Category: Big Mistakes Tax Pros Make

How to Get Rid of Time-Wasting Clients (So You Can Actually Enjoy Your Life)

February 18, 2025

If you handle IRS Representation, you already know: not all clients are created equal.

Some are reasonable, responsible, and pay well. Others? Well… they make their emergency your emergency, argue about your fees, disappear for months, then suddenly demand immediate help. These clients suck the life out of your business—and your sanity.

The good news? You don’t have to keep them. In fact, the sooner you fire your worst clients, the sooner you free up time for better clients, higher fees, and a life outside of tax season.

So, let’s talk about how to politely (but firmly) show bad clients the door—and what to say when you do.

Why You Need to Drop Time-Wasting Clients

The tax professionals I work with are overworked, underpaid, and exhausted. They tell me:

“I work 80+ hours a week, but my worst clients still complain.”
“I’m constantly stressed, but I can’t afford to lose any clients.”
“I haven’t taken a real vacation in years.”

Sound familiar?

Here’s the hard truth: Every minute you waste on a bad client is a minute you could spend on a better-paying client… or, you know, actually enjoying life.

Your worst clients are holding you back. Drop them, and suddenly you have:

✅ More time for clients who respect you
✅ Higher profits because you’re working with better-paying clients (and they will pay you more)
✅ More energy for the things you love—family, gardening, woodworking, golf. Netflix, or even gasp sleep

How to Identify Time-Wasting Clients

If a client matches two or more of these traits, it’s time to cut them loose:

❌ They argue about your fees (“Why do you charge so much?”)
❌ They ignore your deadlines but expect immediate help (“Can you call the IRS for me today?” or “I need to get this to a Revenue Officer tomorrow!”)
❌ They send you half the documents, then expect magic
❌ They constantly demand answer to “quick questions” (which are never quick) and they don’t want to pay for that “quick answer”
❌ They “ghost” you until they get a scary IRS letter and even then, wait until the last minute to give it to you

Recognize anyone? Yeah, I thought so.

How to Fire a Client: 3 Scripts You Can Use

Once you’ve decided to part ways, keep it short, professional, and final. Here are three scripts you can use:

👉 For the Ghosting Client Who Comes Back Only in Emergencies… Continue reading

Unlock the hidden email productivity hack in your inbox for Tax Pros

January 27, 2025

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room—or should I say, the monster in your inbox. You know, that ever-growing pile of emails that threatens to swallow your productivity whole? Well, it’s time to show that beast who’s boss!

The Email Time-Suck Struggle is Real

We’ve all been there. You start your day with the best intentions, only to find yourself three hours deep in an email rabbit hole, wondering where your morning went. But fear not, fellow tax warriors! I’ve got some secret weapons to help you reclaim your time, sanity and productivity.

Timing is Everything

First things first, let’s put those emails on a schedule. Pick two or three specific times during the day to check and respond to emails. Maybe 10 AM, 2 PM, and 4:30 PM work for you. Stick to it like your life and family depends on it (because, let’s face it, it kind of does). I don’t open my email until noon and 4pm each day. Once you train your clients that this is the time you respond, they will get used to it.

But please consider what time of day are you most alert, awake and focused. This should NOT be the time when you are working on email. That is the time you should be focusing on your biggest projects. Whether it is a large tax return review, preparation for a big meeting, marketing task, or a sales function (BTW, this time should not be spent on admin tasks, you can pay someone else to handle those 15-20/hr tasks).

Folders, Filters, and Rules, Oh My!

Now, let’s get those incoming messages sorted faster than you can say “tax deduction.” Use folders, filters, and rules to automatically categorize emails. Here are some ideas to get you started:

“Urgent Client Matters” (for those “I forgot to tell you about this massive deduction” emails or they have a pressing question)
“Urgent and Important” – These are usually marketing task, sales calls or handling objections, or important questions that can keep a bigger project moving.
“Urgent, but Not Important” – for those pressing things, but are not life altering if you don’t get to them today.
“IRS Correspondence” (because who doesn’t love hearing from them?)
“CPE Opportunities” (gotta keep those credits up!)
“Office Memes” (for when you need a laugh after a long day of number-crunching), but you really should be looking at this on your personal time, unless you

Unleashing Your Productivity Potential: A Tax Professional’s Guide to Time Management

December 21, 2024

As a licensed tax professional, you’re no stranger to the demands of a fast-paced, high-stakes environment. The ability to manage your time effectively can be the difference between thriving and merely surviving in this field. Today, I’m going to share with you the top strategies that will revolutionize your productivity and help you reclaim control of your time.

The Power of Prioritization

1. Schedule Time on your calendar for Specific Tasks or Projects
One of the most powerful techniques you can employ is time blocking. By dedicating specific chunks of your day to particular tasks, you create a focused environment that boosts efficiency and quality of work. For instance, designate certain days for client meetings, specific time for marketing activities and others for tax return preparation and/or review. This approach eliminates the productivity drain and inefficiency caused by constant task-switching (i.e. pickup and put down) and allows you to dive deep into your work without interruption.

2. Embrace the “Few-Touch-Points” Process
Minimize the number of times you handle a single task or document. Train your team to aggregate questions for senior staff and partners, allowing them to address multiple issues in one email or conversation. This strategy not only saves time but also reduces the mental fatigue associated with frequent context-switching. Encourage your staff to exhaust their own research resources before escalating issues, fostering a culture of self-reliance and efficiency.

3. Leverage Powerful Technology
In today’s digital age, the right tools can be game-changers for your productivity. Invest in robust tax preparation software, tax planning software, artificial intelligence, project management tools, and time-tracking applications. These technologies can automate repetitive tasks, streamline workflows, and provide valuable insights into how you’re allocating your time. By harnessing the power of technology, you’ll free up mental bandwidth for high-value activities that truly require your expertise.

4. Go Paperless
Embrace the digital revolution in your practice. Implement a paperless system for file management and client communication. Digital workflows not only save physical space but also enable remote collaboration and faster information retrieval. E-filing, digital signatures, and cloud-based document storage are no longer luxuries – they’re necessities for the modern tax professional aiming for peak productivity. This should go without saying, but you will also need to purchase multiple monitors for each computer/laptop. It is recommended to have a minimum of 3 per computer.

5. Prioritize Your Energy Management
Your productivity is directly linked to your energy levels. Pay close attention … Continue reading