tax professionals report tough slogging
efilings perk up. most tax professionals remain dour.
by beth bellor
how’s your busy season far?
join the survey. get the results
tax
stop beating up the irs – really
look what these people have been asked to do over the years, and thank them.
by jon baron, mba
co-founder and head of strategy at make the connection inc.
imagine irs ‘concierge’ service. just imagine.
we know you’re shocked.
by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research
seven ways to win the talent wars
how small firms can beat the staffing shortage.
by frank stitely
the relentless cpa
the following story brought tears to my eyes while i sat in a barbados resort drinking some alcohol concoction. was it the alcohol talking or the happy ending where i got a profit distribution check? maybe a little of both.
more: who’s your most valuable employee? | how to implement the laziness equation | the happier, saner, richer tax firm | ‘quick questions’ and other client sins | how to train clients | avoiding projects hung up in process | when clients create errors
exclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.
the afternoon before i left for beautiful barbados, the partner group of our outsourced accounting practice met for a state of the practice meeting conducted by our director of outsourced accounting.
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busy season 2021 gets off to weak start
filings trail 31 percent. tax pro forecast looks glum.
busy season barometer
join the survey. get the results
by beth bellor
more on busy season: team expectations: a checklist for busy season | you’re not just taxes | the happier, saner, richer tax firm | survey: a glint of optimism for 2021 | ppp traps: 1 in 5 accountants report shady dealings
irs has recruiting problems, too
theirs stem from money woes.
by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research
the irs may a one-of-a-kind organization, with a unique mission, strengths, and weaknesses. but in at least one way, the irs is a lot like many tax and accounting firms.
more on tax season: team expectations: a checklist for busy season | you’re not just taxes | the happier, saner, richer tax firm | survey: a glint of optimism for 2021 | ppp traps: 1 in 5 accountants report shady dealings
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the problems, of course, are many. but one rises above all the others: staff recruitment and retention.
14 simple, easy tips for a better tax season
tax season is supposed to get better every year – if you know what you’re doing.
by ed mendlowitz
call me before you do anything: the art of accounting
tax preparation is a very serious undertaking that needs to be managed and continuously improved.
more: you’re not just taxes | 20 good ways to boost tax season production | why annual staff evaluations fall short | why create an accounting firm business model? | creating a cross-selling culture | value pricing in uncharted waters
this requires buy-in from partners, managers and the entire staff. the culture of the firm has to be where only the best work done the right way at the right time is acceptable.
here are some best practices you can consider adopting:
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who’s your most valuable employee?
don’t be the fool in the room.
by frank stitely
the relentless cpa
we have been heavily in the numbers so far. let’s take a break from that to discuss a factor that, while not heavily numeric, plays a big factor in managing wip – employee productivity. because capacity is the denominator in the lean six sigma equation, and employee productivity is a big factor in capacity, employee productivity becomes a big factor in determining turnaround time.
more: how to implement the laziness equation | the happier, saner, richer tax firm | avoiding projects hung up in process | teaching the meaning of ‘done’ | why millennials are the answer | calculating and cutting turnaround time
first, let’s dismiss from the room all the consultants, who tell us that time tracking and productivity metrics don’t matter. for the most part, these consultants have never managed or owned cpa firms. rarely have they worked in firms for any length of time.
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team expectations: a checklist for busy season
what do you think your staff knows about tax season? check again.
by kristen rampe
busy season is here. are you ready? is your team ready?
you might feel your team “should know” your expectations, but that’s not always the case.
more rampe: pandemic lesson: innovate faster | tax season savvy: five ways to stay sane | why host a partner retreat? | survey results: effective stay interviews for cpa firms | the 16 biggest #fails in delegation | survey: work-life balance: according to whom? | new survey results: two ways your strategic plan can reduce turnover |
exclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.
a client of ours once assumed a five-year staff they hired from a top 10 regional firm would know tax professionals work on saturdays from february – april. she chose not to show up for any of them in february.
while the managing partner stewed over this behavior, we realized three key factors were in play:
you’re not just taxes
make sure tax clients know about other services.
by ed mendlowitz
call me before you do anything: the art of accounting
during a tax return preparation interview, getting a client’s information is a tremendous opportunity to find out the concerns of the client and how you can help.
more: 20 good ways to boost tax season production | how to recoup staff training costs | 10 ways to stay in control | advice to new accountants | clients don’t lose sleep for overpaying taxes | when time-based pricing works
the assistance you give can sometimes provide a life-changing benefit to the client while enabling your firm to increase its service base and gain additional revenues.
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7 checklists for scheduling, petty cash and more
apply systems to the nuts-and-bolts chores.
by jassen bowman
every office function should have a system.
more: difficult phone calls are opportunities | 11 steps for handling client complaints | office safety and more: checklists for your tax resolution setup | how to build a tax resolution business | why lists are not leads | your sales funnel needs systems
exclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.
here are some miscellaneous but vital functions and how to handle each one.
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how to implement the laziness equation
calculate and cut turnaround time.
by frank stitely
the relentless cpa
one of the funniest parts of launching clarity practice management has been watching my business partner, peter daniel, learn about the business acumen of cpas and accountants. peter and i founded clarity as a collaboration between a cpa firm client (peter) and a cpa firm (me.). he knew what he wanted from a client perspective, and i knew what we wanted as a cpa firm.
more: the happier, saner, richer tax firm | ‘quick questions’ and other client sins | when clients create errors | how we killed the tax season client meeting | why small firms can win the talent wars | there are no easy answers | how to thrive as a 21st-century firm
peter owns a software development company and believes in the rational decision-making model for businesses. the rational decision-making model is totally irrelevant to the way most cpas and accountants run their practices. for instance, consider this interchange between peter and a practitioner at our clarity booth during a trade show.
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20 good ways to boost tax season production
people like fun … but that’s not all they value.
by ed mendlowitz
call me before you do anything: the art of accounting
i have always loved accounting and tax season, but i have worked with many people who did not.
more: how to recoup staff training costs | granting unconventional request pays off | 20 best practices for staff training and retention | what does the client want to see? | 6 ways to increase your fees … if you dare | the clients who got away
they resented many of the working conditions and had a closed-in feeling that heightened their dislike of my great profession. i resolved that when i had my own practice i would not create that type of atmosphere.
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