Busy Season Barometer

Busy Season Barometer Stats: Who’s Responding and How They’re Doing

By

blue pencil marking survey

How does your practice compare?

By CPA Trendlines Research

The 2025 CPA Trendlines Busy Season Barometer survey has been gathering data from hundreds of accountants and tax practitioners across the country. Here are some of the stats on who’s responding and how they’re doing this year.

MORE Barometer: Your Colleagues Give Their Best Advice for Clients | Pro Services, Tech and Mining Sectors Most Likely to Thrive | Accountants See a Host of Woes for Businesses | Top Three Issues for Business: Tariffs, Taxes and Inflation | Accountants Reporting a Pretty Good Year | Concerns Take Curious Shifts as Tax Season Closes | Tax Season Faceplant: Accountants Overrun by Late Chaos | Accountants Turn Negative Amid Tariffs, Trade, Uncertainty | What CPA Firms Could Do Better | SURVEY: Which Client Industries Will Grow This Year | Tax Preparers Share Advice for Your Clients | Staffing, Tech, Prices Top Tax Pros’ Concerns | Tax Pros Gear Up for a Better Busy Season | Tax Season 2025 Begins. Ready or Not.
GoProCPA.comExclusively for PRO Members. Log in here or upgrade to PRO today.

 

Small firms prevail.

  • 24 percent are sole practitioners.
  • 42 percent have 2-10 people in the firm.
  • 17 percent have 11-25 people.

READ MORE →

Concerns Take Curious Shifts as Tax Season Closes

By

Businessman with laptop and papers

Some worries grew unexpectedly worse.

By CPA Trendlines Research

Back in the couple of months preceding the tax season, preparers were expressing three main concerns:

  • 51 percent were nervous about late or unprepared clients.
  • 45 percent were cringing at the thought of dealing with the IRS.
  • 40 percent felt the pressure of staff shortages.

MORE Barometer: Tax Season Faceplant: Accountants Overrun by Late Chaos | Accountants Turn Negative Amid Tariffs, Trade, Uncertainty | What CPA Firms Could Do Better | SURVEY: Which Client Industries Will Grow This Year | Tax Preparers Share Advice for Your Clients | Staffing, Tech, Prices Top Tax Pros’ Concerns | Tax Pros Gear Up for a Better Busy Season | Tax Season 2025 Begins. Ready or Not.
GoProCPA.comExclusively for PRO Members. Log in here or upgrade to PRO today.

 

The numbers come from the CPA Trendlines Busy Season Barometer, which launched its nationwide survey just after Thanksgiving.

As the season wore on, more respondents contributed their perceptions and opinions, and the Barometer started picking up a curious shift. As the end of the season approached,
READ MORE →