Tax Staff Accountant

Tax Central is Gradient Financial Group's dedicated tax planning and preparation division built to be the team behind a nationwide network of Financial Services Professionals. We are not a traditional accounting firm. We don't chase volume to cover overhead. We don't sacrifice service quality to survive April. We are designed, from the ground up, to deliver the kind of tax experience that financial advisors have been asking for and never getting.

This is a foundational opportunity to join Tax Central at the beginning of its growth, preparing returns for some of the firm’s earliest advisor clients while helping shape a division that is already generating a significant pipeline. This role is ideal for a skilled preparer who wants to move beyond pure compliance work into meaningful tax planning and contribute to building something from the ground up.

• Prepare individual income tax returns (Form 1040) across a range of complexity — W-2 earners, retirees, investors, small business owners, and high-net-worth clients with K-1s, rental properties, multi-state filings, and equity compensation
• Prepare entity returns (1065, 1120-S) for clients with business interests
• Work inside CCH Axcess Tax, Axcess Engagement, and Auto Flow — Tax Central’s primary tax preparation, workpaper, and document automation platforms
• Participate in tax planning engagements using Holistiplan and Tax Central’s proprietary planning programs — Roth conversion analysis, bracket management, RMD strategy, and estimated payment calculations
• Communicate directly with financial advisors on return status, open items, and technical questions clearly and without jargon
• Follow Tax Central’s onboarding and workflow SOPs: document intake, file organization, workpaper standards, and quality review processes
• Help maintain real-time return status in Tax Central’s workflow tracker so advisors always know where their clients' returns stand
• Contribute to refining Tax Central’s systems and processes as the team grows. This is a build phase, and your observations matter

• 2+ years of experience preparing individual income tax returns (Form 1040), including complex returns
• Demonstrated experience with high-net-worth individuals — clients with investment income, K-1s, rental properties, business interests, or multi-state filings
• CPA license or active progress toward CPA licensure. We are looking for people who take the credential seriously
• Strong technical foundation in individual income tax — you can explain what's happening on a return, not just prepare it
• Professional communication skills — you will interact directly with financial advisors who are sophisticated, relationship-oriented, and have high expectations
• Comfortable working in a structured, SOP-driven environment with defined workflows and quality standards
• Detail oriented — accuracy is non-negotiable at Tax Central

• CPA license (active)
• Experience with entity returns (1065, 1120-S) and business owner tax situations
• Familiarity with CCH Axcess Tax, Axcess Engagement, or comparable tax software (Pro System fx, Ultra Tax, Lacerte)
• Exposure to tax planning concepts — Roth conversions, estimated payments, bracket management, RMD strategy
• Experience in a firm or environment that served financial advisors or wealth management clients
• Working knowledge of Holistiplan or similar planning tools
• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits
• 4 weeks of accrued PTO, plus 9 paid holidays
• Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and 401(k)
• 8 hours of paid volunteer time off (VTO)
• Ability to work in-office four days per week with one remote workday
• A collaborative team that values expertise, initiative, and growth

This role is a strong fit if you are a preparer who wants to do more than prepare returns. Tax Central's model is built around planning. Every planning-tier client gets two substantive engagements per year, and the preparer who works those files participates in the analysis, not just the filing.

You should be the kind of person who takes ownership of a file. You read the prior year return before you open a blank one. You notice things. You flag issues before…