Role and industry
Tax Associate (staff level, including busy season) Recruiters for Real estate tax practices
Financial Headhunters: When your tax associates fail to reconcile partner basis schedules your real estate firm risks inaccurate tax returns and financial misreporting.
This is what we do all day: recruit accounting, finance, banking and insurance professionals.
Executive-search discipline at every level, with conversations shaped around the work.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
Need someone now? Call 305-306-4829.
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
- Controller
- CFO
- VP Finance
- FP&A Director
- Accounting Manager
- Director of Accounting
- Assistant Controller
- Tax Director
- Treasury Manager
- Internal Audit Director
- Senior Accountant
- Financial Analyst
- Head of Financial Reporting
- Commercial Lender
- Chief Credit Officer
- Business Systems Finance Lead
- No upfront fee
- Pay only if you hire
- Accounting, finance, banking and insurance
- We reach people who aren’t on job boards
- Replacement terms on standard searches
01
What does this hire really come down to?
Who monitors property-level tax compliance on a daily basis without oversight? How do they translate raw trial balances into tax-ready financial data for developers? Can they reconcile a partner basis schedule and account for capitalized interest to prevent tax return errors?
Your new associate handles the 1065 and 1120S filings for entities holding commercial properties or construction projects. They spend their days on basis tracking and adjustments related to multi-tier ownership structures. They must know how the debt allocation rules shift when you add a new equity partner to a deal.
We ask candidates specifically how they handled a complex basis limitation in their last cycle. We ask them to describe the difference between a tax distribution and a return of capital in a JV waterfall. We want to know if they have ever manually adjusted fixed asset records to match tax depreciation requirements.
Before starting this search, we must define the exact volume of real estate entities you expect this person to manage. I need to know the specific number of 1065s and 1120S filings they will own during the upcoming cycle. You must clarify if they are drafting workpapers from raw trial balances or reviewing output from a separate property accounting team. We should also decide if you require hands on preparation of the fixed asset rollforward or if that stays with the client controller. When we interview, we ask for evidence of how they handled a recent change in partner basis due to a capital call or distribution. Ask them to explain the specific steps they take to reconcile book to tax depreciation in CCH Axcess or similar software. If they cannot describe the mechanics of an 8825 schedule, they are not ready to handle your portfolio. Do not accept vague descriptions of general corporate experience. Push for concrete examples of how they tracked multi-tier ownership shifts. I want to see how they verify their own work for errors before it hits your desk. Ask them how they confirm the accuracy of a K-1 before it is issued to a partner. If they rely on the software to catch all logic errors without manual checks, they will fail. We need to find out if they can explain their math to a partner or developer who challenges a basis limitation. We will verify their actual proficiency by testing their ability to map an unfamiliar trial balance to tax categories.
02
What do we check before you see anyone?
- 01We verify they currently hold an active PTIN for tax preparation.
- 02We audit their proficiency in CCH Axcess, UltraTax, GoSystem, or Lacerte by asking for specific workflow examples.
- 03We confirm they understand the difference between CAM recovery charges and basic rent roll accounting.
- 04We check for direct experience with partnership tax forms including 1065, Schedule K-1, and 8825.
- 05We require evidence that they can document workpapers for audit tasks using CaseWare or CCH Engagement.
- 06We confirm they have passed or are sitting for CPA exam sections.
03
Where do we find them?
We recruit from smaller CPA firms specializing in real estate, private REIT accounting departments, and boutique property management firms. We look for candidates currently in tax preparation roles who are hitting a ceiling on the complexity of returns they are permitted to own. We also target staff in audit firms who focus on construction or homebuilder clients and want to pivot to the tax side of the business.
A candidate typically moves for three reasons. First, they want to work on larger or more diverse real estate portfolios. Second, they have reached the limit of technical growth in their current software environment and want to expand their toolset. Third, they need a firm that offers clearer feedback loops on their tax filing accuracy.
04
Which hiring mistakes should you watch for?
- 01Selecting a candidate who lacks the specific training required for real estate partnership basis rules.
- 02Failing to verify the ability to map trial balance data to tax lines.
- 03Assuming a candidate can learn the firm software platform during the peak filing cycle.
05
The search in three steps
- 01We define the specific tax return volume and technical complexity of your current property portfolio.
- 02We screen applicants on their ability to handle 1065 and 1120S forms and their proficiency in the firm-standard software.
- 03We arrange interviews with your team to review their approach to a sample technical problem involving real estate depreciation or basis.
06
Which related hiring decisions are worth comparing?
How your Tax Associate (staff level, including busy season) search runs
How does The Six-Step Search work?
Research, direct conversations and professional judgment, with follow-through through the offer.
Search Calibration
We establish what this person must own: reporting demands, systems responsibilities, team, decision authority and first-year needs. We ask what would make an otherwise good candidate wrong for this job.
You get: An agreed search brief and a clear basis for judging fit.
Market Mapping
We research relevant operating environments, not just matching titles. An owner-led business, a portfolio company and a regulated lender can need different experience from someone with the same job title.
You get: A reasoned research direction, with scope differences made explicit.
Professional Contact Intelligence
We research professional ways to contact the people identified. Finding a name is a starting point; it does not establish availability, interest or fit.
You get: A route to a professional conversation, not simply a candidate list.
Persistent Personalized Outreach
We contact people directly about the actual work and follow through on the conversation. We explain the remit and discuss whether a move could make sense. Not everyone will answer or want to move.
You get: A candid view of interest, objections and the tradeoffs in your opportunity.
Live Candidate Qualification
We discuss what each person actually owned, the complexity involved, their reasons for considering a move, compensation expectations and practical constraints. The questions fit the assignment, from a staff accounting seat to CFO.
You get: A candidate account of relevant ownership, with gaps left visible.
Candidate Intelligence and Process Support
Written recruiter context explains relevant experience, strengths and remaining questions. After introduction, we gather feedback, resolve questions, discuss changed requirements and support interviews and offer decisions. You retain the hiring decision and technical assessment.
You get: Continuity through the offer, rather than a handoff that ends at an introduction.
Questions people ask
Is there an upfront fee for recruiting someone to reconcile partner basis and capitalized interest?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
How do you verify technical credentials?
We confirm active PTIN status and request specific examples of tax forms they have personally completed and signed.
Can I hire a candidate for just the busy season?
We support seasonal, contract, and permanent hiring based on the terms agreed per engagement.
How does this role differ from a property accountant?
A tax associate focuses on the filing requirements, basis tracking, and compliance, whereas a property accountant manages daily rent rolls and operational accounting.
How soon will I see a Tax Associate (staff level, including busy season) shortlist?
It depends on the seat, the location and the pay. We give you an honest read after the calibration call and we do not promise dates we cannot control.
What about counteroffers on a Tax Associate (staff level, including busy season) hire?
We ask every Tax Associate (staff level, including busy season) candidate early why they would move and what their employer might do to keep them. Counteroffer risk goes in the written brief before you make an offer.
What is your guarantee?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
What don't you do?
We do not post your Tax Associate (staff level, including busy season) job and forward whoever applies. We do not send stacks of unscreened resumes, and we do not recruit outside accounting, finance, banking and insurance.
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No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
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