The life of a military spouse may not be typical, especially for families that elect to move whenever and wherever the military member is reassigned. There are certainly perks, like being able to live in new cities, states, and even countries, meet a diverse range of people, and perhaps experience new cultures in the process.
However, this family togetherness could mean a non-military spouse has to give up on a career or professional aspirations. Not all jobs can travel, and if you’re a military spouse that moves around quite a bit, it’s possible that you’ll have to forego a traditional career as a result.
The good news is, there are professional avenues to explore when your spouse is an active military member, and careers in tax preparation are a viable and attractive option for a number of reasons. Here are just a few of the benefits you’ll gain when you take tax courses online, earn certification, and tackle a new profession.
Learn from Anywhere
Military life isn’t always predictable, and even if you plan to be in one place for a while, your spouse and your family may be called upon to move. This not only makes it difficult to hold down a job and build a career, but also to attend school.
Luckily, the internet has made it easier than ever to learn remotely. You will, of course, need to find a licensed and accredited tax school if you want to earn appropriate certification, but there are definitely viable options that allow you to learn from anywhere, so that sudden or frequent moves will not disrupt your education.
Work from Anywhere
As a certified tax preparer, you can work from anywhere. Not only are talented and knowledgeable tax prep specialists needed everywhere (even military bases located on foreign soil), but digital tax prep and filing allows you to continue servicing clientele in locations where you no longer live.
If you’re worried about building a business only to lose clients when you move, a career in tax preparation is an excellent solution. When the military relocates your spouse and you follow, you can take your clients with you, so to speak.
Gain Government Assistance
Many young men and women join the military as a pathway to higher education, with plans to utilize GI Bill benefits following completion of military service. As a military spouse, you can also take advantage of education benefits through the Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) program.
This career development and employment assistance program, sponsored by the Department of Defense (DoD), is intended to help military spouses earn certifications, certificates, licenses, and/or certain associates degrees as a pathway to gainful employment. To this end, military spouses could be eligible for up to $4,000 in financial assistance over the course of two years. You should visit the Military Benefits website at https://militarybenefits.info/ to find out if you qualify and learn more about MyCAA assistance.
Improve Yourself
In any relationship, there are bound to be imbalances at times. As a military spouse, you may resign yourself to playing second fiddle on the professional front. This can be difficult for someone who takes pride in working and earning his/her own money.
When you pursue a career in tax preparation, you have the ability to improve yourself, become a productive member of society and adopt a career path that is compatible with your spouse’s military obligations. This continuity can help you to adjust to frequent moves and provide personal fulfillment, not to mention additional household income.
Plus, it’s a career that you can continue after your spouse leaves the military and your family settles in one place. In other words, military spouses have only to gain by becoming tax prep specialists.
