tax season checklists: new for 2024

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 in word format, they can be reformatted and customized to suit a particular practice.

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.

the complete checklist of checklists

the checklists are in no particular order, but i tried to group them as much as possible. the checklist numbers do not appear on the checklists, and i did not number the pages. this word® file is set up so you can copy and adapt the checklists as you see fit. you do not need to credit me unless you use the checklists externally from your office. – ed mendlowitz

general issues and posters for your office

1. key for a successful tax season (can be posted on your wall)
2. accounting firm busine$$ model (can be posted)
3. advantages of tax season (chart can be reproduced and distributed to staff or posted)
4. three questions to ask regarding quality of work performed or to be performed
5. goals of tax season
6. choose a best practice for your tax season
7. 10 ways to stay in control
8. 50 ways to make more money during tax season, including increasing and improving productivity

tax return preparation and review checklist      

9. preparer’s work process and procedures checklist
10. reviewer’s procedural checklist for individual tax returns
11. reviewer’s procedural checklist for business tax returns
12. ed’s suggested review method [new!]
13. 19 ways to stop wasting reviewer time [new!]
14. reviewer’s review notes
15. tax season follow-up form
16. reviewer’s pre-review of complicated transactions
17. purpose of tax comparison worksheets
18. easing tax season workload compression checklist
19. top 12 tax return preparation errors
20. checklist of 46 tax filing errors clients should avoid
21. reviewer qualification test
22. answers
23. tax research request
24. 20 reasons for obtaining extensions
25. training a new tax specialist
26. artificial intelligence getting started checklist

tax client relations and services

27. top 10 client pet peeves
28. what makes a good client
29. for clients: how to make your tax return easier to do & reduce tax preparation fees
30. things to consider when accepting a new client and establishing a fee arrangement
31. additional services checklist for clients
32. sample listing of additional services for tax clients
33. subscription model suite of services to business clients [new!]
34. tax department services
35. sample: tax notice service letter
36. bill accompanying the tax notice service described in the letter
37. preparing bills for tax returns
38. letter to inform a client of a fee increase for the coming year
39. letter to inform a client of a minimum fee that is higher than they should pay
40. ways to get additional tax clients
41. ways to get additional business clients
42. action choices when a client is introduced to an essential extra service
43. 1/20th tax client marketing rule [new!]
44. 21 reasons for lack of tax client retention
45. why should a client use you to prepare their tax return?
46. why a client should use you to prepare their tax return?
47. advantages of a cpa preparing tax returns
48. checklist of questions to ask a non-filer who wants to file their delinquent returns
49. anything less than a 10 is an f [new!]
50. preparing for a client meeting [new!]

post tax season retrospective

51. post tax season retrospective checklist
52. client service survey cover letter [new!]
53. survey for tax clients [new!]
54. survey for business clients [new!]
55. getting rid of tax preparation clutter

staff management

56. advice to a beginner every tax preparer
57. ways to make tax season better and more fun for you and your staff
58. additional ways to excite staff that are not during tax season
59. things to consider while training staff
60. staff development and growth checklist
61. 16 ways to increase productivity [new!]
62. staff career management [new!]
63. staff shadowing benefits [new!]
64. ways to evaluate staff tax season performance
65. checklist of key attributes to use to evaluate staff performance [new!]
66. 5-point staff evaluation [new!]
67. best practices for training and retaining staff [new!]
68. deciding who to let go
69. common attributes of staff at any level [new!]
70. instructor review process  [new!]
71. tips to be a better place to work and a better boss to work for  [new!]
72. what staff need or want [new!]
73. what you do not want in staff [new!]
74. 30:30 training method crib sheet

controllership and attest work

75. controller’s checklist
76. cfo responsibility checklist
77. questions for interviewing a bookkeeper
78. responsibilities of an in-house bookkeeper
79. ruben’s a.u.d.i.t. acronym
80. for staff: what you should do before starting to work on an audit
81. for staff: what you should do when you finish working on an audit
82. initial audit planning for non-managerial staff
83. questions to ask a client that wants a first audit
84. factors to consider when estimating the cost of a review report
85. checklist for establishing a fixed price
86. sample term sheet descriptions for bank loan

bankruptcy

87. services an accountant can perform to assist financially troubled clients or clients that have financially troubled customers
88. informal arrangement in lieu of a chapter 11 filing
89. protecting a client from a customer planning a bankruptcy

succession planning

90. needed for every succession plan
91. 30 ways to transfer ownership to a successor

business valuation

92. 50 reasons for a business appraisal
93. 64 ways to increase and enhance the value of a business
94. preliminary document request for a business valuation or a consultation engagement

mergers and acquisitions services for clients

95. task list for when a client wants to sell their business
96. task list for when a client wants to buy a business
97. reasons for an owner to want to sell

financial planning and investment management

98. financial planning engagement document request
99. initial financial (and/or estate) planning meeting checklist
100. reasons for pursuing a life settlement checklist
101. why a current will is necessary and how to get started
102. getting married financial planning issues checklist
103. prenuptial agreement checklist
104. changing state of residence checklist
105. ed’s stock market investing beliefs (a “how to invest” summary)
106. 10 investing watch-outs
107. 15 investing axioms
108. how to be your own financial planner
109. a client’s personal investing vision and mission statements
110. questions a client should ask their financial advisor
111. investment policy statement template
112. family budget worksheet
113. elder care and family bill paying and planning checklist or for family office services
114. getting started as an executor checklist [new!]

entrepreneurship

115. buy-sell agreement issues to consider checklist
116. starting a business checklist
117. setting up an office checklist
118. preparing a business plan checklist
119. checklist for preparing financial projections for a business plan
120. not-for-profit board member responsibility checklist of tips
121. “absentee” owner technique and checklist
122. daily flash numbers report (3 versions)
123. 40 concerns of business owners
124. 25 benjamin franklin maxims

managing an accounting practice

125. annual practice management & growth calendar
126. swot analysis
127. checklist of reasons for a cpa firm merger or acquisition
128. what to have available for cpa firm merger exploratory meeting [new!]
129. sample fact sheet for a sale or continuation agreement of a public accounting practice [new!]
130. letter between partners if a simultaneous death. to be used if it is not covered in the partnership agreement [new!]
131. critical issues in running an accounting firm checklist
132. partner or owner non-chargeable activities [new!]
133. owner and partner self-coaching and self-mentoring [new!]
134. what happens to your practice when you die [new!]
135. administrative functions in an accoutning practice [new!]
136. seven ego builders to avoid [new!]
137. 12 tips to increase billing and collections
138. preparing a proposal checklist [new!]
139. pricing a fixed price assignment tips [new!]
140. scoping out a fixed price engagement [new!]
141. quoting on an engagement: things to consider [new!]
142. credit card authorization worksheet
143. sample employment policies checklist
144. letter to someone you interviewed and did not hire (sample) [new!]
145. letter of reference [new!]
146. checklist of items to put in permanent file
147. organization minutes checklist [new!]
148. running a meeting checklist
149. checklist for change projects
150. why am i talking?
151. books to boost your practice
152. top 10 all-time leadership and management books
153. what you need to succeed [new!]
154. what clients pay us for [new!]
155. value-added benefits of your services[new!]

bonus: client aids [new!]

156. tax receipt letter provided by a charity for a charitable contribution [new!]
157. motion to nfp board of directors to accept restricted contribution [new!]
158. fact sheet for a client selling a business [new!]

personal checklists

159. autocorrect shortcuts
160. benjamin franklin’s top 15 items to take on a cruise
161. checklist for traveling
162. things to pack for a trip
163. checklist for golf
164. checklist for card game
165. card game rules
166. bbq checklist
167. framing and attending virtual meetings
168. reading a speech checklist [new!]
169. checklist for using outsourced art services
170. 10 do not’s
171. personal risk management checklist [new!]
172. relationships mostly never end well protective checklist [new!]
173. how to create a favorable impression when negotiating [new!]
174. things to do to start the year on a high note
175. start the new year without clutter
176. tax and other financial records you should keep forever —and those you should toss
177. sustainability – 12 easy things you can do
178. ed’s “k” rules

bonus: getting your affairs in order – tool kit

this is a separate file i provide to clients, and i included it here for my colleagues.

• 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 – crummey letter
• worksheet 16 – letter to give a gift of marketable securities to a child or grandchild or anyone else
• worksheet 17 – pensions and annuities
• worksheet 18 – financial obligations
• worksheet 19 – passwords
• worksheet 20 – escheat or unclaimed funds request forms
• worksheet 21 – warning letter to ira beneficiaries
• worksheet 22 – how to protect your children against identity theft
• worksheet 23 – 10 non-tax reasons for estate planning
• worksheet 24 – forms of ownership
• worksheet 25 – managing other people’s money
• worksheet 26 – how to give to charity from your ira (and avoid taxes)
• worksheet 27 – what you should tell your family about your will

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