How's business?

[equinecpa]

I'm a little worried. It seems way quieter this year. I know I had a lot of wasted time last year what with software problems in February...maybe this year I'm more efficient. I know some of the simple returns aren't coming...and it seems the deadbeats who haven't yet payed me for last year don't have the nerve to call again...

I have a good backlog but it just unnerves me that the phones are so quiet...(and when they are ringing off the wall I can't stand it either -I guess there is no making me happy!)

Carolyn

[gman]

Breather

I always seem to get a breather ther first week of March. Will have to wait and see how the rest of the season goes.

good luck

[RitaB]

March breather

I always seem to get a breather ther first week of March. Will have to wait and see how the rest of the season goes.

good luck

Yes, I have noticed this, too. Seems to happen every year. I'm absolutely slammed every year from Jan 20 to about March 1, then the little let up in March.

I have not noticed a decline in business this year. One really PITA client that owes me $200 has not shown his face, and I'm really glad. I'll send him another bill AFTER tax season.

[BP.]

I'm a little worried. . . . it just unnerves me that the phones are so quiet

Don't worry . . . now you've got a chance to get a haircut!

I agree the phone has been quiet this past week and a half (typical), but I welcome the time to try and catch up on some of the drop-offs, maybe a bit of sleep, too, so get ready 'cause you know full well, Carolyn, that those phones will get crazy again!

Cheers!
Barb

[taxmandan]

We have the same slowdown at the end of Feb/first of March. This is a more typical tax season for us. The last two seasons were different, stayed busy thru to April 15th with no break. Numbers are in line with previous years though so not too worried.

[taxmom34]

i was thinking the same thing last night. however, i looked at turbo tax community live comments and i am wondering what those people are doing preparing their own tax returns? is it that HRB and others are so overpriced that these people are trying to save some money? is it possible that preparers are driving them to go to turbotax? i still don't get the reasoning that our secretary of treasury used turbotax, he certainly could afford to go to experienced preparer..just thinking out loud.any comments?

[taxmandan]

i was thinking the same thing last night. however, i looked at turbo tax community live comments and i am wondering what those people are doing preparing their own tax returns? is it that HRB and others are so overpriced that these people are trying to save some money? is it possible that preparers are driving them to go to turbotax? i still don't get the reasoning that our secretary of treasury used turbotax, he certainly could afford to go to experienced preparer..just thinking out loud.any comments?

I'm hearing alot of comments that one spouse wants to DIY while the 'tax spouse' wants to come to us and have it done professionally again. Seems to be driven by the need to save money in this economy and one spouse doesn't see the value of our service. I guess it depends on which spouse rules the roost as to how they decide, some come in and others are trying the box.

Remember, Geithner first blamed his accountant for the missed tax, then changed his story and said he used the box. I don't believe him when he says he used the box. I bet his 'accountant' was ready to publicly set the record straight if Geithner didn't stop trying to blame him/her.

[thomtax]

Hrb

I always have a little lull in the first week or so of March. So far this year it is not up, but thankfully is running about even with last year.

On a financial report this morning, it stated that HRB was running behind in returns for the year, but that they were ahead in revenue because they raised prices.

LT

[ChEAr$]

Not surprised

about HRB volume and prices. typical I dare say.

Now about our volume. IRS report just this morning in my email showed about a 19%
increase in self prepared returns so far this year. This is about the same yearly increase
percentage for past several years.

I have not raised fees this year due to our economic troubles affecting clients. However my average is up a bit due to fewer simple returns.

[Roberts]

My volume is up slightly but I'm a low volume guy so it isn't so relevant.

One thing I did notice this year more than previous years. The cheaper the advertisement, the more I get from it. Every year I run a classified ad in my suburban / town newspaper and it always produces. This year I've already doubled what I attained in references any other year.

[Uncle]

Yes, I have noticed this, too. Seems to happen every year. I'm absolutely slammed every year from Jan 20 to about March 1, then the little let up in March.

I have not noticed a decline in business this year. One really PITA client that owes me $200 has not shown his face, and I'm really glad. I'll send him another bill AFTER tax season.

One of the local Jackson Hewitt offices is now advertising a "flat rate" of 129.95 for ANY tax return. Multiple Es, Cs, Fs, no matter. I have started to refer all my deadbeats and PIAs to them.

[BOB W]

I brought this same topic last year on this board and I ended up on the year slightly under 2006's volumn. My guess is that I will be slightly under 2007's volumn. But in each year I collected more income.

I use this down time to catch up on my business clients so nothing gets waisted.

[dustoffgirl]

Us too

Our office is down a few clients but not enough to worry about. We always have a slower March and being in California noone seems to care when they file this year. I kinda like our March break.

[taxxcpa]

Haircut

Don't worry . . . now you've got a chance to get a haircut!

I agree the phone has been quiet this past week and a half (typical), but I welcome the time to try and catch up on some of the drop-offs, maybe a bit of sleep, too, so get ready 'cause you know full well, Carolyn, that those phones will get crazy again!

Cheers!
Barb

I took off today to get a haircut. My barber still hasn't brought me his tax info.

[ChEAr$]

time warp?

I brought this same topic last year on this board and I ended up on the year slightly under 2006's volumn. My guess is that I will be slightly under 2007's volumn. But in each year I collected more income.

I use this down time to catch up on my business clients so nothing gets waisted.

Pray tell, what happened to 2008? After all, this is 2009 already.