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Ten Tax Season Tips for Preparers from CCH

Ten ballWith accountants ready to enter the busiest part of busy season, it's always good to check your oil and air, so to speak, to make sure the vehicle is ready to run the distance. Some of these involve technology and disaster planning, other process and people issues that can make the tax preparation process a lot less painful.

1.  Improve your office's efficiency by taking advantage of paperless 1040 workpaper and return auto-population technology within your existing workflow.

2.  Make sure your software vendor is offering support hours and options such as online knowledge base, Web tickets, real-time chat with support reps, and dialing a support rep in the U.S., that are  available during your work schedule.

3.  Give your PCs a check up to make sure everyone in the office is on the latest version of tax software.

4. Check the supply closet for extra copy paper and ink for printing client letters, invoices, and returns.

5. Have your disaster recovery plan in place just in case the weather takes a turn for the worse and throws an unexpected ice/snow storm, power outage, or flood.

6.  If you use someone outside your office to handle your IT needs, make a quick call to verify they are available 24/7 during tax season and get extra contact numbers.

7.  Clean out your e-mail box so all emails go out to clients when you need them to without getting stuck in your out box.

8.  Consider temporarily outsourcing tax prep with CCH to alleviate unexpected resource limitations.

9.  Take time for your family and yourself.  Between the 80-plus work weeks during tax season and impatient clients, find time to set aside for yourself, your family, and your friends.

10. Reduce stress in the office by being considerate and saying thank you. Recognize when staff members have put in extra hours and praise them for their effort. When people feel involved and appreciated, they typically want to give a little extra and are excited to go that extra mile to get the job done.
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