Task masters: The jobs tax pros want to delegate

March 25, 2021 9:08 AM

A lot of different tasks make up the work of running a tax preparation practice. It’s only natural that a preparer might find some of those tasks more enjoyable than others.

“My support staff is amazing, and, for the most part, do the jobs I don’t want to do,” said Helen O’Planick, an Enrolled Agent at HELJAN Associates in Manchester, Pennsylvania. “But it takes training on their part and my part. As tax folks, we don’t like giving up control. This old dog learned that new trick.”

So which tasks of a practice would preparers like to eliminate or delegate — and what do they want to keep doing themselves?

Keep: Working with entrepreneurs

pikselstock - stock.adobe.com

“The part of my job I like best is working with startup entrepreneurs,” said Gail Rosen, a CPA in Martinsville, New Jersey. “They’re so passionate and good at what they do, and most appreciate having a CPA on their team. I’ve been consulting with new businesses for many years and can answer most of their questions before they ask them. It’s also best when I can work with a new client from the start, so we have input on the best way to set up their business.”

Keep: Saving them money

Michael Burrell/pixelrobot - Fotolia

“Both year-end and transactional income tax planning to high-net-worth clients and saving them significant tax dollars is something that brings a lot of personal satisfaction, especially with new clients who either have been DIY-ers for many years or who have been underserved by their prior advisor,” said James McGrory, shareholder at Drucker & Scaccetti, Philadelphia.

Keep: Face time

Mary Kay Foss, a CPA in Walnut Creek, California, enjoys meeting with clients and finding out about their families, vacations and anything else. “Last tax season those in-person interviews went by the wayside, and I think they will again [this season],” she said. “If we ever get back to ‘normal,’ I want to spend time with my clients.”

Ditch: Honesty checks

Ercken/kikkerdirk - Fotolia

“I wish I didn’t have to question clients about information they provide that seems wrong,” Foss added. “Too many people drive exactly 10,000 miles or 12,000 miles each year, and 80 to 90 percent of it (another round number) is for business. I keep a mileage log in my car and I never drive a number of miles divisible by 10, not to mention 100 or 1,000. And for 2020, it will be very hard to believe that people drove thousands of miles during the year.”

“Questioning clients about having a receipt for contributions of $250 or more is another task I’d like to delegate or eliminate,” she added. “You’d think that if I ask them the same [challenging] question every year, they’d get it.”

Ditch: Rekeying

John Taggart/Bloomberg

“I would definitely like to be able to automate data entry,” said Manasa Nadig, an EA and owner at MN Tax and Business Services and a partner at Harris Nadig in Canton, Michigan. “I’ve purchased a software subscription that will hopefully help us save time spent doing this and free up time that we need for advisory services.”

Ditch: Billing

Picasa/Colinda McKie - stock.adobe.com

“Many of my CPA colleagues will agree that they would very much like to eliminate or delegate the client invoicing process,” McGrory said. “Unfortunately, this is one of those essential tasks that, done well, is critical to the ongoing health of any firm.”

Ditch: A tie

Picasa/Colinda McKie - stock.adobe.com

“I dislike dealing with HR issues the most,” added Rob Seltzer, CPA, Seltzer Business Management in Los Angeles. “I also don’t like dealing with billing and client receivables. My favorite thing is working with and meeting clients and seeing my advice make positive impacts in their lives.”