Tax Preparer - Manager

Tax Professional — Preparation, Planning & Client Advisory

Steinke & Company | Remote or In-Person — Your Choice

Three things most firms don't offer

You'll sign your own returns. This is a credentialed, autonomous role. You prepare returns and sign them as the paid preparer, in accordance with firm standards. We're hiring you because we trust your judgment, and we'll back you up with team review and support when you need it. You’ll review the books our team or the client prepares, suggest changes, do light clean-up work or turn it back to the client for correction, then prep the return.

We don't believe in tax season. We've spent years flattening it. We file extensions on purpose, we plan proactively, and we prep returns from February through September. Crunchtime exists, but it doesn't define the year. No nights, no weekends, and little to no OT. Our CRM and task management and deadline system is quite mature and transparent.

Our clients trust us deeply. They're small-business owners, mostly single-owner S-corps and Schedule C and F filers. They are increasingly nationwide. We're a boutique firm for small to mid-size businesses that want guidance and consulting with their accounting and tax work. The work is not exceedingly complex; most of it would be considered simple to moderate. We're not a big firm, and we're not trying to become one.

If those three things sound like the job you've been looking for, keep reading.

You're a tax professional who works with our clients across the full year, preparing their returns, planning ahead with them, helping them keep their books clean, and handling the routine notices that come in. You're not a preparer who hands off to someone else. You own the work. We have 3 client buckets in our firm of roughly 500 clients. Your bucket has roughly 200 returns, of which maybe 50 want to schedule planning or advisory meetings.

You are not a preparer who hands off to someone else. You own the work.

How your time breaks down:

% of time

50% Tax preparation — 1040s (simple through complex Schedule C/F), 1065s, 1120/1120S, occasional 1041s

25% Tax planning — projections, quarterly estimates, mid-year and year-end planning conversations with clients

20% Accounting support in QBO — diagnostic reviews, cleanup guidance, helping clients improve their books

5% Routine IRS and state notices — informational or correction letters that need to be resolved

We do not handle audits, appeals, collections, or other formal representation work. If you're looking for that, this isn't the right fit.

Mostly small to mid-sized business owners across the Midwest, increasingly nationwide. Most are single-owner operations. Most are in agriculture, contracting, or private practice medical clinics. Many have 1-2 owner S-corps or partnerships. They're busy and ambitious and want guidance on taxes, on business practices, on Quick Books, and increasingly on AI. We have an accounting lead and a business advisor, and we need our tax lead.

You are the client's go-to for tax — planning, prep, questions, and projections. You'll meet with them by phone and video call. You'll handle the tax side of their relationship and refer to another team member or an outside consultant when needed.

You're not on an island. We have a receptionist who handles frontline communication. We have an accounting team that runs the bookkeeping work. Our other staff members are both available as overflow and second opinions when you need them, and you'll return the favor by being overflow for the accounting side if they need it.

The complexity level is generally low to moderate. The trust and relationship level is high. Our clients call us with questions. They want to learn. They want a partner, not a vendor. If that energizes you, you'll do well here. If you'd prefer heads-down prep without much client interaction, this likely isn't the right fit. If you are burnt out on social interaction and client communication, this isn’t the right fit.

But we do take pains to keep boundaries so that you don’t burn out and aren’t always “on call” for clients.