# Will AI replace tax preparers? Updated October 2026 Tax preparers score 69 of 100 for AI exposure. The largest share of their task time, 68%, is work AI speeds up while they stay in charge. AI can take over the other 32% outright. - **32%** AI can do it - **68%** AI helps High exposure Higher than 99% of the 923 occupations we scored. ## Task by task We graded 12 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 4 of them today, speeds up 8 and leaves 0 to people. | Task | AI exposure | | --- | --- | | Schedule appointments with clients. Online booking and AI assistants handle scheduling with minimal oversight. | 85% AI can do it | | Check data input or verify totals on forms prepared by others to detect errors in arithmetic, data entry, or procedures. AI and software check arithmetic and flag inconsistent entries. | 80% AI can do it | | Compute taxes owed or overpaid, using adding machines or personal computers, and complete entries on forms, following tax form instructions and tax tables. Tax software computes liabilities and fills forms from entered data. | 75% AI can do it | | Calculate form preparation fees according to return complexity and processing time required. Software can price returns by complexity; staff approve final fees. | 70% AI can do it | | Prepare or assist in preparing simple to complex tax returns for individuals or small businesses. AI drafts return data from documents; preparer reviews and signs. | 62% AI helps | [See what AI can take on across a finance team](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/finance/) ## How tax preparers compare All occupations (923) Business and financial operations (48) **Tax preparers score 69**, marked by the dark line. Each dot is a score, darker where more occupations share it. The short marks show the averages, 37 for all occupations and 55 for business and financial operations. ## Pay and outlook in the US Median pay $54,920 a year, May 2025 People employed 76,480 in the US, May 2025 Projected change in jobs +4.7% from 2024 to 2034 ## Skills to build - Conduct client intake interviews on taxable income and deductions - Review AI-drafted returns in Intuit TurboTax before signing - Build tax planning models in Microsoft Excel - Research atypical returns in IRS publications and rulings - Reconcile client books in Intuit QuickBooks - Hold the IRS Enrolled Agent credential ## Safer roles nearby 5 related occupations with lower scores. - [Tax examiners63 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/tax-examiners/) - [Accountants60 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/accountants/) - [Financial advisors60 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/financial-advisors/) - [Bookkeepers67 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/bookkeepers/) - [Credit counselors66 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/credit-counselors/) ## Questions about tax preparers and AI Will tax preparers be replaced by AI? Largely. About 6 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly computing taxes owed and checking totals on forms. The preparer still interviews clients, decides which forms apply, and signs each return. Which tax preparer tasks is AI taking over? Scheduling appointments (exposure 85), checking totals on forms prepared by others (exposure 80), and computing taxes owed (exposure 75). Online booking runs calendars with minimal oversight, software catches arithmetic and data entry errors, and tax software fills forms from entered data. Which tax preparer tasks stay human? Interviewing clients stays the hardest task to hand off. Chatbots collect basic intake data, but nuanced interviews on taxable income and deductible expenses stay with the preparer. Atypical returns also need expert judgment when consulting tax law handbooks and bulletins. How can tax preparers stay valuable? Run the client interview yourself, then review every AI-drafted return in Intuit TurboTax before signing. Build tax planning models in Microsoft Excel, document why each deduction or credit applies, and keep the Enrolled Agent credential current. ## Related jobs - [Credit analysts62 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/credit-analysts/) - [Financial examiners49 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/financial-examiners/) - [Compensation specialists54 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/compensation-specialists/) - [Payroll clerks64 out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/payroll-clerks/) ## Next steps for tax preparers - ### Check your job Your job title is a rough guide. Your actual tasks decide your score. Paste your job description or CV and see which of your tasks AI can do. [Check your job](https://www.aigentcy.com/tools/ai-exposure-checker/) [Check your CV](https://www.aigentcy.com/tools/cv-checker/) ### Check which roles in your team AI can take on We map your team's tasks, show what AI can do today and build the automations that pay back first. [Book an AI audit](https://www.aigentcy.com/audit/) ## Related topics - [**Jobs AI can't replace**Cement masons score lowest, at 8.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-ai-cant-replace/) - [**Jobs most at risk from AI**Proofreaders score highest, at 76.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-most-exposed-to-ai/) - [**High-paying jobs with low AI exposure**Radiologists earn a median $420,860 and score 46.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/high-paying-jobs-low-ai-exposure/) - [**Entry-level jobs with low AI exposure**Cement masons need little prior training and score 8.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/entry-level-jobs-low-ai-exposure/) - [**Jobs AI speeds up the most**For natural sciences managers, AI speeds up 96% of task time.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs-ai-speeds-up/) - [**AI and jobs in Malta**15 iGaming roles graded task by task.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/malta/) - [**Skills that keep work human**The skills to build in the jobs AI changes least.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/skills/) - [**Jobs A to Z**Every job we publish, by first letter.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/jobs/) - [**AI exposure by industry**Average scores for 22 occupation groups.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/industries/) - [**Write a CV screening software can read**How applicant tracking systems read a CV, and what to change.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/cv-screening-guide/) - [**AI for businesses**The tasks to automate first in each team and industry.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/) - [**How we score AI exposure**The grading, the weights and every source.](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/methodology/) Occupation data from the O\*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and modified by Aigentcy. O\*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Wage, employment and projection data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. EU occupation names from ESCO, European Commission. AI usage signals from the Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY) and Microsoft Research (CC BY 4.0). [Methodology and sources](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/methodology/). Scores © Aigentcy. Quote them with a link to the page.