Job Title: Tax Research Specialist
Job ID: 07110
Division: Controller
Work Location(s): United States-Wisconsin-Madison
Full/Part Time: Full-Time
Company Information
Since 1927, American Family Insurance has been committed to the dreams of our customers and our employees. You can protect dreams and pursue yours with a meaningful career that offers a wide variety of rewards. American Family Insurance is continually recruiting talented, customer-focused innovators to help drive our organization forward. Our fun, friendly and welcoming culture will allow you to thrive and to reach new levels of success. Are you ready to take the first step on the path to realizing your dreams? Visit jobs.amfam.com to learn more.
Position Objective
This position supports the Tax Department goal of maximizing the after-tax return of the group. Researches, plans, models, and recommends utilizing favorable government tax incentives and provisions and identifies potential adverse and favorable interpretations of tax law. Reviews complex tax returns, defends against complex IRS or state audit adjustments, assists Trade tax committees and working groups, and provides certain key tax information for the company's financial statements. May lead advanced tax systems improvements and process improvements to ensure that tax processes are effective. Ensures tax considerations are properly considered in business decisions and transactions of the organization.
Primary Accountabilities
- Research, Planning and Consulting (60%)
- Reads, analyzes, and makes recommendations on potential tax planning ideas from a wide variety of outside resources such as articles, white papers, academic material, government study/budget material, consultant publications, trade materials,etc.
- Reads and analyzes state and federal tax law changes including government rulings, regulations, notices, court cases, technical advice, and other government actions and recommends strategies to minimize the adverse impact of law changes.
- Develops ongoing internal and external relationships and information pipelines to be on leading edge of company and industry developments. Reads and analyzes internal operational project plans, objectives, and results. Reads, accumulates, and analyzes peer data and conducts key internal and external meetings to identify high level tax planning ideas.
- Utilizes and enhances computer tax planning models to determine the impact of underwriting operations, numerous assumptions, and tax law changes to aid in making tax-effective corporate investment and operating business decisions.
- Provides input to corporate management on tax and financial implications of corporate financial studies (i.e., studies on changes in corporate structure, complex transactions, corporate and product profitability studies, state expansion studies, etc.).
- Assists the Tax Director, Tax Managers, and Government Affairs with tax analysis for Trade and company lobbying efforts, and other corporate, divisional, or departmental studies or projects.
- Assists Tax Management in determining the appropriate use of outside experts, including identification of issues, scope, and timing of expert services.
- Assists tax management in analyzing data related to mergers and acquisitions. Collaborates and offers ideas and suggestions on best ways to integrate acquired company's data. Builds and maintains relationships with appropriate staff at the acquired companies. Communicates company practices and acts as a resource for the acquired company's tax staff."
- Tax Returns and Payments (15%)
- Reviews complicated components of the group's separate and consolidated federal income tax returns. Identifies new issues or opportunities, and determines appropriate tax return presentation and disclosures.
- May lead major complex system or process improvement projects and ensures efficient and high quality tax financial engines.
- Financial Statements, Estimates and Accruals (10%)
- Reviews the most complex portions of current and deferred income tax expense for internal financial statements as well as tax payments.
- May lead major complex system or process improvement projects and ensures efficient and high quality tax financial engines..
- Engages in computer modeling to compute key data elements of tax projections for financial statements and for rating agencies.
- Training (10%)
- Provides ongoing updates of material state and federal income, premium and sales tax developments and tax planning ideas.
- Trains new tax accountants on research techniques and explains the uses of various research materials.
- Trains tax accountants on how to operate complex tax accounting software systems.
- Provides training on specific issues and their impact on company during periodic Tax Accountant meetings.
- Audit Defense (5%)
- Researches or reviews research of complex issues for audits of federal income tax, state and local income, premium, and sales and use tax. Evaluates strengths of our position, and recommends whether to concede or appeal the issue.
- Prepares or reviews detailed legal arguments related to any issues which are appealed, and assists the Tax Manager, and tax counsel in appellate or court actions.
- Develops, recommends, and maintains models for projecting property and casualty loss reserves and loss adjustment expense reserves for defending the company from federal audit adjustments.
Job Competencies
- Achieve Results
- Be Accountable
- Maximize Customer Experience
- Analytical Thinking
- Decision Making
- Innovation
- Technical Expertise
Position Details
- CPA preferred
- Insurance accounting or taxation experience preferred
- Financial modeling and/or tax modeling preferred
Specialized Knowledge and Skills Requirements
- Demonstrated experience communicating and advising complex financial information.
- Demonstrated experience researching and analyzing complex concepts related to taxation, insurance accounting, or related field.
- Extensive knowledge and understanding of accounting, accounting systems, budget, or tax concepts.
Benefits/Job Contingencies
We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life and dental insurance, a 401(K) plan, paid holidays, vacation and sick leave and the opportunity for career development. If you would like to put your career in motion apply online today!
A career move to join American Family Insurance may also mean a physical move for you. If you are selected for an interview, information will be provided on the level of relocation assistance available during the interview.
Offer to selected candidate will be made contingent on the results of background checks and signing a non-disclosure agreement for proprietary information, trade secrets and inventions.
CB1
GIJ
LI:MN1
Please review the job requirements.
Job ID: 07110
Division: Controller
Work Location(s): United States-Wisconsin-Madison
Full/Part Time: Full-Time
Company Information
Since 1927, American Family Insurance has been committed to the dreams of our customers and our employees. You can protect dreams and pursue yours with a meaningful career that offers a wide variety of rewards. American Family Insurance is continually recruiting talented, customer-focused innovators to help drive our organization forward. Our fun, friendly and welcoming culture will allow you to thrive and to reach new levels of success. Are you ready to take the first step on the path to realizing your dreams? Visit jobs.amfam.com to learn more.
Position Objective
This position supports the Tax Department goal of maximizing the after-tax return of the group. Researches, plans, models, and recommends utilizing favorable government tax incentives and provisions and identifies potential adverse and favorable interpretations of tax law. Reviews complex tax returns, defends against complex IRS or state audit adjustments, assists Trade tax committees and working groups, and provides certain key tax information for the company's financial statements. May lead advanced tax systems improvements and process improvements to ensure that tax processes are effective. Ensures tax considerations are properly considered in business decisions and transactions of the organization.
Primary Accountabilities
- Research, Planning and Consulting (60%)
- Reads, analyzes, and makes recommendations on potential tax planning ideas from a wide variety of outside resources such as articles, white papers, academic material, government study/budget material, consultant publications, trade materials,etc.
- Reads and analyzes state and federal tax law changes including government rulings, regulations, notices, court cases, technical advice, and other government actions and recommends strategies to minimize the adverse impact of law changes.
- Develops ongoing internal and external relationships and information pipelines to be on leading edge of company and industry developments. Reads and analyzes internal operational project plans, objectives, and results. Reads, accumulates, and analyzes peer data and conducts key internal and external meetings to identify high level tax planning ideas.
- Utilizes and enhances computer tax planning models to determine the impact of underwriting operations, numerous assumptions, and tax law changes to aid in making tax-effective corporate investment and operating business decisions.
- Provides input to corporate management on tax and financial implications of corporate financial studies (i.e., studies on changes in corporate structure, complex transactions, corporate and product profitability studies, state expansion studies, etc.).
- Assists the Tax Director, Tax Managers, and Government Affairs with tax analysis for Trade and company lobbying efforts, and other corporate, divisional, or departmental studies or projects.
- Assists Tax Management in determining the appropriate use of outside experts, including identification of issues, scope, and timing of expert services.
- Assists tax management in analyzing data related to mergers and acquisitions. Collaborates and offers ideas and suggestions on best ways to integrate acquired company's data. Builds and maintains relationships with appropriate staff at the acquired companies. Communicates company practices and acts as a resource for the acquired company's tax staff."
- Tax Returns and Payments (15%)
- Reviews complicated components of the group's separate and consolidated federal income tax returns. Identifies new issues or opportunities, and determines appropriate tax return presentation and disclosures.
- May lead major complex system or process improvement projects and ensures efficient and high quality tax financial engines.
- Financial Statements, Estimates and Accruals (10%)
- Reviews the most complex portions of current and deferred income tax expense for internal financial statements as well as tax payments.
- May lead major complex system or process improvement projects and ensures efficient and high quality tax financial engines..
- Engages in computer modeling to compute key data elements of tax projections for financial statements and for rating agencies.
- Training (10%)
- Provides ongoing updates of material state and federal income, premium and sales tax developments and tax planning ideas.
- Trains new tax accountants on research techniques and explains the uses of various research materials.
- Trains tax accountants on how to operate complex tax accounting software systems.
- Provides training on specific issues and their impact on company during periodic Tax Accountant meetings.
- Audit Defense (5%)
- Researches or reviews research of complex issues for audits of federal income tax, state and local income, premium, and sales and use tax. Evaluates strengths of our position, and recommends whether to concede or appeal the issue.
- Prepares or reviews detailed legal arguments related to any issues which are appealed, and assists the Tax Manager, and tax counsel in appellate or court actions.
- Develops, recommends, and maintains models for projecting property and casualty loss reserves and loss adjustment expense reserves for defending the company from federal audit adjustments.
Job Competencies
- Achieve Results
- Be Accountable
- Maximize Customer Experience
- Analytical Thinking
- Decision Making
- Innovation
- Technical Expertise
Position Details
- CPA preferred
- Insurance accounting or taxation experience preferred
- Financial modeling and/or tax modeling preferred
Specialized Knowledge and Skills Requirements
- Demonstrated experience communicating and advising complex financial information.
- Demonstrated experience researching and analyzing complex concepts related to taxation, insurance accounting, or related field.
- Extensive knowledge and understanding of accounting, accounting systems, budget, or tax concepts.
Benefits/Job Contingencies
We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life and dental insurance, a 401(K) plan, paid holidays, vacation and sick leave and the opportunity for career development. If you would like to put your career in motion apply online today!
A career move to join American Family Insurance may also mean a physical move for you. If you are selected for an interview, information will be provided on the level of relocation assistance available during the interview.
Offer to selected candidate will be made contingent on the results of background checks and signing a non-disclosure agreement for proprietary information, trade secrets and inventions.
CB1
GIJ
LI:MN1
Please review the job requirements.