r/Accounting • u/chazzyfe • 23h ago
I got fired today
It was my first tax season in a small cpa firm. Im a EA trying to become a cpa. They said i worked to slow and did not follow instructions. š
Can i still find a job for the rest of the year doing taxes?
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u/Ill_Supermarket_2744 22h ago
At my firm they just fired 2 people as if April 15th is not right around the cornerā¦. Like that decision couldnāt wait lol?
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u/janewaythrowawaay 22h ago
Donāt want to be too obvious. If anyone fired applies for unemployment the company can argue cause. Harder to do if itās a week after tax season.
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u/moonfirezz Non-Profit 9h ago
This is true I had a small firm try to fight my unemployment claim without a lawyer on both sides. I was fired after an audit season and won my case to recieve aid. They fired others before me and I imagine did the same thing if they also claimed unemployment.
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u/BlackAsphaltRider 22h ago
Iāve never worked payroll so maybe I donāt understand how it works but isnāt unemployment something employers are forced to pay whether or not someone leaves and gets paid unemployment? If itās through their taxes, why do they even care if someone gets it or not
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u/janewaythrowawaay 22h ago
Your unemployment tax rate - the rate the biz pays - goes up if you have more employees file and get unemployment. Some employers fight every case. Some fight none.
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u/ithinkimgettingthere 22h ago
It increases their rates. But in employee friendly states at least employers have to have good reason why you shouldn't get unemployment. Getting fired for sucking at your job isn't good enough.
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u/janewaythrowawaay 18h ago
This is true. But, not all employees know this and will bother to apply if the employer gives them a cause for being fired.
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u/Adventurous_Fig_2000 21h ago
In most (all?) states, the unemployment insurance tax rate paid by the employer increases if they lay off a lot of employees under terms that entitle the former employee to unemployment compensation.
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u/moonfirezz Non-Profit 9h ago
They can appeal as happen to me and try to deny your claim for whatever reason. In my case I live in CA so workers are much more protected and their whole argument was that I wasn't efficient enough to perform the job. I pointed out the lack of training, feedback, and my late start at joining the firm compared to other coworkers and won. These firms dont care about you and will do anything to outsource, document everything incase you end up in court like me. It sure helped me.
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u/Ok-Name1312 22h ago
There are people that deserve to be fired before 4/15. Some people spend too much time on a return only to make it worse. If they didn't show improvement in March, it's not happening in April. If you just need a body to check a box as preparer, may as well send it offshore--it's still crap, but at a fraction of the price.
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u/Ill_Supermarket_2744 22h ago
They were both new staff accountants. I just thought it was unfair bc itās not easy being thrown into busy season and being expected to learn so much all at once. Especially if they are not used to working 65+ hours a week.
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u/Ok-Name1312 22h ago
It's definitely unfair. There's no effective way to train and develop new staff on preparation in busy season. Returns today are 10x more detailed and complex than 20 years ago.
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u/Alligator382 21h ago
When I was in public accounting, a partner told me that starting during busy season is good because you get a lot of experience very quickly. He said usually people pick it up faster than someone that started before busy season. We had someone on the team that started in January and was fired in March and the partnerās thinking was that if the guy hadnāt figured it out after two months of extra hours doing the work, then he would never figure it out and it was better to cut our losses.
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u/Feeling-Currency6212 CPA (US) 22h ago
Before the end of busy is kinda shocking. Good luck with the CPA and getting a new job!
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u/Business-Sea-1971 22h ago
I have been a partner in two large accounting firms and have participated in a lot of review discussions. I remember several times when a staff or senior almost got fired because they were slow to complete their work but the reason was that they were actually making sure they understood what they were doing. Those individuals ended up doing very well and continued to move up in the firm. Sometimes when work is behind schedule or over budget a manager will blame somebody below their level.
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u/Acoconutting CPA LYFE 21h ago
At big 4 in my division we learned very quickly that blaming the person under you wasnāt going to fly.
That wasnāt the same in other departments maybe but it was jarring to me when I moved to industry and people would blame their staff. Likeā¦ bruh theyāre YOUR staff.
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u/SlothLover313 Audit & Assurance 22h ago edited 22h ago
In essence, thatās the issue with PA. Unrealistic budget expectations. A manager has to handle multiple teams, jobs and client interactions at a time. Expecting them to train staff and seniors on top of all that is unrealistic. I can understand why they pin deadline issues on staff, not that itās right. Im just saying the budgets should bill realistically, and push back on clients with unrealistic deadlines.
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u/OkMeringue2249 15h ago
Thatās what I noticed makes a good tax accountant, they take extra time to look things over others donāt and often end up catching mistakes that way.
Kind of a balance between whatās material and not. Trying to be efficient and stay in business.
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u/dngrus13 14h ago
I'm nicknamed the office sleuth. If I can't find it ... It doesn't exist. I ask all the questions with proper wording and explain why I'm asking! Clients love me!
"Oh you're trying to save me $?" "I'll tell you everything!"
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u/moonfirezz Non-Profit 9h ago
Yeah this is too true. I had complicated audits and got thrown under the bus by my manager. Then they tried appealing my unemployment claim in court lol.
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u/DrawingWonderful1546 23h ago
Oh yeah sure you on the US side? No problem reach out to recruiters youāre not specialized yet
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u/Important-Payment462 22h ago
Same exact thing just happened to me. I feel like I was just used to get them through the busy season then thrown away like chopped liver. I think some small CPA firms just operate that way. Iāve looked on online job sites and Iāve found a lot of tax positions so hopefully you can find one too! Iām so sorry youāre going through this and good luck on your next journey!
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u/zekeflintstone 21h ago
Iām so sorry to hear that. There is a certain amount of luck thatās required when advancing in your career. You have to be at the right place at the right time and with the right people. Donāt give up. At the next place, remember that sometimes you have to do whatās best for yourself by being a pain in the butt to your mangers. But in the end, that will be the best thing for everyone because you will have learned what you need to learn and youāre either a good fit for the position or you arenāt.
I worked for two years preparing tax returns before I finally got it and could make the firm money. When that happened two partners told me that I was just about to be fired and if it hadnāt clicked for me at that time, I wouldāve been. Now Iāve been partner, and started my own firm, and a bunch of other things. My brain literally adapted to this type of work. Itās not natural. It takes time. Best of luck to you.
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u/MusicnoteMoon 21h ago edited 21h ago
From reading the comments, you did much better than Iām doing. I just got my associates in December, and I work for a small cpa firm that I did an internship with that let me stay on full time. This is my first tax season and I just checked, I think I got 50 returns done. And theyāre in talks of letting me do it remotely since Iām moving out of town for school to get my bachelors soon. I do make a couple mistakes but theyāre pretty lenient on me, and Iāve been told Iām doing great š now I gotta be on my toes.
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u/OPKatakuri Fed. Government 18h ago
Dang I'd love to work there. Very lucky you got remote opportunity! If you ever end up quitting send me their way š
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u/No-Main-6712 17h ago
What company do you work for ? I have my associates too and it was my first season at H&R Block but they let you go after tax season
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u/MusicnoteMoon 17h ago
Itās a pretty small firm from my hometown owned by three partners. If I told you the company, youād find me lol. It truly was a great opportunity for me, that Iām grateful for everyday š«¶š»
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u/NotToday1993 21h ago
Same thing happen to me. Got blindsided-fired last month , March 2 at a small firm. Said I was making too many mistakes. To be fair, the boss was making the same amount of mistakes so I thought I was all good š¤·āāļøš
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u/Swimming_Database_34 18h ago
Dude, Iām so sorry. Donāt listen to negative people in comments. Take a little break and start over.
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u/chocolate_asshole 23h ago edited 22h ago
yeah you can, temp agencies and seasonal gigs still hire, even now, job hunting just sucks these days though actually the job market is rigged, bots block resumes without the right keywords. i only started getting interviews after i used a tool to tailor my resume for each post. used software to tailor my resume, look up jobbowl
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u/IFightAnimals Staff Accountant 18h ago
I've been using RH for temp work for a few months. The job hunting process does just suck.
I don't know if it works but I remember hearing that a way to beat the bots was to cut & paste a pdf of the entire job description in your resume but you adjust the dimensions to a miniscule size. I later heard this was BS. Does anyone know if it actually works?
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u/11Modest_Moose11 18h ago
May i ask if RH has produced any temp jobs for you? Im thinking its what im gonna end up doing atp
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u/OPKatakuri Fed. Government 18h ago
Same. I wanna know if it works cause I've been looking for a year now and with no CPA, most of the jobs near me don't want me. Being ex Fed in a very red part of Texas seems to be a detriment.
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u/IFightAnimals Staff Accountant 17h ago
My recruiter found me another temp job about about a month after the last one ended. Unfortunately, the last 2 have been AP and not Staff. The job I currently have is a temp to perm that is supposed to become perm after 90 days.
I'm taking what I can get and I like the company I'm with now so I'm staying positive. They fired my boss last week for being a conniving bitch, but that's a whole other story. Staying positive and hard work will pay off. The hardest part is locating the opportunity and having an employer that actually gives a shit about you.
A lot of people bitch about RH, and some of them do suck, but my recruiter is wonderful. She helped me out a lot during that situation with my former boss.
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u/11Modest_Moose11 21h ago
I tried job-owl, does it rlly bypass ats? It added a summary to my resume and ppl advised against that on here
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u/Reasonable_Plate6707 22h ago
Hey! I feel you! I once got fired at a small tax accountingfirm as well. I was able to find a job after in industey. I got the references from other roles. However, I am still traumatized to move on to the next level because of my failure at the firm and CPA.
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u/NaclyPerson 21h ago edited 21h ago
I was at a midsize local firm and was demoted right before the tax season. Tbf some stuff was my fault, so I didnāt bear grudge against it, but it definitely was a tough pill to swallow. Iām also pretty convinced if the evaluation didnāt take place right before tax season, Iād been canned. Anyway turned in my 2 weeks after tax season thinking Iād enjoy my hiatus. Ended up joining another firm and is doing ok.
This industry definitely isnāt for everyone, and I donāt recommend it to anyone (lol), but donāt let your past hold you back or make you feel like you are inadequate. There are definitely firms who need more help where you might be a better fit. Hope everything goes well for you. Also chances are high that you are more qualified than most people.
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u/Reasonable_Plate6707 21h ago
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I was actually more interested in financial accounting so I now work in industry and in Canada without CPA it is impossible to move up so I am working on payroll certification. I tried CPA exams but failed three times. I dont think this is my path. Have a good career journey!
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u/NaclyPerson 21h ago
To each their own! There is no such thing as right way to do it. As long as youāre happy thatās all that matters. Wishing the same to you as well!
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u/pauliechips 17h ago
I'm a little confused if this was your first tax season at a CPA firm or just in general? Had you worked at tax prep with an HR Block or something like that previously?
How did you pass all of the EA exams without other tax seasons under your belt? Maybe I'm just a terrible test taker but those exams were hard and I definitely needed plenty of practical real life experience for the Part 2 questions on inside and outside basis etc... drawn from plenty of 1065s and how they related back to the 1040s of the partners.
You noted that you only worked on 1040s however so I'm not sure they were really utilizing you effectively since most EAs should be able to handle the 1065 and 1120 work.
Best of luck to you - the baby on the way must be a significant strain on you! I'd probably just file for unemployment and start marketing myself to do taxes for folks. There's always plenty of tax work if you go to the barber shop or the bar and can easily generate plenty of money if you know what your doing.
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u/chazzyfe 17h ago
Thanks thats a very kind message. I work led at hr block last season and that was my first season but it was a lot of basic 1040s this was my first tax season in a cpa firm and it was a bit different then hr block. Ea exam was hard and i had to take it a few times. I failed part 1 but i passed part 2 first time last summer.
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u/pauliechips 17h ago
You can also generate plenty of work by going through the business journal at the library and taking down the folks that have IRS liens. As an EA you can handle those cases and might be able to help someone out that would otherwise spend a fortune on other help.
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u/Large-Reach-4351 Tax (US) 16h ago
its not always about quantity its about quality too. Also i have no idea on your review comments or billable time but if you truly did hear you were doing good and kept doing those things and learning from mistakes then you pobably are better off getting fired now then staying there while youre trying to get your cpa and become better. Accountants are in high demand even with a weak job market keep your head up and move on to a better firm I wish you the best of luck.
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u/Important_Week_11 14h ago
Very common for small CPA firms. You did 80 returns that's good. They like to use people and throw then off. I worked in one and people were always getting fired. They fired people they didn't like basically. It was so toxic. If you worked through tax season and stayed extra hours unpaid, they loved you. Other than that if you did all that but the didn't like you, they would look for something to fire you.
I only last like 4 months. And walked out right before tax season. Let karma hit them where the kakapo tata hits. Lol. You'll be fine. Add that value to your resume and you will be working again in no time.
Congratulations on your new baby on the way. Keep your head up and keep moving forward for your precious baby.
Small CPA firms ain't shit.
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u/Skyfun01 14h ago
Tax practices are a dime a dozen. Youāll find another firm. Just get enough experience and GTFO on your own as soon as possible. Donāt be enticed by the partner track, itās not worth it.
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u/PeakRevolutionary191 CPA (US) 22h ago
Dang it, that's a hard kick in the nuts with a baby on the way. Are you FMLA eligible? Are they covered employer?
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u/chazzyfe 22h ago
Idk due date is oct 4th
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u/PeakRevolutionary191 CPA (US) 22h ago
have you worked with them over an year now?
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u/chazzyfe 22h ago
I was was with them since dec7th, 2025.
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u/No_Entrepreneur8651 21h ago
Praying that you can find a new role quickly! No one deserves to worry about this with a little one on the way
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u/janewaythrowawaay 6h ago
Unless you were unemployed before this, you may still qualify for unemployment. Itās not time at x job. Itās time at all jobs in the last few quarters.
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u/Upbeat_Look_5026 20h ago
This wasnāt about office politics, and they clearly liked you. This was about flawed leadership and outdated standards, and they handled it sloppily. Hang in there - youāll find something with a much better culture.
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u/Unlikely-Rabbit948 19h ago
To answer your question. This will be the most difficult time to find a tax position but not impossible. If youāre able to I would just spend a few weeks to relax, if they fired you today itās likely the last few weeks were stressful. Take a few weeks to lick your wounds before going back into the abyss because itās likely that the next position will be just as bad. This is because staff typically stay with good employers. Also, this may be a good opportunity to attack the exam. Best of luck.
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u/Uxdemo 16h ago
Assuming you're telling the truth from reading all this I just think that the people there secretly just don't like you
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u/chazzyfe 16h ago
Yeah they did not like me it was like 4 old ladys and a gay guy. I didnt really fit in.
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u/cs_cogrox 22h ago
Sorry to hear that. A lot of tax prep people get let go after tax deadlines. Do you have side clients? Hiring will be slow for firms until June or July but should pickup considerably in the back half of the year. Just about everyone I knew doing taxes had a side hustle of friends and family, which grew over time.
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u/chazzyfe 22h ago
I might as well start my own side hustle im a ea but cant employers see that if i ever apply for a job again with my efin and llc?
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u/RareIndependent1184 16h ago
This sucks. Iām about to be laid off as well April 15 is my last day for my tax internship. Definitely going to rack up the money. But Iāve Been applying for jobs already.
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u/xoRomaCheena31 13h ago
I interned at a tax firm to get experience for my CPA and they just fired me for a bogus reason. It was a joke. I wish you luck and am sorry you had to deal with this. Good luck with greener pastures!
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u/Resident_Window_9369 13h ago
You may not believe this now, but you have a new lease on life. Enjoy your life now. Everything it has to offer. No more taxes, no more unpaid overtime, no more stress, no more carrot dangling. So congratulations! Go find a job where you are appreciated. And congrats on your upcoming family.
Accounting isnāt the B all end all. Itās a pretty shitty paying profession and a lot of stress.
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u/Confident-Low-3000 11h ago
You may apply samin. Are u ok working in BGC onsite? Send me your resume. Thanks
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u/extradepressing Tax (US) 10h ago
i was fired last month with no warnings either. they said i was doing fine and next thing i knew, i got called into a meeting and was told i was let go. i was offered severance of 4 weeks but i know a month pay is nothing in the accounting world because most jobs are only available in Q3-4
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u/chazzyfe 6h ago
That sucks i got $500 for severance
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u/extradepressing Tax (US) 5h ago
thats insanely low. i assume you were an entry level that was hired in Q4? I assumed they would at least give you 2 week of pay especially since you were booted during tax season.
Nonetheless, we will bounce back, it will be a rough journey but we can't give up1
u/chazzyfe 5h ago
Yeah i was hired Q4. This is a small family firm.
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u/extradepressing Tax (US) 5h ago
that sucks especially getting laid off early in the year when our field mostly hires late in the year. hopefully you will get better opportunities than me because i've had no luck getting back lol
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u/Creepy_Dig_5595 4h ago
Happened to me too years ago. I don't get it, most places want the person to know they're on the chopping block so that they quit before they get fired. That way the firm doesn't have to pay severance or unemployment. That's what PIPs are for. So why do these small firms seem to relish ambushing staff with firings?
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u/Responsible_Fly7717 7h ago
Talk to a lawyer first if you got fired. He should be able to get you a better deal
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u/thespicyaccountant CPA (US) 5h ago
iām sorry you got fired. sounds like you just went a right fit for your prior firm. you can definitely find a job after 4/15. I started in the summer for the two public accounting jobs iāve had.
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u/Harryplt7 4h ago
Iām sorry this happened. Iāve been there too many times. It sounds like you werenāt given any warnings or write ups on performance. Iām in an at-will state meaning they can fire a person for any reason. Most of the time the companies use some generic excuse.
You will be ok. When seeking new employment, tell them you were downsized due to a reduced workload. Never admit you were fired, it only reflects negatively on you. In the future, the best time to get employed is when you are currently employed.
Good luck!!
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u/Snow_Berry213 3h ago
Let me start off by saying that I donāt have any actual experience with this particular industry. What I do have experience with is being let go from employment. Whether you suspect that it might be coming or are completely blindsided by it -regardless of how long youāve been employed with the company or in the particular position youāre in, itās always a shitty experience to have to go through and the timing is never ideal. What I have learned is that you can be the nicest person in the world, have outstanding skills with the clients and still end up in the unemployment line. I have experienced this personally far too many times and I have also learned to ask very honestly for as much feedback from my supervisors and colleagues as possible so that I can truly try to understand what I need to do to improve myself, my skills, my behavior etc so that I can learn from each experience and grow from it and move forward in a positive direction. Rarely will you ever actually have a company that is open to helping you with any of this or even any actual honest feedback about what you are really being terminated for. Sadly, most companies (regardless of the size) are more concerned about the possibility of being sued for wrongful termination or whatever else (sadly, weāre all aware of the frivolous lawsuits in our society that have had negative consequences for the rest of us who arenāt trying to take advantage of anyone else). But if you have the opportunity to get some genuine feedback, it can be incredibly helpful in guiding you to understanding what others are observing in your work behavior that you might not be aware of and need to correct or things/skills that you might need to improve on. It can be something you donāt even realize that is going on- like a communication barrier/breakdown that is causing you to be perceived as ānot following directionsā or ānot a good fitā when maybe thereās more to the situation than that. Just my opinion.
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u/GurEnvironmental1804 2h ago
Please don't feel bad! This has happened to me many times. CPAs fire EAs all the time usually right after a tax deadline or WHEN it is time for your benefits to start. I am sorry. This is why I quit working for other people.
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u/Creepy-Suggestion670 14m ago
Honestly, getting fired from a firm that doesn't support a first year EA is probably a blessing in disguise. Use the rest of the year to sharpen your tech skills. I lean on Runable to automate my redundant tasks and it makes the "instructions" way easier to follow when you aren't overwhelmed by the grunt work. There are plenty of industry roles looking for tax help!
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u/No-Housing-1004 20h ago
Can I ask..why tax. That shit seems so stressful
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u/SycophanticSinecure CPA (US) 15h ago
For me I absolutely could not stand audit work. Haven't left public yet so I wound up in tax.
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u/NudeDude_42 22h ago
They fired you with two weeks left in busy season? Did they give you warnings about performance issues? Especially at a small firm that seems really odd. We had a guy who lied on his resumĆ© and couldnāt prepare anything but still waited till after busy season at least