surveys & research

exclusive survey: practitioners cite 4 big strategies for success in tax season 2014

by

chartexporttax professionals fight political uncertainty, ragged clients, toughened rivals.

by rick telberg
卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间

after what for many was a disastrous season in 2013, many tax prep professionals are laying new plans and taking on ambitious initiatives to avoid a repeat of last year and maybe even vault ahead of the competition.

with input from more than 400 practitioners, 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 expects 2014 to be rocky from the start, with washington politics playing a big role, and also highly competitive, as practitioners battle both fee pressures from clients and each other for a smaller pool of good clients.

卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 has prepared a special report, “busy season 2014 pre-season forecast and outlook,” available as an ebook here.

in the last 30 days, practitioners’ outlook has been generally positive as they start to get their plans in place and with a momentary lull in washington infighting. as of today, about 60% of the more than 400 practitioners surveyed expect a better season than last year, including 12% who are hoping for a “much better” season.

if there are themes among the new strategies from lessons learned last year, they fall into a few general categories: read more →

survey report: busy season 2014 outlook

by

click to enlarge
click to enlarge

executive summary

by rick telberg
cpa trendlines

most tax practitioners across the nation are preparing for the 2014 busy season with the hoping it can’t possibly be as bad as last year’s “worst tax season ever,” according to exclusive 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 polling.

about 61% of accountants today expect at least a “somewhat” or even “much” better season this year, according to the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 busy season barometer, a tracking poll now approaching its 11th year. some 26% expect no change from last year, and 13% are bracing for “somewhat worse” or “much worse.”

in the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 special report, responses and comments from more than 400 practitioners surveyed have been tabulated and analyzed. key findings:

screen shot 2013-11-26 at 4.50.30 am
pro member download
  • economic outlook for firms, clients, owners, and the nation in general.
  • practitioners’ forecasts for the upcoming season, compared with the forecasts from the same time a year ago and with 2013 actuals.
  • factors contributing to positive outlooks and factors contributing to negative outlooks.
  • top 10 challenges and concerns to prepare for and examples of how some practitioners are doing so
  • projections for key busy season metrics, including revenue, profit, client counts, extensions, revenue per client, and profit per client; compared with 2013 actuals and year-ago forecasts
  • the four key strategies shared by most practitioners with positive outlooks
  • the four important lessons learned from last year’s “worst tax season ever.”
  • verbatim comments from hundreds of practitioners.

more

read more →

why are accountants pulling back on marketing?

by

screen shot 2013-11-15 at 4.26.06 am
source: 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间

join the survey, get the results.

by rick telberg
卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间

it’s too early to draw a final conclusion, but the early returns from the annual 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 marketing and business development survey are startling and may represent a dramatic trend reversal.

after three years of intensifying marketing activity — with 33% of firms last year saying they were increasing their business development efforts “significantly” — today only 19% of accountants tell us they are planning to “significantly” expand their programs. read more →

the “secret” of fast and easy tax research

by

ed mendlowitz cpa the practice doctor q and a

the best sources to make you look like a genius.

by ed mendlowitz
“tax season opportunity guide“

question: when i was asked three technical questions, i found the answers quickly in a one-volume tax guide i keep near my desk.  i answered them and did not disclose my “secret,” wanting the callers to think i was a “genius.”

it astounds me that many people do not try to find the answers for themselves.

the questions concerned: read more →