Will AI replace Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents?
AI can do 92% of the work Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents do at least twice as fast. People already use it for 1 of their 21 tasks, while 17 more are ready but barely used so far. 3 still need a person.
AI is already doing this1 · 5% of time
People already use AI for these tasks in real work, based on Anthropic's analysis of how Claude is used.
- Maintain knowledge of tax code changes, and of accounting procedures and theory to properly evaluate financial information.Mostly assisted5% of time
AI could do this next17 · 87% of time
AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.
- Confer with taxpayers or their representatives to discuss the issues, laws, and regulations involved in returns, and to resolve problems with returns.10% of time
- Maintain records for each case, including contacts, telephone numbers, and actions taken.9% of time
- Review filed tax returns to determine whether claimed tax credits and deductions are allowed by law.9% of time
- Check 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.8% of time
- Contact taxpayers by mail or telephone to address discrepancies and to request supporting documentation.6% of time
- Examine accounting systems and records to determine whether accounting methods used were appropriate and in compliance with statutory provisions.6% of time
- Examine and analyze tax assets and liabilities to determine resolution of delinquent tax problems.5% of time
- Send notices to taxpayers when accounts are delinquent.4% of time
- Notify taxpayers of any overpayment or underpayment, and either issue a refund or request further payment.4% of time
- Review selected tax returns to determine the nature and extent of audits to be performed on them.4% of time
- Impose payment deadlines on delinquent taxpayers and monitor payments to ensure that deadlines are met.4% of time
- Determine appropriate methods of debt settlement, such as offers of compromise, wage garnishment, or seizure and sale of property.4% of time
- Investigate 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.4% of time
- Answer questions from taxpayers and assist them in completing tax forms.4% of time
- Enter tax return information into computers for processing.3% of time
- Secure a taxpayer's agreement to discharge a tax assessment or submit contested determinations to other administrative or judicial conferees for appeals hearings.3% of time
- Prepare briefs and assist in searching and seizing records to prepare charges and documentation for court cases.1% of time
Still needs a person3 · 8% of time
No real AI use, no proven AI speedup and no robot that can do it yet. This is the part of the job to build on.
- Collect taxes from individuals or businesses according to prescribed laws and regulations.5% of time
- Direct service of legal documents, such as subpoenas, warrants, notices of assessment, and garnishments.1% of time
- Participate in informal appeals hearings on contested cases from other agents.1% of time
Your week is not the average
Describe what you actually do and get a personal report: your own tasks, what AI can already do, what stays yours and a 90 day plan.
What this means
AI can already do almost all of this work at least twice as fast. Real use is still behind at 4 out of 100, so the change here is only getting started. Expect the role to shift toward deciding what to do, checking AI's work and owning the result.
What to do next
- Do the 1 task AI is already handling with AI yourself. Your peers already are, and it is quickly becoming the baseline.
- Get ahead on the 17 tasks AI could do next. These move as tools improve, so learning them early pays off.
- Build on the 3 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
Related jobs
Get the weekly brief
One short email a week on how AI is changing work, including jobs like this one.