Definition
Performs journey-level taxpayer services and collections work, provides technical guidance across a broader range of tax types, resolves moderately complex account issues, and carries out collection activities that may involve initiating legal action; performs related work as required.
Work Examples
Initiates legal action to enforce compliance with tax laws.
Locates and contacts taxpayers to attempt to collect delinquent taxes and money for returned checks by searching through all applicable sources.
Educates and answers questions of the general public to acquaint and help them with tax matters by explaining provisions of state tax laws, rules, and procedures.
Prepares progress and final reports to explain the status or recommend disposition of cases by compiling and documenting information.
Investigates public records of deeds, contracts, estate files, death records, and/or bank records to determine if property transfers may be subject to inheritance tax.
Assists and advises taxpayers in meeting their Iowa tax obligations; assistance is intermediate level, is technical and covers a moderate range of detailed tax information, as well as many elements of all other tax types.
Determines if technical or system assistance is needed and takes appropriate steps to resolve issues such as login errors, password resets, and relaying refund/billing amounts and general tax information.
Interviews taxpayers to determine their tax situation.
Determines what tax advice is needed and explains probable consequences of various courses of action open to taxpayers for the current and other tax years.
Consults with taxpayers in the preparation of tax returns by answering inquiries and escalating more complex inquiries to a Taxpayer Services Specialist 3, or to the appropriate Department of Revenue contact.
Explains to taxpayers the collection and examination processes; informs taxpayers as to effective ways to establish and maintain records relating to tax obligations.
Serves as technical backup for personnel assigned to taxpayer service by researching tax law or procedural questions.
Competencies Required
Knowledge:
- Basic Arithmetic – Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
- English Language – The structure and content of the English language, including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Customer Service – Principles and processes for providing customer services, including customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluating customer satisfaction.
- Law and Government – Laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
- Clerical Procedures – Word processing, managing files and records, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Abilities:
Law and Government – Understand and adhere to applicable laws, legal codes, administrative rules, and regulations.
Written Comprehension – Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Written Expression – Communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Verbal Expression – Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Deductive Reasoning – Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning – Combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions.
Skills:
Critical Thinking – Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension – Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Writing – Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Coordination – Prioritizing, organizing, and accomplishing tasks.
Persuasion – Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Service Orientation – Actively looking for ways to help people.
Active Listening – Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking – Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Negotiation – Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Active Learning – Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Judgment and Decision Making – Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:
Four years of full-time work experience in tax, collections, accounting, bookkeeping, auditing, insurance, analysis of financial or business forms and data, or answering technical or tax-related questions.
A total of four years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in number one), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in any field equals one year of full-time experience.
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in any field.
Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes eighteen months of full-time work as a Revenue Service Specialist 1 or Revenue Compliance Officer 1.
Notes
Some positions in this class may require an applicant to have the ability to pass a background investigation.
Travel may be required for positions in this class. Employees must arrange transportation to and from assigned work areas.