The accounting profession ranks among the top five in Americans’ views of 25 major U.S. industries, trailing only farming, computers, restaurants and automobiles, according to a new Gallup survey.
The findings show accounting with 41% of adults holding a positive view, reflecting modest but stable standing amid generally weak perceptions of U.S. business sectors.
Key Players in Tax Planning: Clockwise from top left, Meyer, Beastrom, Argue, Alarie, Ali, Costanz
Once an add-on service for high-net-worth clients, tax planning is moving to center stage, powered by artificial intelligence and the profession’s accelerating shift to advisory from compliance.
Fresh evidence comes from TaxPlanIQ’s new partnerships with Liberty Tax and Elite Resource Team, which extend TaxPlanIQ’s reach from boutique firms to thousands of retail outlets and nationwide advisory networks. The deals show artificial intelligence transforming accountants’ handling of tax planning, strategy, and client communication.
“I can’t imagine a better thing to do than support accountants in that endeavor,” says Jackie Meyer, founder of TaxPlanIQ and CPA Trendlines contributor, positioning her company’s mission personally. TaxPlanIQ’s pitches ease of use. Just upload a 1040, surface strategies, and deliver a branded proposal that quantifies return on investment.
With Liberty Tax, the reach is in the mass market. With ERT, the audience is higher-value clients served by coordinated advisory teams. TaxPlanIQ claims $5 billion saved by clients identified through its system. More than 1,200 firms already use the platform, before the new partnerships,
Reaching for a $2.5 billion prize
The promise of the next evolution of tax planning is enticing, and the field is becoming more competitive by the month. The tax planning software market is projected to grow at a rate of 8% to 13% annually from 2026 to 2033, with the total market size expected to surpass $2.5 billion globally and $25 billion for the broader online tax software segment.
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Tax clients don’t want to be disorganized or late with information, but it tends to happen. You can make tax season easier for them and for you if you help them stay organized and up to date.
Here are 10 actions you can take. Consider making some of these actions mandatory for anyone who wants to be your client.
Provide checklist of required documents. Well before tax season begins – ideally at the beginning of the fiscal year – provide clients with checklists of records and documents you will need at end of year. A list specifically for a given client will be more effective than a boilerplate list.
By CPA Trendlines Research