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How to Become an IRS Special Agent

If you want to work in law enforcement and have a strong accounting/finance background then this may be the career choice for you. Explore the requirements and qualities that make a successful IRS CI Special Agent.

What do IRS Special Agents do?
What are the Requirements and Qualifications?
How much do IRS Special Agents make?
Schools that will help you meet the bachelor degree requirement

IRS Special Agent Job Description and Duties

IRS (Internal Revenue Service) Criminal Investigator (CI) Special Agents work for the Criminal Investigations or law enforcement division of the IRS. The IRS is a division of the Department of the Treasury. IRS CI Special Agents are sworn law officers that investigate financial crimes and are the only federal agency that has the jurisdiction to investigate crimes involving the Internal Revenue Code. They also have jurisdiction in money laundering investigations and some Bank Secrecy Act violations. Other investigations include but are not limited to tax violations and currency crime which will fall into one of four areas. The four areas of investigation are illegal source financial crimes, legal source tax crimes, narcotics-related financial crimes and counter terrorism financing. Agents' primary role is accountant first and then law enforcement officer.

Technology has changed the way the world conducts its finances from the corporate level to the consumer level and IRS investigations have changed as well. Agents are trained in retrieval of digital evidence using forensic software and other best practices. This is not to say that financial crimes aren't still committed the old fashioned way. Agents are busy investigation non-technology related financial crimes as well.

IRS Criminal Investigations (CI) Special Agent Qualifications

Education: You will need to hold a bachelor's degree in any subject as long as 15 semester hours are taken in accounting and an additional 9 hours in finance, economics, tax law, or a related area to be hired at the GS-5 pay grade. An IRS Special Agent is pretty much a forensic accountant, so a degree in accounting would be a good choice. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification can be substituted for the educational requirement to be hired at the GS-5 pay grade.

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Experience: 3 or more years of work experience where you have implemented accounting and auditing skills as well as general business practices can be considered equivalent or substitute to the education requirement to be hired at the GS-5 pay grade. Discuss with an IRS CID recruiting specialist. Any work experience in addition to a 4-year college degree, such as analysis and comprehension of accounting procedures, bookkeeping, financial statements, digitized accounting data retrieval and related skills are beneficial and can increase earnings potential.

Law Enforcement experience is not required but investigation procedure knowledge and the ability to manage stressful situations are skills that will be needed and nice to have prior to beginning this career.

Additional Requirements: Must be a US Citizen, have a valid driver's license, be under the age of 37 or age 37 at appointment to the position, pass a background investigation, successfully pass written exams, pass a medical examination and physical requirements, not use illegal drugs, carry a firearm (all Special Agents are required to carry a firearm) and other law enforcement related requirements.

IRS CI Special Agent Salary Information

Special Agents are hired at the GS-5, GS-7 and GS-9 pay grades depending on education and experience. The above education and additional requirements are for those that can expect an entry pay grade of GS-5. The GS-5 pay grade ranges from $26264 a year at step 1 to $34139 a year at step 10. Review the IRS CI Special Agent requirements for entry at higher pay grades. The GS-7 pay grade ranges from $32534 to $42290 annually. The GS-9 pay grade ranges from $39795 to $51738 annually. Locality pay is available for certain areas. These salaries are as of the 2008 U.S. Office of Personnel Management publishing.

Featured Colleges that can prepare you for an IRS career

= Editor Recommended

University of Phoenix: Request information from our Associate's, Bachelor's and Master's programs today.

Accounting
Finance
Business
Criminal Justice Administration

Colorado Technical University: Request information by filling out a simple request form to learn more about these programs and how they can help you start or advance your career.

B.S. in Accounting
B.S. Business Administration - Finance

Utica College:

Bachelor's in Economic Crime Investigation
MBA in Economic Crime and Fraud Management

Kaplan University: Kaplan University offers a wide range of bachelor degree programs in finance and accounting including forensic accountancy.

Accounting
Auditing-Forensic Accountancy
Tax Accountancy
Finance

Walden University: Fill out a simple request form to receive information from Walden University's program.

BS in Business Admin - Finance