tax

6 ways to take a client beyond tax prep

by

ed mendlowitz cpa the practice doctor q and aset an agenda; call a meeting.

by ed mendlowitz
the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 practice doctor

question: i have many small business tax clients and seem to lose them as they grow. i provide good service, never have extensions and call the clients in july to see if i can update their books and in december if they want any year-end tax planning. what else can i do?

response: based on our conversation, you are their tax preparer and they do not think of you as their “accountant” or business advisor. and based on what you told me, you aren’t, although you obviously have the skills. read more →

as block and liberty add accounting services, independents face 3 options

by

libert-block-logos-170x145when 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 published its analysis, “threat or opportunity as h&r block, liberty jump into bookkeeping services,” by hitendra patil of pransform, it ignited a small firestorm of responses from readers and a reality check for the profession.

related: new strategic ally, or competitive threat?

two distinct groups of voices seem to be emerging with three basic options for independent accounting firms, according to patil who has been studying the profession’s reactions. read more →

readers sound off on liberty, h&r block plans to launch bookkeeping services

by

liberty block logosnew strategic ally, or competitive threat?

practitioners are actively debating the effects and impact of h&r block and liberty jumping into the bookkeeping business, as detailed by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间’ hitendra patil here.

“this is an opportunity to highlight quality,” says wesley middleton, head partner at middleton raines in houston. “the only person who has something to worry about are those that are only focused on price.”

not all practitioners agree in the discussion which began at 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 and has spilled onto the 20,000-member 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 linkedin group. read more →

threat or opportunity as h&r block, liberty jump into bookkeeping services?

by

liberty block logoswhat it means for independent tax and accounting firms.

by hitendra patil
pransform inc. 

the accounting profession in the u.s. has been shaken up by announcements from liberty tax services and h&r block that they are entering into core bookkeeping and accounting services business.

more on the entrepreneur accountant:  six steps for a better tax season   •  8 seconds into the future: meet generation z   •   5 reasons gen y will make or break your firm   •   3 ways amazon’s new fire phone hints at the future of accounting   •   the 8 traits creating the firm of the future today   •   get more done, make more money: stop doing these 17 things   •   what shopping habits reveal about accounting clients   •   create your “not-to-do’s” list   •   irs bitcoin rule: 5 things accountants need to know   •   tax season tips: train your brain to focus   •   what the bitcoin phenomenon means for accountants   •   overcoming your clients’ worst fears   •   5 tech tips for reigniting growth   •   a case study in using linkedin   •   accountants and six fundamental human needs   •   client satisfaction starts with ‘likeability’   •   why accounting? your clients want to know   •   what’s next: predictive accounting

the news came as a surprise to many and i had a few discussions with some accounting professionals, especially smaller firms and some solo practitioners, on what they think of this new development. read more →

six steps for a better tax season

by

how some smart firms spent their summer vacations…

by hitendra patil
pransform inc. 

a new busy season is fast approaching and vacation season is coming to an end. but some firms haven’t been taking time off. they’ve been assessing the lessons from the 2014 busy season to apply to 2015.

more on the entrepreneurial accountant: 8 seconds into the future: meet generation z   •   5 reasons gen y will make or break your firm   •   3 ways amazon’s new fire phone hints at the future of accounting   •   the 8 traits creating the firm of the future today   •   get more done, make more money: stop doing these 17 things   •   what shopping habits reveal about accounting clients   •   create your “not-to-do’s” list   •   irs bitcoin rule: 5 things accountants need to know   •   tax season tips: train your brain to focus   •   what the bitcoin phenomenon means for accountants   •   overcoming your clients’ worst fears   •   5 tech tips for reigniting growth   •   a case study in using linkedin   •   accountants and six fundamental human needs   •   client satisfaction starts with ‘likeability’   •   why accounting? your clients want to know   •   what’s next: predictive accounting

here are six of the things that the most innovative firms have been doing. and no, they aren’t what you might necessarily expect. read more →

10 ways to get new 1040 clients

by

ed mendlowitz cpa the practice doctor q and a
send ed your questions

and 5 ways to get more business tax clients.

question: i need a few more clients for tax season. any suggestions?

response: since we will be getting ready for tax season now is a good time to address this. here are two checklists, one for individual returns, the other for business client returns.

checklist: 10 ways to get new individual tax clients read more →

23 reasons clients really need you for taxes

by

ed mendlowitz cpa the practice doctor q and aquestion: this is not a question that an accountant asked me, but a fellow traveler on my vacation. he was using a tax preparation service and wasn’t happy and felt he could do just as well by doing his own tax return. i told him there were many benefits to using a tax professional like a cpa or ea that were well worth the extra cost. so my question to myself is “what are they?”

response:  people with rental property, unincorporated businesses, investments that generate k-1s, grantor trusts, substantial investments in marketable securities or large retirement accounts and 401(k) balances need to engage a professional firm, and this checklist is directed toward those clients. read more →

bitcoin: a true phenomenon in digital currency

by

what accountants know – and don’t know – so far.

matt powalski
matt powalski

by matt powalski, cpa
pkf texas

a global technological phenomenon called bitcoin has spread all over the news and media ever since its inception in 2009. this digital technology is a trading platform and payment system that can act as a form of currency, property or stock.

cpas, accountants and financial professionals, no doubt, will want to become more familiar with bitcoin, in order to advise their clients and employers on the topic. read more →

trending in comments: the right software?

by

卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 community forum

today’s topic: software and technology.

卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 conducts surveys all the time, but we like to ask periodically if there are questions we just aren’t asking that you need answered.

we’re giving you the opportunity to help your fellow accountants with their pressing questions.

sound off: accountants see opportunity in obamacare

by

bullhorn

in comments, it gets political.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间

call it what you will – the affordable care act or obamacare – accountants are calling it opportunity.

when we asked recently, “what’s the future of the professional tax preparation business?” a number of respondents called out the affordable care act.

“i think as aca takes effect we will be busier than ever before,” said jay d. parks of jay d. parks & associates, cpas in edmond, okla. read more →

new analysis: tech drives tax season growth

by

istock_000019423637smallaccountants gear up, from paperless to cloud.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间

many of the most successful accountants in tax season 2014 found new growth and profits by leveraging new cloud and paperless technologies, according to the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 busy season barometer.

join the survey; get the results.
today’s bonus question: plans for 2015

read more →