Karen M Sterling
Tax Compliance
Pleasant Hill,United States
Summary
Dynamic Tax Compliance Officer with the IRS, skilled in audit examination and fraud detection. Proven ability to analyze complex financial data and resolve compliance issues, enhancing taxpayer relations. Recognized for effective communication and problem-solving skills, contributing to a 30% increase in case resolution efficiency. Committed to continuous learning and organizational growth.
Overview
37
37
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Tax Compliance Officer
Internal Revenue Service
Oakland, United States
08.2009 - Current
- Company Overview: This is a federal job
- As a Tax Compliance Officer my duties are to work independently with minimal guidance conducting office audit examinations and related investigations for a variety of individual and small business taxpayers and entities that involve complex tax issues.
- Compiling information substation and accounting records during the audit.
- During the interviews I ensure the taxpayer and representatives are compliant with the tax laws counsel and explain their rights as a taxpayer and their filing responsibilities of all types of forms tax returns records and provide the supporting information needed to make appropriate entries to the account adjustments.
- I collect information and substantiation from the taxpayers and/or their representatives.
- I analyze their records to substantiate create and develop a formal audit report using RGS based on my findings.
- Explain technical information: such as why they are being audited the adjustments made to the original returns and how to correct and resolve the issues going forward.
- I ensure the taxpayers filing requirements are met through researching IDRS master file and non-master file process Identify large unusual or questionable items not in compliance with the tax law reviewing all types of tax returns such as :K1’s Corp returns 940,941, 1020 and other forms records and supporting documentation to make appropriate adjustment applicable to the Internal Revenue Code Regulations IRM and ADP guidelines to protect the statute of limitations process quick assessments adjust taxpayers' accounts and to identify fraudulent activity.
- Assisting Taxpayer Advocates Office and Appeals with resolving cases with complex issues using knowledge of the tax law to come to a resolution within the time of the statute expiration as well as to take the appropriate administrative and judicial actions to bring the taxpayer into compliance with the tax law.
- My Job requires me to use basic accounting skills to compute interest various penalties determine carry backs and carryover allowances to process a quick assessment to the return.
- Scheduling interviews using an electronic calendar, planning to conduct and complete examinations and related investigations on individual and business income tax returns.
- I complete the examinations by implementing work methods, techniques and procedures learned through extensive training.
- Reviewing the taxpayer’s financial records, operating practices, and making sound conclusions based on my analysis of the taxpayer's financial condition and written rules regulations and/or to in a office setting.
- It is my responsibility to secure sensitive documentation and to prevent unauthorized disclosure or access to the taxpayer’s information and limit the information necessary to complete the assigned task to ensure the Privacy Act.
- Requires me to have good researching skills to identify large unusual and questionable items with significant tax and compliance potential.
- Fully develops the relevant facts and expands the scope of the audit or limits the scope of the audits when necessary.
- Using IDRS Accurint RGS Lexis Nexis and other computer programs within the IRS to research and develop cases on a continuous and daily basis.
- Utilizing County records and other sources to identify conflicts with returns filed.
- The ability to identify fraudulent returns filed identity theft, cancel of debt, and analyzing a bankruptcy date to calculate the insolvency of a case.
- I have effective communication skills and work in a professional and independent manner with others inside the IRS with Revenue Agents, Revenue Officers, and others who are subject matter experts along with outside the service to foster and maintain an excellent work relationship.
- Maintaining a full case inventory which entails me to monitor scrutinize timely working my cases from the beginning to case closure.
- Working with Microsoft Office Excel and other computer programs on a daily basis.
- Using my Inventory analysis report to monitor statue dates and to ensure the use of time management to minimize overage cases.
- I participate in activities that maintain and improve workgroup efficiency.
- Collaborator help with working with other employee’s cases to support the movement of group cases.
- Supports the Group manager and does acting assignments when asked.
- Also do presentations on specific subjects when called upon.
- From February 18, 2020, through May 22, 2020, I was selected to work for National Office as an Subject Matter Expert (SME) to rewrite the TCO training program for the upcoming new hires.
- I was responsible for making sure the assigned sections given are current with the IRM sections and inputting of the new tax forms, rewriting the sections of the TCO Program with new tax laws and sighting court cases using Nexis Lexis and other resources available.
- Collaborating with the other members throughout the IRS organization proving the exam tests given for selection of incoming new hires.
- In March of 2023 I became a certified instructor for the IRS.
- As a certified Instructor I taught new hires across the United States both on line and in a classroom setting.
- This is a federal job
Revenue Officer
Internal Revenue Service
Oakland, United States
05.2006 - 08.2009
- Company Overview: This is a federal job
- As a Revenue Officer for the Internal Revenue Service, it was my responsibility to protect the Governments interest by collecting delinquent taxes and securing delinquent returns from the taxpayers.
- Counsel and explain to the taxpayer his or her rights, provide them with high customer service in all aspects of the job: I.E Collect on delinquent taxpayers’ accounts, secure delinquent returns, conduct financial and asset investigations, file extensions for statutes of limitations for collections, determine the accuracy of assessed liabilities and adjust or abate erroneous liabilities.
- Manage to take administrative and /or judicial actions to bring taxpayers into compliance of the tax law.
- Spent most of the time working in the field, meeting with taxpayers, attorneys, and other representatives face to face.
- Office time is spent analyzing new cases as assigned, scheduling and calendaring appointments for the field work, group meetings, consultations with group manager, preparing reports, and preparing case closures.
- As A Revenue Officer it was critical to make decisions on how to resolve a case closure, whether to come to a resolution by installment arrangements, offer in compromise, voluntary payment by the taxpayer, or the decision to enforce collections by Levy sources such as salaries, wages, bank accounts, and other assets, file a nominee lien, or seize property/assets.
- Took timely actions on deciding administrative or judicial remedy to determine the appropriate action to take on the collections of taxes owed, and if it would be to the best interest of the Governments to file a notice of lien or would it jeopardize possible full payment within a short period of time.
- Assisted taxpayers in preparing the delinquent returns, computing tax penalties and interest that the taxpayer would owe.
- Researched records within the IRS using IDRS, RGS, Lexis Nexis, Accurint, and other Internal computer programs to research taxpayers information and assets.
- It was my responsibility to research county records at several different county locations, and court houses.
- Researching deaths and beneficiaries to the taxpayer’s assets.
- Probate court information and bankruptcy court information, and the Department of Motor vehicles.
- There were times I would have to order credit reports, file liens and levy's, summons for bank records and assets.
- Summons the taxpayer to appear for an appointment.
- Knowledge of small corporations and business's and doing Trust Fund Recovery which is going after the Owners and Officers of the business for unpaid Tax Liabilities personally.
- Worked independently to come to a resolution to closing cases within a specific time frame.
- Great management of time skills to complete tasks assigned.
- Using the outlook calendar to schedule appointments and field work.
- Along with using the ERC's summary of cases to complete tasks in a timely fashion.
- This is a federal job
Exam Group Secretary
Internal Revenue Service
Oakland, United States
02.2003 - 05.2006
- Company Overview: This is a federal job
- As a Secretary for SB/SE Exam, it was my responsibility to do the following: Served as the central communication point for the group.
- Maintain the groups time sheets and ensure the time records are complete.
- Reviewed Inventory transcripts to ensure proper source code and project codes are entered correctly.
- Ensure that closed cases are timely processed out of the group as they become available for closing to ESP and RGS LAN.
- Forward specialized cases to the proper units, IE: Legal, Appeals, Bankruptcy, etc. on a continuous basis.
- Review and process all requests for IDRS timely to ensure that it will not slow down the flow of work.
- Post incoming payments on the 3244-A form for the agents.
- Maintain and update data of incoming and outgoing inventory by issuing a 3210 sheet for each case movement.
- Generate monthly reports by due date of ERC'S closing cycle.
- Handle sensitive and confidential materials in accordance with established procedures.
- Monitored and ordered supplies for the entire floor of exam groups including internal forms and publications.
- Reconciled credit card purchases timely and generated the required monthly reports accurately.
- Responded to the internal and external phone calls and took the necessary action accordingly.
- Organize the Group's monthly meetings and take the minutes and ensure action required by the group were followed up on.
- Coordinated some of the duties required in the New Hire Orientation process, and Saturday assessments.
- Fully utilized Word, excel, and Power-point when needed for Group Meetings and New Hire Orientation.
- Assisted other secretaries when called upon as needed.
- This is a federal job
Clerk/Typist
Antioch Unified School District
Oakley, United States
10.2000 - 02.2003
- My Duties included: Interacted with the public daily.
- Operated a multi-line phone system.
- Multi-tasking, utilizing organizational and prioritizing skills.
- Record Keeping, filing and other duties requested by management.
- Typed memos and letters.
- Sent out group emails.
- Mail distribution, ordering supplies, and scheduling meetings and appointments for staff.
- I was also called upon to work in the Special Ed office where the records there are highly confidential and insured the information was safeguarded and not disclosed to unauthorized personnel.
- Computer knowledge: SASI, FileMaker Pro, Excel, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Outlook.
Collections
Brook Furniture Rental
07.1988 - 10.2000
- While working at Brook Furniture Rental my duties were as follows: To provide the customers with professional and courtesy service, while collecting on past due accounts ranging from 30 to 181 days past due, for both Residential and Corporate customers.
- Dealt with the residential customers most of the time over the telephone.
- There were times the client would come to the home office and meet with myself and others.
- It was my responsibility to negotiate payment arrangements and if payment arrangements were non-negotiable, we would reposes the merchandise.
- From there I would research assets: If they owned a home or any assets researching through county records on a micro-fiche machine located in the office.
- If the client skips out on us, I ran the DMV reports and/or credit report to attach wages and/or bank accounts, and applied a lien on their property, and/or send it to our legal department for further action.
- Corporate accounts were handled more on a business level.
- It was my responsibility to go to the property site and walk the clients through their billing statements and make any necessary adjustments on the accounts.
- There were times I would have to prorate their billing because of change in their tenants or accounts receivable.
- Made exchanges on the merchandise and collect payment.
- Customer Service was working with customers who had disputes such as misapplied payments or missing payments, early cancellation fees, and late fee disputes.
- My responsibility was to complete payment audits regularly, especially if they had more than one account to see if payments were misapplied.
- To be able to figure the prorated amounts on the early cancellation fees and late fees and make the necessary adjustments.
- I ran credit reports for the customers who wanted to open a new account or add more furniture to their existing accounts.
- The last three years with the company I have been responsible for their Accounts Receivables.
- My duties were to collect payments from the bank, the showrooms from both Northern and Southern California to make sure the deposits got handled daily and applied both cash and credit card payments received to the customer's accounts.
- Made sure the security deposits went through to secure the accounts when required.
Education
Some college (no degree) - Accounting, Public Relations
Los Medanos College
Pittsburg, CA12.2010
Some College (no Degree) Certificate - Accounting
Diablo Valley College
Pleasant Hill, CASkills
- Tax compliance
- Audit examination
- Financial analysis
- Fraud detection
- Risk assessment
- Data analysis
- Case management
- Customer service
- Effective communication
- Problem solving
- Time management
- Training development
- Collaboration skills
- Research skills
- Tax research
- Teamwork orientation
- Continuous learning attitude
- Critical thinking capacity
- Strong analytical skills
- Negotiation
- Organizational growth
- Audit experience
- Documentation review
- Compliance procedures
- Investigations skills
- Document review
- Audit management
- Team leadership
- Problem-solving abilities
- Multitasking Abilities
- Adaptability and flexibility
- Self motivation
Affiliations
Most Holy Rosary Church, Sacristans, Volunteer for different Community Services & Teach religious Education
Additional Information
Outside the Internal Revenue Service, I am very involved with different community services and outreach programs that are ran through my church community.
References
Jackie Hooke, Most Holy Rosary Church, Associate Pastor, (925) 775-5999
Evening Phone
(925) 698-2870
Certification
- accounting and finance
Timeline
Tax Compliance Officer
Internal Revenue Service
08.2009 - Current
Revenue Officer
Internal Revenue Service
05.2006 - 08.2009
Exam Group Secretary
Internal Revenue Service
02.2003 - 05.2006
Clerk/Typist
Antioch Unified School District
10.2000 - 02.2003
Collections
Brook Furniture Rental
07.1988 - 10.2000
Some college (no degree) - Accounting, Public Relations
Los Medanos College
Some College (no Degree) Certificate - Accounting
Diablo Valley College
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