Category: Get More Tax Clients

The Time Management Trap: Why Most Tax Pros Stay Stuck (and How to Break Free)

If you’re a licensed tax professional, there’s a good chance you’re constantly behind. You’re bouncing between client calls, chasing missing documents, answering last-minute emails—and by the time tax season ends, you’re burned out, behind on billing, and wondering where your time went.

Sound familiar?

You’re not lazy. You’re not disorganized. You’re stuck in the Productivity Trap—a cycle where the volume of work, client expectations, and your own high standards make it impossible to grow without exhaustion.

But here’s the good news: there’s a way out.

The Real Problem: You’re Running a Volume-Based Business

Most tax professionals prepare returns for hundreds of clients every year. While that keeps the calendar full, it creates a false sense of productivity. What it really means is:

  • You’re constantly reactive, not strategic
  • You’re pricing based on time, not value
  • You’re in survival mode every February through April (and again August to October)

And worst of all? Your business likely depends on volume, which makes it hard to scale, raise fees, or build in time for training, marketing, or rest.

The Solution: Shift from Low-Fee Prep to High-Value Representation

Imagine handling fewer clients each year—clients who:

  • Desperately need help with IRS problems
  • Are willing to pay $3,500 to $5,000+ per case
  • Aren’t just looking for a fast refund—they want peace of mind

That’s the world of IRS representation—helping individuals and businesses resolve tax debt, respond to audits, and deal with complex IRS/state tax notices.

It’s not just more profitable. It’s more manageable.

How to Regain Control of Your Time

To break free from the time trap, you need both a strategic mindset and structured systems. Here’s where to start:

1. Time Block Like a CEO

Reserve focused hours for case work, client calls, and marketing. This is for Revenue Generating Activities. Don’t let your calendar be ruled by chaos.

2. Automate Admin Tasks

Use tools like CRMs, e-signatures, and scheduling links to cut out the back-and-forth and free up hours each week. This is not only for you but for your staff (assuming you have them).

3. Ditch Time-Based Billing (or even per form billing)

Hourly rates limit your earning potential. Flat or value-based pricing aligns with outcomes, not minutes.

4. Say No to Bad-Fit Clients

Not every collections/exam case, tax return, bookkeeping client, or tax planning/tax consulting work is worth your time (or the stress or grief it may provide). Prioritize clients with real problems—and the … Continue reading

Why Every Tax Pro Needs a Stronger Community

Being a licensed tax professional can feel like a lonely grind. You’re juggling tax returns, chasing down documents, answering panicked client calls—and still trying to keep your business afloat during the off-season.

You’re not alone.

Across the country—and even worldwide—tax professionals are facing similar struggles:

  • Overwhelming workloads
  • Seasonal income fluctuations
  • Difficult and/or underpaying clients
  • A constant need to stay updated on IRS rules and procedures

For many, the missing piece isn’t just technical knowledge—it’s support, strategy, and a strong professional community.

Representation Work: A Smarter Path Forward

More tax pros are discovering the value of specializing in IRS representation (Collections and Exam/Audit)—helping individuals and businesses who owe the IRS, are being audited, or have received scary notices.

Unlike routine tax prep that is seasonal, representation work is:
– Year-round as people owe, get notices, or have to respond to notices all year
– High-value as you can earn large revenue to support your practice
– Deeply rewarding as clients are very appreciative of fixing their problem.

Whether it’s negotiating an installment agreement, handling a lien subordination, or walking a client through an audit or notice reply, this work positions you as a trusted advisor, not just a seasonal number-cruncher.

Best of all? These clients are ready to pay you what you’re worth—because the stakes are high.

You Can Serve Well and Succeed Financially

Some tax professionals worry that becoming profitable means sacrificing integrity. But in reality, the most effective firms are those that combine:

  • Competent, responsive, and ethical service
  • Efficient systems and processes
  • Smart marketing strategies

Yes, it’s possible to represent clients skillfully and still run a profitable, scalable firm. But that doesn’t happen by accident—it takes intention, business acumen, and often, learning from others who’ve walked the path.

Why Community Matters

No one builds a great practice in isolation.

Surrounding yourself with like-minded professionals—those who value growth, competence, and collaboration—can elevate your career in ways that courses and books alone never will.

A strong community helps you:

  • Stay current on IRS changes
  • Discover new tools and systems
  • Share wins, challenges, and solutions
  • Avoid costly mistakes others have already made
  • Feel less alone in a high-pressure profession

Whether it’s through formal networks, online peer groups, or certification groups, building those connections can transform your mindset and your results.

Continuous Learning Is Non-Negotiable

Representation isn’t static. The IRS changes procedures, issues new notices, and revises compliance protocols often. Staying sharp means … Continue reading

How to Get (and Give) Referrals That Grow Your Tax Resolution Practice

If you ask most successful tax resolution pros how they get clients, “referrals” is almost always part of the answer.

And for good reason: A warm referral carries built-in trust. Referred clients are more likely to hire you, pay your fees without objection, and follow your advice. Even better? Referral-based growth is cost-effective and sustainable—if you set it up right.

But referrals don’t just happen. They come from building the right relationships, making it easy for others to refer you, and having systems that turn introductions into paying clients.

Here’s how to make referrals a reliable part of your business development strategy.

Why Referrals Work in Tax Resolution

Tax problems are personal. Clients feel overwhelmed, ashamed, embarrassed and unsure who to trust. When someone they already trust says, “Talk to this person—they helped me,” that anxiety is lowered immediately.

You skip the “prove yourself” phase. That means shorter sales cycles, better alignment, and higher close rates.

1. Identify Your Ideal Referral Partners

Not all referrals are created equal. The best sources are those who interact regularly with your ideal client base and don’t directly compete with you.

Here are some great referral sources for tax resolution pros:

  • CPAs and bookkeepers who don’t handle IRS problems
  • Enrolled agents who focus on prep but not resolution
  • Bankruptcy attorneys and family law attorneys
  • Business coaches or consultants for small businesses
  • Mortgage brokers and real estate professionals
  • Financial advisors with high-net-worth clients

Build a short list of 10–15 people you already know—or want to know—who fit these profiles.

2. Build Relationships, Not Just Lists

People refer to those they trust. That means you need to go beyond handing out a business card.

Reach out, set up a short coffee chat or Zoom meeting, and lead with curiosity. Ask about their business, who they serve, what kind of clients are ideal for them. Then share what you do and how you help.

Don’t pitch. Don’t pressure. Just connect.

Follow up with value. This could be:

  • A helpful resource related to their niche
  • An introduction to someone in your network
  • A shoutout on social media

Referrals flow from relationships, not transactions.

3. Make It Easy to Refer You

Want more referrals? Don’t make people guess what you do or how to refer you.

Give partners:

  • A 1-sentence summary of what you do (“I help self-employed professionals resolve IRS debt and stay compliant.”)
  • A simple link to your calendar or
… Continue reading