Tax Compliance Internship

This is  a non-merit, internship position. Candidates must follow the instructions in the "To Apply" section.  

Positions in this class are exempt from the screening and referral requirements of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services - Human Resources Enterprise.

The Iowa Department of Revenue’s Tax Compliance Division is seeking Interns for Summer 2025 to assist individuals and businesses in understanding and meeting their tax obligations. 

Our Tax Compliance Division administers all tax filings and tax payments, and verifies accuracy through examination or audit. Compliance handles tax billings and issues tax refunds for all tax types. A typical day for an intern can include any of the following:

• Examine tax returns and related documents to determine the completeness, accuracy, and compliance with specific tax laws and regulations
• Correspond with taxpayers and field staff to address discrepancies or incomplete items
• Compute tax, interest, and penalties on current and delinquent accounts
• Consult with taxpayers; respond to questions and explain applicable rules and regulations
• Issue billing request notices, refund requests, liens, and releases from tax liability obligations
• Identify individuals who are delinquent on submitting tax returns and payments
• Learn more about the various roles in the Department’s Tax Management Division, which includes Compliance Bureau, Operations Bureau, and Collections Bureau

Hours: Part-time during semester approximately 12-16 hours per week. Full-time during summer or semester break approximately 40 hours per week. 

Location: Interns may be required to attend onboarding and initial training at the Hoover State Office Building, located on the State Capitol Complex in Des Moines. Following the training period, remote work is an option if specific qualifications are met.

 ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT:

The mission of the Iowa Department of Revenue is to serve Iowans and support the state government by collecting all taxes required by law, but no more. Our strength is driven by the skills, talents, and diversity of our people. We value and promote diversity and inclusion in every aspect of our business and at every level of our organization.

• The Department administers 21 different taxes and fees
• Processed and deposited $12.4 billion into various funds for state and local government operations
• Paid $1.2 billion in refunds, resulting in net deposits of $11.24 billion (FY21)
• Processed 2.7 million tax returns (FY21)
• 330 full-time employees
• Annual budget is $70.1 million
• Customer base, by its very nature, is one of the largest of Iowa’s state government agencies
• Works with all levels of state, local, and federal governments, including the general assembly
• Collect debt for select areas of state government. Debt collections were $280.4 million (FY21)
• The Research and Policy Division is led by the State’s Chief Economist
  • The research staff provides fiscal estimates, data analysis, and economic forecasts to the legislature, executive branch officials, and the Revenue Estimating Conference (REC)
  • Policy Directors lead the development and changes to rules and guidance. They also provide counsel to the Director including declaratory orders and tax appeal decisions.
• There were a total of 6.2 million unique pageviews to the Department’s website (tax.iowa.gov) in 2021.
• The Department is updating its outdated IT systems with a modernized taxpayer portal, which will allow individuals and businesses to more easily file and pay all their taxes, obtain permits, and check on their refund. Iowa is investing more than $100 million in the system.
• The Department is bolstering its data analytics team, which will use data in new ways to improve performance across the entire Department.

Applicants for positions in this class must be currently enrolled students in a degree program at an accredited educational institution, as determined by the Iowa Department of Administrative Services – Human Resources Enterprise.

For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description.