Tax Season Checklists

About the Tax Season Checklists eBook

These checklists have been prepared for the guidance of fellow professionals and colleagues and for no other purpose.  Anyone using these illustrations and ideas assumes full responsibilities for its use.

These checklists have evolved over the years and are, in some respect, a collaboration of professionals seeking to improve the quality of their practice and create methods to work more effectively and efficiently.

Some of the checklists are formatted to be printed and hung on walls as posters such as the Key for a Successful Tax Season, CPA Firm Business Model and Advantages of Tax Season pages.  Since the checklists are presented in Word format, they can be reformatted and customized to suit a particular practice if desired.

You are welcome to use the checklists in your office without attribution.  If you use them in a speech handout or presentation outside your firm, you are also welcome to use them, but I would appreciate an acknowledgment of the source such as: Prepared by Edward Mendlowitz, CPA, Partner, WithumSmith+Brown, PC.

Enjoy and use and have a great tax season!

– Edward Mendlowitz, CPA

Checklist Listing

• 1. Key For A Successful Tax Season - Can Be Posted On Your Wall
  2. Accounting Firm Business Model – Can Be Posted
  3. Advantages Of Tax Season – Chart Can Be Reproduced And Distributed To Staff Or Posted
  4. Goals Of Tax Season
  5. Preparer’s Pre-Review Procedural Checklist
  6. Reviewer’s Checklist For Individual Tax Returns
  7. Reviewer’s Checklist For Business Tax Returns
  8. Tax Season Follow Up Form
  9. Reviewer’s Pre-Review Of Complicated Transactions
  10. Top 12 Tax Return Preparation Errors
  11. Checklist Of 45 Tax Filing Errors Clients Should Avoid
  12. Top 10 Client Pet Peeves
  13. Reviewer Qualification Test
  14. Answers (No peeking!)
  15. What Makes A Good Client
  16. Things To Consider When Accepting A New Client And Establishing A Fee Arrangement
  17. Ways To Make Tax Season Better And More Fun For You And Your Staff
  18. Additional Ways To Excite Staff That Are Not During Tax Season
  19. Things To Consider While Training Staff
  20. Staff Development And Growth Checklist
  21. Ways To Evaluate Staff Tax Season Performance
  22. Checklist Of Questions To Ask A Non-Filer Who Wants To File Their Delinquent Returns
  23. Preparing Bills For Tax Returns
  24. Additional Services Checklist For Clients
  25. Sample Listing Of Additional Services To Tax Clients
  26. 50 Ways To Make More Money During Tax Season Including Increasing And Improving Productivity
  27. 21 Top Reasons For Lack of Tax Client Retention
  28. 10 Ways To Stay In Control
  29. Why Should A Client Use You To Prepare Their Tax Return?
  30. Why A Client Should Use You To Prepare Their Tax Return
  31. Advantages Of A CPA Preparing Tax Returns
  32. Tax Department Services
  33. Tax Research Request
  34. Checklist Of Items To Put In Permanent File
  35. Organization Minutes Checklist
  36. Elder Care And Family Bill Paying And Planning Checklist Or For Family Office Services
  37. Ways To Get Additional Tax Clients
  38. Ways To Get Additional Business Clients
  39. Checklist For Change Projects
  40. Preliminary Document Request For A Business Valuation Or For A Consultation Engagement
  41. Financial Planning Engagement
  42. Ira Required Minimum Distribution “Kit.”
  43. Buy Sell Agreement Issues To Consider Checklist
  44. Sample Term Sheet Descriptions For Bank Loan
  45. Checklist For Starting A Business
  46. Checklist Of Services For A Client Buying Or Selling A Business
  47. Questions For Interviewing A Bookkeeper
  48. Controller’s Checklist
  49. Daily Flash Numbers’ Report
  50. Checklist Of Reasons For A CPA Firm Merger Or Acquisition
  51. Credit Card Authorization To Accounting Firm
  52. Sample Tax Notice Service Letter
  53. Bill Accompanying The Tax Notice Service Described In The Letter
  54. Letter To Inform A Client Of A Fee Increase For The Coming Year
  55. Letter To Inform A Client Of A Minimum Fee That Is Higher Than They Should Pay
  56. Post Tax Season Retrospective Checklist
  57. Getting Rid Of Tax Preparation Clutter
  58. Ways To Reduce Tax Preparation Fees
  59. Getting Married: Financial Planning Issues
  60. 18 Reasons For Obtaining Extensions
  61. Obituary Questionnaire
  62. Sample Employment Policies
  63. Year End Dates That May Affect Your Company (Withum Chart Sent To Clients)
  64. Tax Season Readiness: Workflow Checklist (Used With Permission Of Doc.It)
  65. Withum “Dress For Your Day” Manual (Internal Withum Booklet)
  66. Minimum Fee Schedule

   

  About the Author: Edward Mendlowitz

  Partner, WithumSmith+Brown, PC. AICPA designations: PFS, ABV, CFF, CITP, CGMA. One of Accounting Today’s 100 Most Influential People. Author of three tax practice management books published by the AICPA and contributor to AICPA Management of Accounting Practice Handbook. Winner of the Lawler Award for best article published in 2001 in Journal of Accountancy. Article titled: “Nine Ways to Make Your Firm More Exciting and Profitable.” Article in January 2011 Journal of Accountancy was that year’s most viewed article and was titled: “Maximizing Tax Season Efficiency.” Author of 24 professional books including the bestselling How to Review Tax Returns (CPATrendlines.com); author of over 1000 articles and blogs, and developer and presenter of more than 250 continuing education courses and speeches. Has testified twice before House Ways and Means Committee on tax reduction, equity, and reform; admitted to practice before U.S. Tax Court; and was an adjunct MBA instructor for 11 years.