Tax Strategy Associate: Compensation & Benefits (M&A)

Alvarez & Marsal; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 105,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Job summary

Alvarez & Marsal in Chicago, IL seeks a Senior Associate in its Compensation and Benefits (Transaction Tax) team to assist in due diligence, structuring, and cross‑functional tax planning for transactions.

You will review equity plans, deferred compensation, and tax attributes, with a focus on 83, 409A, and 280G, collaborating with deal teams across time zones. A strong writing and analytical skill set is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance or related field required.
• Advanced Degree / Certification preferred: CPA, JD, or LLM.
• 3+ years of compensation and benefits tax experience; or 3+ years of tax due diligence experience.
• Prior experience with Mergers and Acquisitions preferred.
• Strong writing, analytical, research and organizational skills.
• Experience with all Microsoft Office products (with an emphasis on Excel).
• Strong communication and time management skills for both clients and A&M teams.

Responsibilities

• Assist in development and delivery of quality tax planning approaches by providing timely and responsive services and work product that meets and/or exceeds client expectations;
• Assist with compensation due diligence, including review of equity plans and agreements, change in control plans and golden parachute calculations, deferred compensation plans, tax returns, financials, and other documentation to evaluate potential tax risks and opportunities;
• Assist with benefit plan due diligence, including review of retirement plans, Section 125 plans, discrimination and compliance testing, IRS Form 5500, and determination letters for compliance with IRS and DOL requirements to help identify potential tax exposures and opportunities and, if needed, assisting in remediating operational non‑compliance issues;
• Review payroll tax treatment and withholding policies and practices, including accurate reporting (W‑2, K‑1, 1099, etc.), withholding on income tax and FICA on various forms of compensation, and proper worker classification;
• Review and comment on compensation and benefits aspects of financial models, purchase agreements, and structuring calculations;
• Take ownership of assigned workstreams, including creating and preserving relevant diligence work products, ensuring supervisors can timely review and provide constructive feedback of deliverables, and otherwise proactively responding to changes in workflow;
• Coordinate with federal, state and local, and international tax team members, as well as financial and operational due diligence team members, to timely deliver highest quality integrated work product;
• Support management of client relationships by communicating and responding to client expectations, gathering data relevant to the engagement, and tailoring project deliverables accordingly.

Skills

Compensation & benefits tax concepts

Tax due diligence

Excel proficiency

Strong communication

Time management

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance or related field

Advanced Degree / Certification (CPA, JD, or LLM)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Alvarez & Marsal in Chicago, IL seeks a Senior Associate in its Compensation and Benefits (Transaction Tax) team to assist in due diligence, structuring, and cross‑functional tax planning for transactions.

You will review equity plans, deferred compensation, and tax attributes, with a focus on 83, 409A, and 280G, collaborating with deal teams across time zones. A strong writing and analytical skill set is essential.