Will AI replace Tax Preparers?
The Stanford WORKBank study rates tasks, not whole jobs, so it cannot say whether any one job disappears. What it shows: AI experts rate 8 of the 9 studied Tax Preparers tasks as do-able by AI today, and 8 of those are tasks workers also want automated.
of tasks in the Tax Preparers role are ones AI can already do, per AI experts.
From a Stanford study where AI experts and tax preparers workers rated each real task (O*NET). Not a guess from the job title.
Key statistics
Free to cite, with a link back to Automatable.
- AI can already do 89% of the 9 work tasks in the Tax Preparers role, according to AI experts in the Stanford WORKBank study (O*NET SOC 13-2082.00).
- Workers in the Tax Preparers role rate 89% of their tasks 3 or higher out of 5 for wanting them automated (Stanford WORKBank, 1,500 U.S. workers).
- 8 of 9 Tax Preparers tasks are Automation Green Light, wanted by workers and do-able by AI, that is 89% of the role (Stanford WORKBank).
- The typical Tax Preparers task scores 3.67/5 for worker desire to automate and 4.22/5 for AI capability today (Stanford WORKBank, 1-5 scale).
- The Tax Preparers role (O*NET SOC 13-2082.00) has a median U.S. wage of $58,860 and about 73,570 people employed (U.S. O*NET / BLS).
Top tasks to automate
Best fit for today’s tools first. Open one for the how-to and the tools to use.
- Schedule appointments with clients.
- Prepare or assist in preparing simple to complex tax returns for individuals or small businesses.
- Consult tax law handbooks or bulletins to determine procedures for preparation of atypical returns.
- Review financial records, such as income statements and documentation of expenditures to determine forms needed to prepare tax returns.
- Use all appropriate adjustments, deductions, and credits to keep clients' taxes to a minimum.
- Calculate form preparation fees according to return complexity and processing time required.
Start automating
The quickest way to take these tasks off your plate:
Rather have it set up for you?
Leave your email and we’ll connect you with someone who automates Tax Preparers work.
What workers told Stanford
Of the 9 tasks studied for Tax Preparers, 8 (89%) are in the Automation Green Light zone, AI can largely do them and workers want it. Across all tasks, workers rate 89% of their tasks 3 or higher out of 5 for wanting them automated. The typical task scores 3.67/5 for worker desire and 4.22/5 for AI capability.
All 9 tasks, most-wanted first
Schedule appointments with clients.
Green Lightwant 5 · AI 4.67Prepare or assist in preparing simple to complex tax returns for individuals or small businesses.
Green Lightwant 3.8 · AI 4.5Consult tax law handbooks or bulletins to determine procedures for preparation of atypical returns.
Green Lightwant 3.8 · AI 4.5Answer questions and provide future tax planning to clients.
Green Lightwant 3.71 · AI 3.5Compute taxes owed or overpaid, using adding machines or personal computers, and complete entries on forms, following tax form instructions and tax tables.
Green Lightwant 3.67 · AI 4Review financial records, such as income statements and documentation of expenditures to determine forms needed to prepare tax returns.
Green Lightwant 3.63 · AI 4.5Use all appropriate adjustments, deductions, and credits to keep clients' taxes to a minimum.
Green Lightwant 3.38 · AI 4.5Calculate form preparation fees according to return complexity and processing time required.
Green Lightwant 3.33 · AI 4.5Furnish taxpayers with sufficient information and advice to ensure correct tax form completion.
Low Prioritywant 2.75 · AI 3.33
Related occupations
Other Business and Financial Operations roles in the Stanford WORKBank study, closest AI-capability share first.
- Loan OfficersAI can do 88% of tasks today · workers want 63% automated
- Accountants and AuditorsAI can do 86% of tasks today · workers want 29% automated
- Search Marketing StrategistsAI can do 86% of tasks today · workers want 100% automated
- Credit AnalystsAI can do 83% of tasks today · workers want 67% automated
- Online MerchantsAI can do 80% of tasks today · workers want 67% automated
- Compliance OfficersAI can do 100% of tasks today · workers want 100% automated
Lower-automation alternatives
Less of these jobs is automatable today: AI experts rate a smaller share of their tasks as doable than the 89% for Tax Preparers (Stanford WORKBank).
Tax Preparers ranks #12 of 104 studied roles by the share of tasks AI experts rate as do-able today. See which roles top and bottom the list in the most automatable jobs in 2026.