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2020 BONUS: The Getting-Your-Affairs-in-Order Toolkit
More than 40 tax seasons distilled into over 100 essential tools, tips & techniques
By Edward Mendlowitz, CPA, ABV, PFS
– Practice-proven, easy-to-use checklists.
– More than 260 pages of list after list.
– Thousands of important items, street-smart insights, and not-to-be-overlooked details.
Purchase and Download Instantly.
You’ll get two files: The printable PDF ebook, PLUS the customizable Word.doc.
(Look for the links at checkout and in your email confirmation.)
$199.95 $149.97

About the Tax Season Checklists
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.
The Word® file is set up so you can copy and paste the checklists and adapt as you see fit. Any checklist can be accessed by searching this document using any keyword.
– Edward Mendlowitz, CPA
The Complete Checklist of Checklists
General Issues and Posters for Your Office
- Key for a Successful Tax Season – Can Be Posted on Your Wall
- Accounting Firm Busine$$ Model – Can Be Posted
- Advantages of Tax Season – Chart Can Be Reproduced and Distributed to Staff or Posted
- Three Questions to Ask Regarding Quality of Work Performed or to Be Performed
- Goals of Tax Season
- 10 Ways to Stay in Control
- 50 Ways to Make More Money During Tax Season Including Increasing and Improving Productivity
Tax Return Preparation and Review Checklist
- Preparer’s Work Process and Procedures Checklist
- Reviewer’s Procedural Checklist for Individual Tax Returns
- Reviewer’s Procedural Checklist for Business Tax Returns
- Reviewer’s Review Notes
- Tax Season Follow Up Form
- Reviewer’s Pre-Review of Complicated Transactions
- Easing Tax Season Workload Compression Checklist
- Top 12 Tax Return Preparation Errors
- Checklist of 46 Tax Filing Errors Clients Should Avoid
- Reviewer Qualification Test
- Answers
- Tax Research Request
- 20 Reasons for Obtaining Extensions
Client Relations, Services, and Billing
- Top 10 Client Pet Peeves
- What Makes a Good Client
- How to Make Your Tax Return Easier to Do
- Things to Consider When Accepting a New Client and Establishing a Fee Arrangement
- Preparing Bills for Tax Returns
- Additional Services Checklist for Clients
- Sample Listing of Additional Services for Tax Clients
- Tax Department Services
- Sample Tax Notice Service Letter
- Bill Accompanying the Tax Notice Service Described in the Letter
- Ways to Reduce Tax Preparation Fees
- Letter to Inform a Client of a Fee Increase for the Coming Year
- Letter to Inform a Client of a Minimum Fee That Is Higher Than They Should Pay
- Ways to Get Additional Tax Clients
- Ways to Get Additional Business Clients
- 21 Reasons for Lack of Tax Client Retention
- Why Should a Client Use You to Prepare Their Tax Return?
- Why a Client Should Use You to Prepare Their Tax Return
- Advantages of a CPA Preparing Tax Returns
- Checklist of Questions to Ask a Non-Filer Who Wants to File Their Delinquent Returns
Post Tax Season Retrospective
- Post Tax Season Retrospective Checklist
- Getting Rid of Tax Preparation Clutter
Staff Management
- Ways to Make Tax Season Better and More Fun for You and Your Staff
- Additional Ways to Excite Staff That Are Not During Tax Season
- Things to Consider While Training Staff
- Staff Development and Growth Checklist
- Ways to Evaluate Staff Tax Season Performance
- 30:30 Training Method Crib Sheet
Controllership
- Controller’s Checklist
- Questions for Interviewing a Bookkeeper
- Sample Term Sheet Descriptions for Bank Loan
Succession Planning
- Needed for Every Succession Plan
- 30 Ways to Transfer Ownership to a Successor
Business Valuation
- 50 Reasons for a Business Appraisal
- Preliminary Document Request for a Business Valuation or for a Consultation Engagement
Financial Planning and Investment Management
- Financial Planning Engagement Document Request
- Reasons for Pursuing a Life Settlement Checklist
- Getting Married Financial Planning Issues Checklist
- Prenuptial Agreement Checklist
- Tax Issues When Changing Your State of Residence Checklist
- Ed’s Stock Market Investing Beliefs (A “How to Invest” Summary)
- 10 Investing Watch-Outs
- 15 Investing Axioms
- How to Be Your Own Financial Planner
- Questions a Client Should Ask Their Financial Advisor Checklist
- Investment Policy Statement Template
- Family Budget Worksheet
- Elder Care and Family Bill Paying and Planning Checklist or for Family Office Services
Entrepreneurship
- Buy-Sell Agreement Issues to Consider Checklist
- Checklist for Starting a Business
- Preparing a Business Plan Checklist
- Swot Analysis Checklist
- Checklist of Services for a Client Buying or Selling a Business
- Task List for When a Client Wants to Sell Their Business
- Not-For-Profit Board Member Responsibility Checklist of Tips
- “Absentee” Owner Technique and Checklist
- Daily Flash Numbers’ Report (3 Versions)
- 40 Concerns of Business Owners
Managing an Accounting Practice
- Checklist of Reasons for a CPA Firm Merger or Acquisition
- Critical Issues in Running an Accounting Firm Checklist
- Credit Card Authorization Worksheet
- Sample Employment Policies Checklist
- Checklist of Items to Put in Permanent File
- Organization Minutes Checklist
- Running a Meeting Checklist
- Checklist for Change Projects
- Factors to Consider When Estimating the Cost of a Review Report
- Books to Boost Your Practice
Personal Checklists
- Checklist for Traveling
- Things to Pack for a Trip
- Checklist for Golf
- 10 Do Nots
- Things to Do to Start the Year on a High Note
- Start the New Year Without Clutter
- Tax and Other Financial Records You Should Keep Forever —And Those You Should Toss
- Sustainability – 12 Easy Things You Can Do
BONUS: The Getting-Your-Affairs-in-Order Toolkit
Worksheet 1 – Checklist of Estate Planning Things to Do
Worksheet 2 – People to Call About My Death or Permanent Disability
Worksheet 3 – Designation Sheet
Worksheet 4 – People to Include in Will or Trust
Worksheet 5 – Specific Bequests
Worksheet 6 – Obituary Questionnaire
Worksheet 7 – Checklist to Prepare for the Death of a Spouse or Partner or a Close Person You Would Be Responsible for Handling Their Affairs
Worksheet 8 – Important Papers Listing and Checklist Short Form
Worksheet 9 – Important Papers Listing and Checklist Long Form With Space for Complete Details
Worksheet 10 – Balance Sheet
Worksheet 11 – Cash Flow and Income
Worksheet 12 – Estimated Assets to Be Included in Estate and Potential Distribution to Beneficiaries
Worksheet 13 – Terms of Trusts
Worksheet 14 – Life Insurance
Worksheet 15 – Pensions and Annuities
Worksheet 16 – Financial Obligations
Worksheet 17 – Passwords
Worksheet 18. – Escheat or Unclaimed Funds Request Forms
Worksheet 19 – Warning Letter to Ira Beneficiaries
Worksheet 20 – How to Protect Your Children Against Identity Theft
Worksheet 21 – 10 Non-Tax Reasons for Estate Planning
Worksheet 22 – Forms of Ownership
Worksheet 23 – Managing Other People’s Money
Worksheet 24 – How to Give to Charity from Your IRA (And Avoid Taxes)
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, use, and have a great tax season!
– Edward Mendlowitz, CPA
Tax Season Checklists: The 2020 Update
$199.95 $149.97
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