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BUSY SEASON MANAGEMENT

Busy Season 2016: More Clients, Fewer Problems

Mostly better than last year. Here’s why…

Next question: Key issues and concerns
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By CPA Trendlines

Last year’s busy season may go down in the annals of accountancy as one of the worst ever. And let’s hope that’s as bad as it ever gets. Remember? The rollout of the Affordable Care Act, the revamped IRS forms coming out in February, a widespread need for new software, people getting sick, and then it snowed, and then it snowed some more.

Join the survey. Get the results.
Join the survey. Get the results.

MORE on TAX SEASON for PRO MEMBERS:  Problem Clients Causing Big Trouble  |  Most Tax Professionals Call 2016 Busy Season Much Improved over Last Year | Stress Less This Tax Season  |  Is Tax Season the New Fraud Season?  |  5 Tax Season Motivation Tips  |  Recognize Your Tax Season Resources  |  Tax Season 2016: IRS in Crisis  |  Eliminate Tax Season Excuses  |  Record Pre-Season Hiring Surge: Ready for Biggest Tax Season Ever?  |  16 Qualities of a Good Tax Season Client  |  8 Ways to Delight Tax Season Clients  |  Small Tax Season Leaks Can Cause Great Damage  |  5 Ways Thorough Beats Sloppy In Tax Season  |  Tax Season Management: Multi-Tasking Is a Myth  |  Digital Workflow Systems Make Tax Season Easier  |  Why CPAs Need to Worry about Cyber Crime (Especially in Tax Season)

This year is looking a lot better, according to early responses to the CPA Trendlines busy season survey.

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PRO Member Exclusive

Busy Season 2016: IRS User Fees May Boost Preparers

Paper currency falling out of a person's handPlus 5 ways this will increase noncompliance.

By CPA Trendlines

Great news! The Internal Revenue Service is planning to raise its user fees! Taxpayers may soon have an unprecedented opportunity to not only pay their taxes but pay more for the ability to pay those taxes.

RELATED: The Future as the IRS Sees It | Get Set for Refund Delays at IRS

Actually, taxpayers might not be so happy about that, but it could be good news for tax preparers.
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PRO Member Exclusive

Pros Lose Ground in E-Filing

Businessman holding a printed red "down" arrowRefunds are up a smidgen, while website visits soar.

By CPA Trendlines

Are more e-filers switching to self-preparation, and if so, why?

The “why” unfortunately isn’t told in the data, but the most recent tax filing statistics available show that e-filings by professionals are down 3.6 percent from the same week in 2015, while self-preparation is up 3.8 percent.

RELATED: Tax Questions Up, Filings Down

E-filing receipts as a whole were flat at 55 million, with 27.7 million coming from tax professionals and 27.37 self-prepared. Sure the pros’ number is larger, but we like to look at trends here, and this one causes concern. Not to mention that larger number is by a hair’s width of a margin, as pros are handling 50.3 percent of e-filings.
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BUSY SEASON MANAGEMENT

Busy Season 2016: Problem Clients Are Causing Big Trouble

1 in 5 tax professionals report ‘worse’ year. Here’s why…

By CPA Trendlines

It’s painful to think that the 2016 busy season is actually worse than the 2015 season for a large number of tax preparers. Last year was bad. How can this year be worse?

Join the survey; get the updates
Join the survey; get the updates

MORE on TAX SEASON for PRO MEMBERS:  Most Tax Professionals Call 2016 Busy Season Much Improved over Last Year | Stress Less This Tax Season  |  Is Tax Season the New Fraud Season?  |  5 Tax Season Motivation Tips  |  Recognize Your Tax Season Resources  |  Tax Season 2016: IRS in Crisis  |  Eliminate Tax Season Excuses  |  Record Pre-Season Hiring Surge: Ready for Biggest Tax Season Ever?  |  16 Qualities of a Good Tax Season Client

Over a fifth of all respondents to the CPA Trendlines Busy Season 2016 survey are having a bad start to the year.

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PRO Member Exclusive

Busy Season 2016: More Health Care Headaches

Businesswoman with headache at laptop… and clients likely will blame the preparer.

By CPA Trendlines

Let’s give the Internal Revenue Service a break – but just for a second. The Affordable Care Act wasn’t easy for them, either.

RELATED: The Future as the IRS Sees It | Get Set for Refund Delays at IRS

The ACA called for major overhauls of information technology, the issuing of guidance, collaboration with other federal agencies, and the processing of information from insurers and exchange. Generally speaking, the IRS handled the thorny can of worms reasonably well.
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