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Insurance offered through OnPay Insurance Agency, LLC (CA License #0L29422)
Updated: March 21, 2023
Most CPAs and accountants start out the new year with set plans and goals — both personal and professional. But no matter how well you prepare, there are bound to be some unexpected twists and turns along the way. Your goals, priorities, and even the people you work with can change in the blink of an eye — it’s a fact of life.
That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t still plan where we can for the year ahead.
Planning is an awareness-generating process that helps you to identify your goals, resources, and potential roadblocks so you’ll be as prepared as you can. Even if circumstances veer a bit off course, a little pre-planning will put you in a better position to roll with the punches, stay agile, and quickly get everything back on track.
With that in mind, here are eight ways to prepare your firm — and clients — for a successful year ahead.
Tax laws, accounting, and auditing standards, and deadlines are constantly changing, and clients count on you to stay up to speed — and a step ahead — of updates. In fact, an OnPay survey found that more than 50 percent of small businesses expect their accountant to help them stay up-to-date with changes to tax laws. The good news is that there are tools you can use to keep informed about updates in real-time and within a few mouse clicks.
Many state societies release annual year-end updates, either in-person or online. Subscribing to newsletters, magazines, and podcasts can also provide actionable information you can share with clients. Here are some excellent resources to consider subscribing to:
As you tap into these resources, take note of any tax savings or planning best practices that can add value for your clients and their business. It can help you build credibility, earn trust, and create new revenue opportunities for your firm.
Speaking of learning, how many CPE classes did you have to cram into the last few months of the year? Instead of feeling like you’re drinking from a firehose next December, why not get ahead of the game and mark next year’s CPE opportunities on the calendar now?
First, block out the big conferences you plan to attend, such as AICPA Engage, QuickBooks Connect, and Xerocon. You can usually get a big chunk of your CPE requirements out of the way at these events. Then you can fill in the rest of your calendar with webinars, local seminars, and Earmark courses without feeling the strain of the annual deadline.
Depending on where you practice, you need to renew your CPA license every one to three years. The renewal process is different in each state and jurisdiction, so make sure you know when your license expires and what you’ll need to renew it.
For example, in odd-numbered years (such as 2015 and 2017), the renewal window in Delaware is between July 1 and June 30. However, the state of Oregon takes a different approach: renewal takes place in odd-numbered years if your license number is odd and even-numbered years if your license number is even. So it’s a good idea to keep ahead of your state’s deadlines.
When you go to renew your CPA license, many states will require a combination of ethics hours, an application, a renewal fee, and proof that you’ve completed the required CPE for the year.
Additionally, if you prepare federal income tax returns, you’ll also need to renew your Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN). Here are the dates to remember:
Check your email for the renewal reminder, or visit the Tax Professionals page at IRS.gov.
Chances are, your small business clients think of you as more than just someone who helps keep their books in order or files their tax returns on time. In fact, 53 percent of small business owners polled by OnPay consider their accountant to be a trusted advisor.
The start of a new year is a perfect opportunity to proactively nurture and check in on these client relationships (and chances are they’ll be delighted to hear from you.) For example, you could:
These actions help clients see you as someone who is on top of business trends and is proactive in advising them.
Did you know that only 30 percent of small business owners use an accountant? The takeaway is you have plenty of opportunities to attract new prospects and grow your client base in the coming year. So take the time to get your marketing strategy together. Here are some elements to consider:
If coming up with blog ideas takes too much time, it’s free to try tools such as Alsoasked to find out what questions people are typing into search engines. For example, it can help you identify topics (and key phrases) small businesses are researching around accounting, and then you can write articles based on them or add them to your content calendar.
Adding value-added services to your existing practice offerings is an efficient way to better serve (and stay in front of) existing clients while growing your revenues.
The types of services you offer will depend on the focus and strengths of your firm but might include:
Automating tasks and streamlining your workflow leads to smoother operations, time-savings, and more capacity for those value-added services mentioned above.
Look at your existing technology stack and workflows and see if you can automate any steps. If you’re not sure where to start, here are a couple of common to-dos that can benefit from automation.
No frills file sharing
How often are you searching through your inbox to dig up files that customers have emailed you? While email certainly has a time and place, receiving client documents this way can be cumbersome and time-consuming, especially when having to search for a year’s worth of files. Cloud-based file-sharing tools such as Dropbox or Filecloud simplify the process — and allow customers to drag and drop files in seconds. The takeaway is it won’t feel like you need a map to find files when completing client work.
Calendar sharing for client appointments
As tax time rolls around, clients will likely be clamoring to book time on your schedule. Instead of the mind-bending back and forth of email threads, there are many calendar apps that allow your clients to view the times you have available — and book them without help — from their phone or computer. Calendly and Zoho books appear toward the top of many annual round-ups.
OnPay is very easy to use. As a CPA with clients that process payroll, the transition to their software has gone very well — even for clients with limited knowledge about processing payroll and payroll taxes. For any support needs, the OnPay staff worked with me and my clients to accomplish goals.
— - Donald J., OnPay Accounting Partner
As the year comes to a close, proactively reaching out to clients is a golden opportunity to communicate changes for the upcoming tax year and help them stay on top of compliance-related items. Furthermore, you can provide assistance on a variety of business-related topics, ranging from software evaluation to reminding clients about 401(k) contributions. Here are some topics to keep in touch on:
Share news
Small businesses can typically count on increases to the minimum wage rate in their state, nearly every year. Tracking down updates on state websites can feel a little like looking for a needle in a haystack. As new minimums are released, share the state-by-state announcements with clients. You can also keep them informed of any state or federal payroll updates which gives you another chance to put your advisor hat on.
Help evaluate tools
In addition, conduct a year in review to see if clients had any issues with tax filings or calculating payroll. If there were any bumps in the road you can help them switch to a payroll provider that’ll get things right — and some even offer free account migration to make switching a no-brainer. It’s another way to start the new year off with a clean slate.
Smart savings
Are you helping your clients stay on top of their 401(k) retirement savings? It’s a good time to step in and make sure they set up in time for January 1 so they can maximize contributions before limits undergo changes in the new year.
Help clients stay compliant
Most businesses should be aware of their state’s compliance requirements, but it can be challenging to keep track of it all. That’s where your expertise can be a difference-maker. For example, you can keep clients up-to-date on new workers comp requirements or any changes to state-by-state sexual harassment training laws. As you help clients get up to speed, it could be a good opportunity to inquire about referrals and if they know any business owners looking for bookkeeping services.
This type of guidance keeps their business operations running smoothly and cements your role as a trusted advisor.
Even if you can’t get all of this done before the busy season hits, taking some time to think through what you want to do in the year ahead can ensure you hit the ground running after January. And remember, you don’t have to do it all alone. Get your team involved and lean on the expertise of your solution providers. Here’s to a well-thought-out and prosperous new year!
Janet Berry-Johnson, CPA is a freelance writer with a background in accounting and income tax planning and preparation for small businesses and individuals. She enjoys helping people make sense of complicated accounting and income tax topics. She lives and works in Omaha, Nebraska. Visit her website at www.jberryjohnson.com.