Tax Advisor/Tax Manager - Wealth Management (CPA or EA)

The Planning Center, Inc.; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Revenue sharing bonus

401(k) match

Paid time off and holidays

Parental leave

No billable hours targets

Flexible work hours

Work from home ~2 days/week

Limited tax season overtime

Minimal travel

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Education budget & dues

Job summary

The Planning Center, Inc. is seeking an experienced Tax Advisor in the Chicago area.

You will lead the tax side of client relationships year-round, collaborating with financial planners and other tax professionals to deliver proactive planning that informs decisions before transactions occur. This role emphasizes meaningful client relationships, sophisticated planning work, and a collaborative team focused on clients’ best interests.

Qualifications

• CPA or EA license is required.
• Bachelor’s degree in accounting; master’s degree welcomed but not required.
• 6+ years of individual tax preparation experience, including reviewing returns.
• Comfort working with technology in a paperless tax preparation environment.
• Strong people skills and the confidence to lead client conversations.
• High professional integrity and a careful eye for detail.

Responsibilities

• Lead the tax service for many client families and collaborate with planners and tax team.
• Conduct tax projections and multi-year planning (Roth, retirement, equity compensation, gifts).
• Review federal and multi-state returns and prepare more complex ones.
• Perform tax research and engage in professional development to stay current.

Skills

CPA or EA license

People skills

Attention to detail

Tech-savvy

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting

Master’s degree welcomed

Job description

What if your tax expertise could shape client decisions before they create tax consequences?

If you enjoy solving complex tax problems, building long-term client relationships, and helping families make proactive financial decisions, The Planning Center may be the next step in your career.

Unlike a traditional CPA firm, our tax professionals work alongside CFP® professionals all year long. Tax planning is part of the whole financial picture here, not a task at the end of it. You will spend less time tracking billable hours and more time helping clients make informed decisions that improve their lives.

No audit and accounting work. No business development quotas. No endless busy-season grind.

Just meaningful client relationships, sophisticated planning work, and a team committed to helping clients thrive.

About The Planning Center

We are a fee-only, fiduciary financial planning firm, and we've been guiding families for over 25 years. Our vision is to create a safe place for everyone to talk about money and navigate life's transitions. Our mission is to help people find financial clarity through stewardship and connection.

We work with professionals, executives, business owners, retirees and multi-generational families who want a guide for their financial lives and value having tax and financial planning under one roof. We're a privately owned, mid-size firm with several locations across the U.S., and we're still growing. We value different perspectives, entrepreneurial thinking, and above all a commitment to act in our clients' best interests.

We've been named one of the “Best RIAs to Work For” several years running. We pride ourselves in how we work as a collaborative, values-focused team that leaves room for life outside the office.

The Role

As a Tax Advisor, you lead the tax side of the relationship for many of our client families. You'll work closely with our financial planners and fellow tax professionals, join planning conversations throughout the year, and help clients make informed choices before a transaction happens. That year-round conversation is what makes filing season go smoother, and what leads to better results for the people we serve.

This is a great fit if you enjoy the tax work but want the opportunity to build deeper and more meaningful relationships through the work you do - both with clients and others on the team.

What You Will Do

• Lead the tax service piece of the relationship for many of our clients and collaborate extensively with our financial planners and others on our tax team to best serve our clients;
• Work on tax projections and multi-year tax planning, such as Roth conversion analysis, retirement distribution planning, equity compensation planning, charitable giving strategies, and other exciting projects that make a tangible difference in the lives of our clients;
• Review federal and multi-state tax returns prepared by others and prepare more complex returns; and
• Perform tax law research as needed to support the team and engage in professional development to expand your knowledge and stay current with our ever-changing tax

What You Bring

• A CPA or EA license
• A bachelor’s degree in accounting (a master’s degree is welcome but not required)
• 6+ years of individual tax preparation experience, including experience reviewing tax returns prepared by others
• Comfort working with technology in a paperless tax preparation environment
• Strong people skills and the confidence to lead client conversations
• High professional integrity and a careful eye for detail

What We Are Offering

We know there are plenty of places an experienced tax professional can work. We want to be the place you stay to build a career and a life you're proud of.

• Competitive compensation of $90,000 to $135,000, depending on qualifications, experience, and demonstrated expertise
• Eligibility to participate in our revenue sharing bonus program
• 401(k) match up to 6% of compensation
• Paid time off and company holidays, plus fully paid parental leave
• No billable hours targets or business development requirements
• Flexible work hours and the ability to work from home approximately 2 days a week
• Limited tax season overtime (tax season workload generally averages approximately 55 hours per week)
• Minimal travel (one week a year for our Company retreat, plus continuing education travel as desired)
• Health insurance for you and your family (90% of individual premiums and 70% of family premiums covered by TPC)
• Dental insurance (50% of premiums covered by TPC)
• Life insurance ($50k policy fully covered by TPC)
• Disability insurance (Fully covered by TPC)
• Continuing education budget and professional dues paid

Ready to talk?

If this sounds like the type of tax work and the kind of team you've been looking for, we'd love to hear from you.