CLIENT SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

Four Ways to Deal with Clients Who Say ‘No’

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Young businesswoman putting hand out in "stop" gesture while sipping coffee

Plus two possible exceptions.

By Ed Mendlowitz
Call Me Before You Do Anything: The Art of Accounting

I found out many years ago that I cannot spend my clients’ money.

I used to feel that if they did not want to “buy” a service I felt they must have, it meant I did not clearly convey the value to them. I do not feel this way anymore because the value is relative and draws on many issues the client might have and that I am not privy to.

MORE by Ed Mendlowitz
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In my earlier days I used to do the work anyway, feeling a responsibility to the client. It took me quite a while to realize that the responsibility is the clients’ and if they did not want to spend their money for it, I should not spend part of my life doing it on a pro bono basis. There were also times I felt the work was so essential to the client that I did it expecting their recognition of the importance and willingness to pay me afterward. Stupid! My bad!
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Six Times to Pick Up the Phone This Tax Season

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Businessman talking on phone in the office

The personal touch goes a long way toward client retention.

By Ed Mendlowitz
Tax Season Opportunity Guide

Clients are not numbers on a list that needs to be reduced. They are all individuals and consider themselves very important people and want professionals who treat them accordingly.

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It is attitudinal and accountants must adopt that mindset and transmit that through to their culture. So you need to know when it’s essential to pick up the phone.

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Top Tech Trends for Tax Season 2026

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Holding Steady, Tuning Workflow, and Testing AI.

Tech plans: 43% of accountants say they’ll be working with new or upgraded versions of practice management & workflow apps, followed by 25% with tax prep packages.

By CPA Trendlines Research

With the 2026 filing season approaching, most accounting firms are not racing to rip and replace their technology stacks. Instead, they are making selective adjustments, tightening workflows, and cautiously experimenting with artificial intelligence — all while keeping a close eye on staffing limits, client behavior, and return on investment.

JOIN the Busy Season Barometer survey here.

MORE TAX, PRICING,  PAY, HIRING, and THE 2026 OUTLOOK

That restrained approach comes through clearly in CPA Trendlines’ Busy Season Barometer, which shows a profession that is less focused on transformation than on execution. The dominant theme across survey waves is not disruption, but discipline.

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WEBINAR: IRS Tightens Crypto Reporting as 1099-DA Comes Online

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New IRS Form 1099-DA raises the stakes for compliance—and tax professionals are racing to prepare. 

By Center for Accounting Transformation

Cryptocurrency has evolved from a niche curiosity to a mainstream economic force — and U.S. tax authorities are finally catching up. 

As digital assets, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, NFTs, and stablecoins, become common investment choices for individuals and businesses alike, the IRS has quietly but significantly overhauled how crypto income must be reported and taxed. However, despite these changes, many taxpayers still fail to comply, and tax professionals are scrambling to keep up. 

WEBINAR: Nuts & Bolts of Cryptocurrency Taxation & 1099-DAs | Jan. 27 |1 p.m. ET | 2 CPE

That’s the backdrop for “Nuts & Bolts of Cryptocurrency Taxation & 1099-DAs,” a live 2-hour webinar scheduled for Jan. 27, which will provide accountants and tax advisors with a practical roadmap to navigate this rapidly evolving terrain.  READ MORE →

Outlook 2026: Accountants Brace for a Rough Economy

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Expect strong demand for tax planning, business advisory and bookkeeping cleanup work. 

By CPA Trendlines Research

The CPA Trendlines Busy Season Barometer indicates that tax and accounting leaders anticipate growth in their own firms, even as they prepare for anxious business clients, persistent inflation, and a policy environment that keeps planning on edge.

MORE Busy Season and 2026 Outlook

BUSY SEASON BAROMETER: Join the survey. Get the results

About half of all accountants in the survey are bracing for a deteriorating economy, with a third expecting rosier scenarios, for a net negative 17.2 percentage points. For small and mid-sized businesses, accountants are at a negative 9.3 points.

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