck. No surprise extensions. Documentation. Consistent, complete workpapers that a reviewer can follow without asking you questions. Every number ties to a source. Communication. Assigned clients report you are easy to reach and clear in your explanations. Review notes you leave for staff are specific, respectful and actionable. Planning contribution. Bring at least one documented planning idea per client to the partner during the year. This is how the firm delivers value beyond compliance and how you grow into an advisory role. Professional growth. Complete required CPE, keep your license active and stay current on federal and California changes. The firm supports CPE cost and time. Compensation and Benefits Hourly, non-exempt. Pay range is $35 to $55 per hour, with placement in the range based on license (CPA or EA), entity return experience and demonstrated review experience. Overtime during filing season is paid in accordance with California law. Benefits, paid time off and the firm CPE and license reimbursement policy are discussed at the offer stage. How to Apply Email your resume and a short note describing the most complex return you have prepared and the most common error you catch when reviewing others to vik.r@vikprocpa.com with the subject line "Tax Preparer and Reviewer." Qualified candidates will be contacted for a phone screen, followed by an in person interview and a short technical review exercise. Vik Randhawa CPA is an equal opportunity employer. We make hiring decisions on the basis of qualifications and merit without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic under federal or California law.

Pay:

$35.00 - $55.00 per hour

Benefits:

Employee discount On-the-job training Paid time off Paid training

Work Location:

In person