What Is a Revenue Officer?
Let me explain what a revenue officer does: this is an employee of a government or public agency tasked with collecting delinquent taxes or fees. You deal with them on a case-by-case basis, and their work usually means directly contacting people or businesses that owe money.
At the federal level, you'll find revenue officers working for the IRS in the United States or the CRA in Canada. State and local tax departments hire them too, and sometimes the title is just tax collector.
Remember, in the U.S., revenue officers aren't the same as revenue agents—those are auditors who check tax filings for errors or issues.
Key Takeaways
Here's what you need to know: revenue officers handle collecting taxes or duties owed to governments or agencies. In the U.S., they're the collectors, while agents do the auditing. And even though they're officials, they don't carry guns or arrest anyone.
Responsibilities of a Revenue Officer
Revenue officers focus on collecting debts for their agencies, but roles vary between the U.S. and Canada. In Canada, excise tax officers handle audits, advice, and legal matters.
In the U.S., IRS revenue officers mainly collect delinquent and overdue tax returns. They conduct face-to-face interviews with taxpayers, obtain and analyze financial info to see if someone can pay, design payment plans for arrears, and even garnish wages or seize property to settle debts.
They can also file for extensions on collection statutes and start administrative or judicial actions. Don't confuse this with revenue agents, who just audit returns.
Warning
Watch out—there are reports of phone scammers pretending to be IRS revenue officers. Check the IRS consumer site for updates on these tax scams.
Special Considerations
As government employees, IRS revenue officers don't carry firearms or have arrest powers. Their main job is setting up payment plans for unpaid taxes, and they might show up unannounced for a field audit.
Job Outlook
The BLS lumps examiners, collectors, and revenue agents together. In 2021, they earned an average of $56,780 annually, or $27.30 per hour, with 55,300 jobs total. Expect a 7% decline in jobs by 2031.
Revenue Officers vs. Revenue Agents
Revenue officers collect taxes, handling tough cases where letters, calls, levies, or garnishments fail. They can seize and sell assets or approve/reject payment plans.
Revenue agents determine liability through audits, working with taxpayers, reps, preparers, and lawyers. IRS officers carry a pocket commission and HSPD-12 card as ID.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can you become a revenue officer? You need a bachelor's degree, ideally in math, statistics, or economics.
How much do they make? Average was $56,780 in 2021, but it varies by location since it's public service.
What is a chief revenue officer? That's a corporate exec overseeing revenue functions, reporting to the CFO. It's a newer role from Silicon Valley, common in SaaS for digital revenue strategies.
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