While a CPA is certified and licensed to give a wide range of business advice and handle complex accounting/tax tasks, a tax accountant may not have all of these qualifications, but can assist in the many situations that arise from tax payment, from filing to audits and beyond.

Though the field offers higher-than-average salaries and positive job growth projections, prospective professionals should remember becoming a tax accountant often takes up to seven years of education and work experience — a significant time commitment.

How Does Tax Accounting Work? Tax accountants determine a company's total taxable income – its annual income after expenses – and then go to work determining how to minimize tax liability while following the law as outlined in the tax code.