I hate to say it but most employers discriminate employees in their 50s for various reasons. Your best bet is probably to start your own business, which you are doing, and work as a temp at a busy tax office during the upcoming tax season to supplement your income. Also do bookkeeping because those clients will eventually ask you to prepare their tax returns.

The beauty of having your own practice is you can work into your 70s. The longer you work at it the more clients you'll get, assuming you get along with your clients. Being an employee is the opposite. The longer you stay at a job, the more likely you'll get fired so they can hire two new grads.

If you can't find a CPA to give you the hours in time, then take the EA exam if you need some type of license to prepare tax returns and represent your clients in an audit. It's not a difficult exam and you can study it on your own. Definitely not rocket science.

Also, I've heard of some tax preparers work for a large company and all of his clients work for the same company. Last I heard he had 200 clients. Word of mouth is still the best way to get new clients.

And then there's H&R Block. Enough said.

Bottomline, get what you can get and find your niche. Better than staying home.

Aesop,

Congratulations!