Reviewing tax returns is a key part of tax preparation. It also is an area vulnerable to major bottlenecks and backlogs. Part of the problem is that there is no information or training specifically for reviewers... until now. Inevitably, firms have more preparers than reviewers. The latter are highly skilled professionals who are more difficult to train or find. Therefore, you must consider ways to reduce review time, even at the expense of adding preparer time. This book discusses methods to reduce review time, establishes who should do the review, distinguishes between content and issues reviews, identifies specific items for the reviewers to check, and offers administrative procedures to facilitate the review process. Reviewers are not born complete and ready to go, they are developed. The problem with many firms is that they take a reasonably good tax return preparer, with above average tax knowledge and they make them a reviewer, either on purpose or by default. In many firms a partner doubles as a reviewer. In some cases this partner does not even have reasonable tax knowledge, but they do the job because it needs to get done. This is not acceptable and does not assure a good product. There is a need and hunger for information on how to more effectively review returns, and this book is the response. Read the book, reread sections, use it as a reference source. Make your review process more effective. - from the Introduction

Book Description: Guide to Start and Grow Your Successful Tax BusinessThe mission of this book is to provide valuable information and guidance to help the reader start, operate and grow a successful income tax preparation business. While managing hundreds of tax offices throughout the past four decades, author Chuck McCabe, has mentored numerous people who aspired to become independent tax business owners and empowered them to achieve success in this rewarding profession. The book includes the following chapters1.Learning Tax Preparation & Obtaining Credentials2.Developing a Business Plan3.Risk Management4.Getting Started as a Tax Business Owner5.Establishing Your Tax Office6.Tax Office Operating Systems7.Buying a Tax Practice8.Marketing Planning9.Pricing Your Services10.Mass Media Advertising 11.Digital Marketing12.Your Website13.Social Media Marketing14.Neighborhood Marketing15.Client Retention Strategies16.Recruiting & Training Tax Preparers17.Employee Pre-work Training18.Motivating & Retaining Employees19.Continuing Education (CE)20.Diversification for Year-round Revenue21.IRS Circular 230, Due Diligence22.Peer Support & Tax Professional Associations23.Helping Your Client Deal with the IRSAccounting Today has recognized the author for multiple years in their ¿Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting.¿ Their foundation for this recognition is: ¿As a veteran in the tax preparation industry, McCabe had the vision to offer support to other tax business owners who opt to remain independent by providing them with tax education and business skills so they can be successful on their own.¿ In addition, to facilitate peer support, in 2009, Chuck founded the LinkedIn group, Tax Business Owners of America, that now has nearly 9,000 membersChuck McCabe and his team at The Income Tax School (ITS) are committed to serve and support independent tax business owners. The ITS website www.TheIncomeTaxSchool.com, provides valuable resources, many at no charge, to support tax business entrepreneurs. This book will enable small business entrepreneurs to adopt proven best practices comparable to those used by the national tax firms. - Their goal is to ensure the success of independent tax business owners.

Contains extensive coverage of the tax issues faced by all types of contractors, including large and small contractors, homebuilders, and other specialty trades, provides you with the clear, concise guidance you need to expertly address your tax issues.

Is tax season at your firm a head-long scramble to the finish line? Do you want to start your next tax season with a system that reflects thoughtful planning and training? Get fresh insight into tax preparation—and very likely result in significant improvements to your current system. You will learn to analyze your existing tax season system and target problems so that work will be more efficient, errors will decrease, and personnel, including you, will feel less stressed. Most importantly, a well-run tax season will make your clients happier and more loyal. Every firm has a tax season system, whether documented or not. Tax season management expert Edward Mendlowitz shares specific ideas for improving each aspect of your system, including how to Staff creatively with seasonal staff, interns, and by outsourcing Maximize the effectivness of the tax organizers you send to clients Communicate effectively with clients about the value of your service Use pre-year-end planning to develop tax and financial planning opportunities Empower your preparers to do more return work Make reviews run smoothly Conduct a post-tax season assessment of your process Bill for the real value of your return preparation—and even increase your fees Numerous sample checklists, letters, charts, and Excel tax comparison worksheets will help you implement this guidance in your next tax season. Having a world-class tax department is possible for every firm, and this resource will help you make that goal a reality. Topics Discussed: Improving tax season system Tax return preparation processes Managing seasonality issues Staffing solutions Getting the most out of technology Year-end planning for tax clients Staff tax training program Assignment scheduling Client appointments Preparation and review Billing Determining fees E-filing Extensions Tax auditsClient satisfaction, retention and referrals