Here’s what you’re looking for: CPA Trendlines Research

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.
READ MORE →

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.

READ MORE →

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.
READ MORE →

PRO Member Exclusive

Survey Results: Tax Professionals Call 2016 Busy Season Much Improved over Last Year

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

Rising economy, no big changes spell more clients, smoother operations.

Next question: Identity theft?
Join the survey. Get the answers.

By CPA Trendlines

The 2015 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.

MORE on TAX SEASON for PRO MEMBERS: How to 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)

Remember a year ago? The roll-out 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.

This year’s looking a lot better, according to early responses to the CPA Trendlines 2016 Busy Season Barometer.

READ MORE →

PRO Member Exclusive

Frank Longobardi: CohnReznick’s Battle for Top Talent

Frank Longobardi 2016
Longobardi

Newly named CEO launches bevy of programs to nurture skills at all levels.

By CPA Trendlines Staff

For Frank Longobardi, chief executive officer of CohnReznick, staffing is the biggest problem facing his and other CPA firms across the country.

imgres“The market is very competitive both in finding talent as well as in bringing in new clients,” he says. “Many firms face a lack of talent at the senior level and competition is also coming from private companies who look to hire managers and senior managers from public accounting firms.”

READ MORE →