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Tax Officer

Finance

Determine tax liability or collect taxes from individuals or business firms according to prescribed laws and regulations.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

AccountingFinance

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Collect taxes from individuals or businesses according to prescribed laws and regulations.
  2. 2Send notices to taxpayers when accounts are delinquent.
  3. 3Determine appropriate methods of debt settlement, such as offers of compromise, wage garnishment, or seizure and sale of property.
  4. 4Check tax forms to verify that names and taxpayer identification numbers are correct, that computations have been performed correctly, or that amounts match those on supporting documentation.
  5. 5Examine and analyze tax assets and liabilities to determine resolution of delinquent tax problems.
  6. 6Impose payment deadlines on delinquent taxpayers and monitor payments to ensure that deadlines are met.
  7. 7Confer with taxpayers or their representatives to discuss the issues, laws, and regulations involved in returns, and to resolve problems with returns.
  8. 8Notify taxpayers of any overpayment or underpayment, and either issue a refund or request further payment.
  9. 9Maintain records for each case, including contacts, telephone numbers, and actions taken.
  10. 10Direct service of legal documents, such as subpoenas, warrants, notices of assessment, and garnishments.
  11. 11Contact taxpayers by mail or telephone to address discrepancies and to request supporting documentation.
  12. 12Review filed tax returns to determine whether claimed tax credits and deductions are allowed by law.
  13. 13Maintain knowledge of tax code changes, and of accounting procedures and theory to properly evaluate financial information.
  14. 14Answer questions from taxpayers and assist them in completing tax forms.
  15. 15Review selected tax returns to determine the nature and extent of audits to be performed on them.
  16. 16Investigate claims of inability to pay taxes by researching court information for the status of liens, mortgages, or financial statements, or by locating assets through third parties.
  17. 17Examine accounting systems and records to determine whether accounting methods used were appropriate and in compliance with statutory provisions.
  18. 18Participate in informal appeals hearings on contested cases from other agents.
  19. 19Enter tax return information into computers for processing.
  20. 20Prepare briefs and assist in searching and seizing records to prepare charges and documentation for court cases.
  21. 21Secure a taxpayer's agreement to discharge a tax assessment or submit contested determinations to other administrative or judicial conferees for appeals hearings.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Verifier
  • Collector
  • IRS Agent
  • Tax Agent
  • Tax Analyst
  • Tax Adjuster
  • Tax Examiner
  • Tax Preparer
  • Tax Reviewer
  • Block Advisor

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. Typical entry

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BusinessDraws directly on Administrative — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
History (Sejarah)Draws directly on Law and Government — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Customer and Personal Service86%
  • English Language82%

    English

  • Mathematics78%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • Administrative77%

    Business

  • Law and Government74%

    History (Sejarah)

  • Economics and Accounting69%

    Principles of AccountingEconomics

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Leading or coordinating othersA little
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentRarely
  • Time spent sittingAlmost all the time

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

45%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Accountant

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Matriculation

One or two years, heavily subsidised with allowance. Competitive, quota-based entry.

12–24 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue