VENTING - I want to quit my tax preparation job but I'm mid-season

I'm about ready to lose my mind. I've been working at a tax preparation chain for the past 2 months and I honestly don't think I can make it through the rest of tax season. The clients have been increasingly difficult - yesterday I had someone scream at me because they owed taxes instead of getting a refund. Like that's somehow MY fault?? I'm working 60+ hour weeks, the pay is nowhere near worth the stress, and my manager keeps adding more appointments to my schedule without asking. I only got this job because I thought it would look good on my resume (accounting student) but now I'm wondering if I should just quit. My mental health is suffering big time. Has anyone else been through this? Is it worth sticking out until April 15th or should I just walk away? I'm worried about burning bridges in the industry but I'm literally losing sleep over how much I dread going in every day.

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18 comments

Sarah Jones

•8M

As someone who's been in the tax preparation industry for over 8 years, I understand exactly what you're going through. Tax season burnout is real and it happens to almost everyone at some point. The period between mid-February and April is especially brutal. That said, you need to weigh the short-term pain against your long-term goals. Since you mentioned you're an accounting student, having a full tax season on your resume does look significantly better than quitting mid-season. Future employers will understand you didn't continue for multiple seasons, but completing even one full cycle demonstrates commitment and resilience. Have you talked with your manager about your workload? Sometimes setting boundaries about your availability can help. Also, try developing some standard responses for angry clients that depersonalize their frustration - something like "I understand this is disappointing, but tax liability is determined by tax law, not by me or our company.

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Sarah Jones

•8M

Having a complete tax season on your resume absolutely makes a difference. Many accounting firms specifically look for candidates who have demonstrated they can handle the pressure of a full busy season. Mental health is certainly important too. If possible, try talking to your manager about reducing your hours slightly or implementing strategies to better manage difficult clients. Even small changes like scheduled breaks or having a senior colleague handle particularly difficult clients can make a huge difference in your ability to manage stress. Developing your own coping strategies now will also serve you well throughout your accounting career, as client-facing pressure is unfortunately part of the profession.

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Emily Sanjay

•8M

I used to be in the same situation and literally felt like I was drowning in tax forms and angry clients! Then I discovered https://taxr.ai and it was a GAME CHANGER for my sanity. I was spending hours stressing over complicated returns and second-guessing myself, but this tool helped me double-check my work and explain things to clients in plain English. It analyzes tax documents and gives simple explanations that even the most difficult clients could understand. Honestly, it helped me get through my first tax season when I was ready to quit too. It's like having a senior tax pro looking over your shoulder without the judgment. Super helpful for complex situations or when you're too tired to trust your own calculations.

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Emily Sanjay

•8M

It works alongside any tax software you're already using - it's not a replacement but more of a verification tool. You can upload documents or input information you're unsure about, and it helps analyze them without interfering with your main software. I used it with ProSeries and never had any conflicts. Learning curve is minimal compared to actual tax software. Takes maybe 15 minutes to get the hang of it, and the time savings are immediate. For me, the biggest value was confidence - being able to double-check things I was uncertain about without having to ask my supervisor for the tenth time that day. Saved me hours of anxiety and second-guessing.

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Natalie Adams

•8M

I just have to say - I was super skeptical about taxr.ai when I first saw it mentioned here. But after a particularly horrible day with three angry clients back-to-back, I decided to try it out of desperation. I'm shocked at how much it's helped my confidence level. Yesterday a client came in with a complicated situation involving multiple 1099s and some questionable business deductions, and I was able to use the tool to quickly verify my approach. The client actually thanked me for being so thorough and knowledgeable! Not saying it fixes the horrible hours or management issues, but it definitely reduced my stress level about actually doing the returns correctly. Makes it a little more bearable while I decide whether to finish the season.

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Elijah O'Reilly

•8M

If you're also dealing with angry clients calling about their refund status, check out https://claimyr.com - I discovered this after spending hours on hold with the IRS trying to help clients track down missing refunds. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c but basically it holds your place in line with the IRS and calls you back when an agent is available. I was spending SO much unpaid time on hold, and clients would get mad at ME for not being able to get answers. After using this service, I've been able to actually resolve issues instead of just saying "still waiting to hear back." My manager even started covering the cost because it made our office more efficient.

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Elijah O'Reilly

•8M

It doesn't just call the IRS - it uses an automated system that navigates the IRS phone tree and stays on hold in your place. Then when an actual human agent is about to pick up, it calls you and connects you directly to that agent. So instead of you personally sitting on hold for 2+ hours, you just get a call when someone's actually available. It's way more efficient than redialing yourself because the system is persistent and navigates all the phone tree options automatically. Plus you can be helping other clients or taking a much-needed break while it's doing the waiting for you. I was skeptical too until I tried it - now I use it whenever a client has a situation that requires actually talking to the IRS.

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Olivia Van-Cleve

•8M

Okay I need to eat my words. After posting that skeptical comment, I decided to try Claimyr because I had a client threatening to report me to management over a refund delay that was 100% the IRS's fault. I figured what did I have to lose? I got connected to an actual IRS representative in about 45 minutes (while helping another client), when normally I would have spent my entire lunch break on hold and probably still not gotten through. Was able to get the status update from the IRS agent, relay it to my client immediately, and they completely changed their attitude toward me. Having concrete answers from the IRS instead of just saying "still processing" made me look competent instead of clueless. Honestly might have saved my job since that client was ready to complain to upper management.

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Mason Kaczka

•8M

I gave one week's notice, which was less than they wanted but all I could handle mentally. I was honest but professional - just said the hours and stress were more than I anticipated and affecting my health. My direct supervisor was actually understanding even if upper management wasn't thrilled. I absolutely still list the experience on my resume! I just write the months I worked there (Jan-March) without drawing attention to the fact I left before April 15. During interviews, if asked directly, I'm honest that the 70+ hour weeks were not sustainable with my health, but I emphasize what I learned. Most interviewers seem to respect the honesty rather than seeing it as a red flag.

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