Practice Builder

If you are an enrolled agent (EA) that prepares taxes on a parttime basis, practice management becomes a critical component of your success year after year. Automation and operationalization of your tax work will be key ... Dannie Lynn Fountain, EA

Practice Builder

Introduction The reality of our modern corporate world is that moonlighting is growing at a rate three times faster than the traditional workforce with no signs of slowing down.i Moonli... Dannie Lynn Fountain, EA

Practice Builder

What Are My Ethical Responsibilities When I Use Software to Produce a Tax Plan? In the world of taxes, there are many ethical issues that can come into play. One area that involves judgment and expertise is when it come... Dominique Molina

Practice Builder

Tax preparers and enrolled agents have significant legal exposures. Consider some of the potential claims you might face and how professional liability insurance can help you mitigate them. “Nothing ... Lauren Pitonyak

Practice Builder

When was the last time you updated your marketing message? You may not know how or what to craft into a compelling message. You are a tax professional not a marketer. But you are also a business owner running a business… i... Janel Sykora

Practice Builder

Humans make mistakes – it is a fact. And it is also the one thing that all tax preparers have in common. Transposition errors, excluding important numbers, forgetting to check a box, or duplicating an entry – all of these mistakes are prevalent in the ind... Patrick (Pat) Roberts, CPA

Practice Builder

A tax preparer’s goal should always be to provide excellent service to every client. But going the extra mile will help you create raving fans. A “raving fan,” as developed by Ken Blanchard, is a client who has that “knock your socks off” kind of... Terry M. Judge

Practice Builder

Dentistry. Construction. Real estate. Working with clients in these industry verticals can provide your firm with incremental growth. While these niches are certainly solid areas to explore as you look toward increasing your firm’s profitab... Gaynor Meilke

Practice Builder

Raising awareness around your firm and its offerings should mean more than throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing if it sticks. A strategic public relations (PR) and marketing plan will get you closer to your goal, whether that is recognition... Tanya Amyote

Practice Builder

I presented at Nayo Carter-Gray’s Taking Your Firm Virtual Summit  about finding the best remote talent. My approach to talent is different and I would like to share the highlights of the ideas I presented. Culture Every firm has a unique culture and it influenc... Liz Mason

Practice Builder

I am sure all of you have heard the term “design thinking” – and probably tossed it aside since design thinking could not possibly relate to tax firms, but you would be wrong. Allow me to start at the beginning by defining design thinking, and then offe... Brandy Jordan

Practice Builder

Making the change to work from a home office presents unique challenges for enrolled agents (EAs) and other tax professionals. However, adopting a few key best practices and utilizing the right tools can help you boost productivity, maintain work-life balance, and ensure ... David McKeegan, EA

Practice Builder

Asking clients great questions is central to ruthlessly efficient workflow (REW) management. Great client questions can save hundreds of hours of time during tax season and prevent projects from falling behind schedule. Here is an example of questions done badly. ... Frank Stitely, CPA

Practice Builder

Being a tax professional, you have certain due diligence requirements for the preparation of income tax returns. There are minimum standards that we all must follow. But I believe it is much more than a due diligence when preparing returns. Why, you might ask? I believe that our im... Dawn W. Brolin

Practice Builder

Studying for the Special Enrollment Exam (SEE) can be an extensive process that, for many aspiring enrolled agents (EAs), can take hundreds of hours. Why should you take the exam? Because earning the enrolled agent credential grants you the privilege of representing ta... Lauren Nilssen

Practice Builder

Ready to grow your tax firm? If you are looking to add the lucrative service of tax resolution to your practice, keep reading. The Habit of Daily Marketing To start, you are going to need to create a small piece of 941-specific messaging that answers the cla... Jassen Bowman, EA

Practice Builder

Taxes stress many people. As tax professionals, we end up asking questions which can raise a client’s anxiety level. “Do you have any interest income?” can lead to the answer “If my spouse would stop spending . . .” Looking for an exception to the Form 1099-R early wit... Beth Logan, EA

Practice Builder

A productive firm requires a stable foundation for its internal procedures, employee development, and work tools. Having a well-developed plan will enable your practice to achieve its goals, now and in the future. Respect Your Time (or No One Else Will) The ... Thomas J. Williams, EA

Practice Builder

Although social media sites started over twenty years ago, their role as a communications tool is continually evolving. Many enrolled agents look to social media sites for an opportunity to network with colleagues, seek answers to perplexing issues, and even commiserate ... Trish Evenstad, EA; Melissa Longmuir, EA,

Practice Builder

Many tax professionals may start their career working in a tax office gaining experience while others start out completely on their own. Either way, you may eventually ask yourself the question, “How do I grow my practice?” There is definitely no right, wrong, or easy answer... Twila D. Midwood, EA, NTPI Fellow®