Tax Assistant Clerk Certificate Business Total Units: 16.5

Term Effective: Fall 1981

The requirements for this program of study are effective beginning the semester shown above. If you began working on this program before the effective semester, you may not be affected by the changes. Consult with the program contact person or the department chair to determine your eligibility to complete the program under previous requirements.

Term Inactive: Fall 2016

Description:

This certificate will be inactive effective fall 2016.

The Tax Assistant Clerk Skills Certificate is designed to help students obtain adequate knowledge of taxes in order to work with an accountant in a computerized tax environment. The course work gives students an understanding of the evolution of taxation concepts and the tax system employed in the United States. Students will gain a broad background in the field of taxation while having the opportunity to learn the application of taxes in a computerized setting. Students will take financial accounting so they understand the terminology and concepts used in accounting and taxation. Students will take a federal individual income tax course and learn to enter relevant tax data into a tax return program called Lacerte.

Once completed, a student may wish to continue with the Accountant Assistant Certificate of Achievement in order to obtain further knowledge and skills in other areas of accounting and to broaden their opportunities for employment and advancement in the field of accounting. Completion of the Tax Assistant Clerk Skills Certificate fulfills a portion of the Accountant Assistant Certificate of Achievement program.

The Tax Assistant Clerk Skills Certificate prepares students for positions such as assistant tax preparers and tax clerks employed by CPAs, Enrolled Agents, and Tax Preparers. Tax Preparers are needed primarily in the first four months of the year, so developing skills in financial accounting and familiarity with general ledger software and Excel will allow students to be employed during the year as general accounting clerks, accounts receivable clerks, accounts payable clerks, and other entry level financial accounting positions. Students who complete the Accountant Assistant Certificate of Achievement will more likely be employed on a full-time basis by CPA firms, tax preparation firms, and bookkeeping service companies.

More information about the Business Administration programs can be found at the Business Administration website.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this certificate, the student will be able to:

  1. Complete the steps in the accounting cycle and understand the application of generally accepted accounting principles;
  2. analyze, record and summarize the effects of transactions in financial and tax accounting;
  3. prepare tax returns demonstrating knowledge of tax rules, tax research sources and tax forms;
  4. complete assignments using computer applications such as word, excel, general ledger accounting programs, and tax preparation software; and
  5. demonstrate critical thinking skills, analytical skills, written, interpersonal and collaborative skills.

Recommended Sequence of Courses

Students interested in a suggested order for taking classes in this program, please view the recommended course sequence.

Program Requirements:

The requirements for the Tax Assistant Clerk program are:

  • Complete 16.5 units from
    • Tax Assistant Clerk Requirements

Tax Assistant Clerk Requirements - complete 16.50 units
BAD 1Financial Accounting4.00
BAD 54Microcomputer Applications in Accounting3.00
BAD 59Federal Income Tax Law3.00
Complete any combination totaling at least 3.00 units from the following:
CourseDescriptionUnits
BAD 55Intermediate Accounting3.00
BAD 67Financial Planning & Investment3.00
BMG 54Quantitative Skills/Math3.00
WEOC 99IOccupational Work Experience-Intern Program1.00-8.00

Course Prerequisites and Advisories:

Courses in a program of study may have prerequisites or advisories; that is, courses that must or should be completed before taking that course. Please check for prerequisites or advisories by clicking on the course numbers in the Program Requirements section.

It is important that students who are completing an Associate Degree and desire to transfer to a four-year institution meet with a counselor to plan their lower division coursework. While many majors at SRJC are intended to align with lower division major preparation required by California public universities, specific lower-division major requirements vary among individual campuses. See a counselor, visit the Transfer Center, and check Guides For Transfer in Specific Majors, and ASSIST to review transfer preparation guides for specific schools and majors.

Notes:

BAD 2 is a prerequisite of BAD 55.

Contact
Information
Phone Email Website
(707) 527-4435
srjccertificate003146@santarosa.edu