Are you a Lone Ranger?

[Possi]

I was wondering if you work alone, and how many tax returns you do... I'd like to see where I am in the bigger picture. It's hard to challenge myself when I don't have any comparisons.

I work absolutely alone, except for YOU, my extended office

Last year I did 389 ALL YEAR LONG.

This year, I'm hoping to do 400, but my numbers are down so far. Still, I'm shooting for it!

[Gretel]

.
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain..."

I really like this quote. Life is much more fun like this. That applies to our dealings with our clients too.

Sorry, not what you were asking for. I am by myself too, but too embarrassed to share my numbers.

[JohnH]

Does this answer your question?

[Possi]

No need to...

... no need to reveal numbers.. I didn't mean to pry... just curious.

If someone out there is a lone ranger and doing 1000 returns, I'll know I've got a long way to go!

[Possi]

why yes it does!

You lookin FINE! hahaha

[JohnH]

On the way to the office:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCO6smQrjJ8&feature=fvw

And here's another.
Either during an audit negotiation or trying to collect my fee from a delinquent client - can't remember which.
(I thought the left foot behind his ear was a nice move)

[Possi]

Oh yeah...

Here's another.
Either during an audit negotiation or trying to collect my fee from a delinquent client - can't remember which.
(I thought the left foot behind his ear was a nice move)

You are collecting a fee, I can tell.... I've seen that client!

[BHoffman]

I work all by myself from my home.

I only prepare around 200 returns, about 35 of those are business returns. Tax work is about 35% of my total income, the rest comes from financial statement stuff. I purposely went for fewer high dollar returns instead of many short returns because it's more interesting and I think better time/money overall.

Sure miss working in a firm sometimes. That fancy equipment, never running out of office supplies, handing work to an admin asst. for copying and assembling, leaving it to the partners to meet with the clients, paid benefits and vacations.....ah, the good ol' days.

But the hours were brutal. The pay wasn't bad, but I had to put in 40 hours a week whether there was anything to do or not during the off season. And they did not let me work in my jammies.

Before I found forums like this, I was very lonely and missed the fun of having co-workers and especially the help from being able to kick ideas around and ask questions.

[spencer]

No way any loner could do 1000 returns. Would take a

fleet of secretaries. I think 400 is ample if you have no support staff.

... no need to reveal numbers.. I didn't mean to pry... just curious.

If someone out there is a lone ranger and doing 1000 returns, I'll know I've got a long way to go!
.

[BOB W]

I use to do 525 returns by myself and 80 entity return also. Over the last 4 years I have intensionally slowed my business down. I use to worked to 2-3 AM and worked 7 days a week.

Last year I did 435 and 70 entity returns. I started at 9AM and worked to 10PM.

This year I am working the same hours as last year and will probably do just under 400 returns and 60 entity returns.

It is always nice to do as many as I can but I am not going to put in all those hours as when I was younger. With fee increases, across the board, I am only down 10% in revenue with profits close to last year.

If you are young and full of spunk, go for "client count". Not for me anymore. I am in for the quality of the client (Fees vs Work).

[taxmandan]

I was wondering if you work alone, and how many tax returns you do... I'd like to see where I am in the bigger picture. It's hard to challenge myself when I don't have any comparisons.

I work absolutely alone, except for YOU, my extended office

Last year I did 389 ALL YEAR LONG.

This year, I'm hoping to do 400, but my numbers are down so far. Still, I'm shooting for it!

My wife joined me in the office 4 years ago so no longer a Lone Ranger. You are right at the upper limit of a solo practitioner work load, 400-450 is about max for most people. I do know one lady who does ~700 each year, 4 per day, from Feb 1 - Oct 15th. all by appointment and she goes to the clients home or office to do the work. A very nice set-up in my mind, no office expenses, she carries a laptop and portable printer.

[Burke]

When the numbers become more important, I believe the accuracy and thoroughness of attention to the one return at hand and the client's overall tax situation become secondary. And it ceases to be fun, which is why I am in this business. I actually do love it. And I do about 200 returns a year, concentrated mainly from Feb 1 to May 1. Work every day of tax season. I recently discontinued all corporate and payroll clients just to free up my time and obligations after that date, and concentrate more on estates and trusts. Try to get all extensions done by June 1. Of course, if it is your main livelihood, I realize you cannot do this. I find I have to turn down clients to keep it under control. I surely don't have to go out and beat the bushes for new ones.

[RitaB]

Agree with that

fleet of secretaries. I think 400 is ample if you have no support staff.

Last year I did 455 personal and 24 entities. About 75 of those were after April 15. I do year round bookkeeping, so that's too many for ME. I mean, it would not be too bad if I didn't have other obligations.

I fired about 45 PITA clients back in the summer, and I don't miss them. At all.

For some reason, I have taken on about 10 new clients. I DON'T KNOW WHY.

I do know that the less you need clients, the more they want YOU. I used to be unable to say "no" and undercharged to attract business. You know what I got? Those 45 PITA clients that I fired...

[Possi]

I'm not out there looking...

I"m not marketing like I did when I first started. And I don't take every person that calls me. I had one call last week, a client referred her to me... She has a small business and had her 08 return prepared but never filed it. Turns out, she still owes that tax preparer money and hasn't picked up her return. Oh yeah, I want THAT client. NOT. I told her to pay the lady and take care of business.

I agree with the quality of the return and not the quantity as well, but I am a numbers kind of person when goal setting, so that's why I asked.

I do truly love what I do. My clients are wonderful. I have maybe 5 PITA's that I put up with because they are family of VERY good clients.

So, I feel better after hearing from y'all. I'm where I need to be. This is my main income, but I do private duty nursing in the off season. They both feed my wallet and my spirit!

And with this board, I don't feel isolated, like I'm swingin' without a net. Love this "office!"

[Lion]

Less than 100

I prepare way less than 100 returns, multiple states, trusts, some businesses, a couple of fiscal year nonprofits. Bookkeeping for a few plus the fiscal year returns and putting people on extension starting now lets me spread out the work over the year and bring in more money than I could make just during tax season. Work from home, so no walk-ins; clients have to be continuing or referred by a client or someone I know. Two cousins came at 9 a.m. this morning and left after 2 p.m. One had retired last year and the other will this year, so we had to compute what to have withheld from their pensions, and bought a car and new furnace and other home improvements and thinking of starting a business after retirement and.... And, they don't commute to NYC or have a trust fund or a lot of stock sales like many of my clients. I provide service and not just a tax return. I probably need to increase my fees to account for the long appointments and often research on issues. Each of my returns keeps growing; no one's financial life gets simpler. The couple that moved to MA but keep sending me their stuff now have a C-corp, too. The young man with the trust and investment-heavy personal return is now the tax matters person for an irrevocable trust his parents funded with a rental house in VT and asked me to prepare that trust also. I don't want more clients.