Experienced Tax Staff - Trust and Estate
Position Summary
We are seeking an Experienced Tax Staff to join our Trust and Estate team. This role is ideal for someone who has developed a solid foundation in trust and estate taxation and is ready to deepen their technical skills in fiduciary accounting, Form 1041 preparation, and estate/gift tax compliance. You will support a wide range of high-net-worth clients, fiduciaries, attorneys, and beneficiaries while working closely with senior staff and managers to deliver high-quality service. Whether you intend to specialize or gain exposure across many industries, you won’t be limited at Geffen Mesher.
What you’ll be doing
- Fiduciary Income Tax (Form 1041)
- Prepare federal Form 1041 and applicable state fiduciary income tax returns for trusts and estates.
- Allocate income, deductions, and distributions in accordance with governing entities and state law.
- Generate and review Schedule K-1s for beneficiaries and reconcile allocations to trust accounting and tax software.
- Analyze distribution activity to determine proper DNI (Distributable Net Income) treatment and the taxable/tax free portions of beneficiary distributions.
- Estate & Gift Tax (Forms 706 and 709)
- Absorb and prepare Form 706 (estate tax returns) including asset schedules, valuations, expense allocations, and portability elections.
- Prepare Form 709 (gift tax returns) and understand annual exclusion and lifetime exemption concepts.
- Support research on state specific filing requirements, thresholds, and deadlines for estate and fiduciary filings.
- Trust & Estate Administration Support
- Review wills, trust agreements, probate documents, appraisals, and account records to interpret terms affecting tax reporting.
- Absorb trust accounting, including income/principal allocations and record keeping.
- Communicate with clients regarding required tax documents, deadlines, and filing needs.
- General Tax & Compliance
- Use tax software to prepare returns, workpapers, and supporting schedules.
- Perform basic tax research with guidance and summarize findings clearly.
- Ensure accurate and timely filings across multiple jurisdictions.
What makes you a fit
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business, or related field.
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Enrolled Agent (EA), or actively pursuing certification.
- A minimum of 1–3 years’ experience in public accounting with exposure to estate, trust, or high net worth individual taxation.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and Outlook.
- Experience with Caseware and ProFx software preferred.
- Strong knowledge of common book-to-tax timing differences (accruals, reserves, inventory, deferred revenue).
- Strong knowledge of fixed asset accounting and depreciation methods.
- Intermediate knowledge of state and local tax concepts (nexus, apportionment, compliance).
- Intermediate knowledge of income tax provision concepts and calculations.
Compensation & Benefits
The compensation offered for this position will be based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to: years of relevant experience, unique or specialized skill sets, education, licensure, internal equity, and location. The estimated salary range for the Experienced Tax Staff is $70,000-$80,000.
Additional Benefits Include
- 401k with a 3% employer contribution
- Discretionary profit sharing of up to 4.5% annually
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance. We cover 100% of the individual medical premium!
- Generous PTO, plus 12 Paid Holidays, 8 hours of Volunteer Time, and Paid Parental Leave
- Hybrid work options and flexible working hours in the summer
- Parking and Transit Reimbursement
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- On-site gym and locker room
- Incentive plan for sales leads
- Generous Employee Referral Program
Company Overview
Geffen Mesher and Company, PC (GMCO) proudly stands as one of Portland's foremost locally owned accounting firms, with a distinguished history of over 90 years dedicated to serving clients throughout the Northwest. We owe our enduring success to our client-centric ethos and unwavering commitment to our team members. We provide a full suite of professional services, including Accounting, Assurance, Business Consulting, Business Valuation, Data and Analytics, Litigation Support, Family Office, Transaction Services, and full-service Tax planning, spanning several industries.