BUSY SEASON MANAGEMENT

SURVEY RESULTS: Tax Season 2009 – Feeling lucky it wasn’t worse

Most practitioners did as well or better than last year, according to survey.

Here’s your sneak peek of the results, tabulated in real-time. As always, thanks to the participants for joining the survey panel. We’ll keep you posted

If you haven’t already joined the survey panel, you can do it now: join the survey; get the sneak peek updates


Compare these latest results to last year’s:

  • Better: 37%
  • Same: 29%
  • Worse: 33%

Add your comment here, then join the survey; get the sneak peek updates.


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[Research by Bay Street Group LLC. Data Copyright AICPA 2009.]

9 Responses to “SURVEY RESULTS: Tax Season 2009 – Feeling lucky it wasn’t worse”

  1. reina

    Since we also are financial planners, we felt our clients’ STRESS about the drop in their portfolios and income. There was NOT enough public notice about the allowed delay in 1099s and people were angry and unsettled about getting these things later. We basically lost a month for preparation without any extension beyond 4-15. We did more returns and got an influx of self-preparers that felt they couldn’t do it anymore – with all the last minute tax changes.

  2. mike

    This was by far my best tax season ever (32nd). I came out of january down 31% from last year & wound up 8.6% ahead of last year by the end of the season. That translated into a record cash balance. I’m a sole pract. so 100k in the bank is VERY unusual, with 170k collected by April 15.

  3. Larry

    I am retired and do tax returns for VITA. Most of our clients are on the low end of the income scale. We did fewer returns this year than last because last year required a tax return to get the stimulus payment. However, I expect the changes I have seen so far for the next tax season to cause a lot more people to file — and a lot of people being surprised because they will pay in rather than get a refund.

  4. Mary

    We had a great season, but there were some internal factors that definitely played a part. This was my 5th tax season, so my confidence level and experience were both far higher this year.

    That said, I believe we’re up about 25% from this point last year, so business is definitely up rather than down. We did do more returns, so our busy-ness this year was productive rather than frustrating. We had a few issues last year that we worked hard this winter to resolve, and succeeded.

    I spent the 15th cleaning up my desk, tying up loose ends and getting ready for the rest of the year. It was still light out when we locked up!

    I’m glad it’s over, and am really enjoying a few days off!

  5. Jan Dillaha

    Have to agree with Mark. This was my 19th tax season and there were points where I wondered if we would make it.

    We prepared more returns, we dealt with some big messes. I worked rougher seasons early on in my career, but this one….I am glad it’s over.

  6. ANDREW J. YADAMIEC, CPA

    SURVEY’S OR NOT
    I’M HEADED TO THE BORGATA TO PLAY SOME POKER

  7. Katrina Geety

    Agree with Mark Vitek, most grueling season in 25 years. I am the managing partner with supporting staff with an average of 12 years of experience and it was a bear of a season. But we made it!

  8. Kel

    I wonder if busy season just feels better with experience, rather than this year really being better than past years for those who voted “better”?

    I didn’t participate in tax season this year or last year, so no opinion. It would be interesting to hear some more comments on why people voted the way they did.

  9. Mark Vitek

    Toughest, most grueling tax season in 30 years as a CPA