Each year I prepare and provide to colleagues, for free, a usable updated checklist file. This year's Word file has 370 pages containing 205 separate checklists. I posted a column with a description of the file and a link for the free checklists
I restrict my checklists to tax season, practice management, administrative process and procedures, some marketing, financial planning, and getting-affairs-in-order situations. I also include some personal checklists such as when I pack for a trip, shop for my card game or a barbeque, or when I golf. I do these myself., and it takes a lot of my time. I try to add new checklists each year. I usually have the checklist file available by Jan. 31 each year so they can be used for tax season. Offering it in Word makes it fully usable and adaptable. The document includes a searchable table of contents.
I continuously think about the validity of the format, how to make it better and what new checklists I could add. So far what I've settled on seems to work well. I use the file myself many times during the year and find it exceptionally helpful in its current format.
I also think about selling the file rather than offering it for free, but so far have nixed that idea. I feel these checklists are an excellent way to give back to this great profession that has been very good to me. I try hard and feel gratified, knowing over 7,000 colleagues a year benefit from my checklists.
Technical checklists keep changing. They would need quality reviews by tax and audit people and would add turnaround time. Further, there are excellent technical checklists available for almost every specialty, while there is almost nothing similar to what I produce. The quality of the technical checklists I subscribe to is excellent, and I see no need to duplicate them or be another "me too" provider. Also, it would be costly (right now I do everything myself) and would include people that I would have to pay. I have no way to market them, which is a big challenge. I found this out when I self-published my "
Right now, I plan on updating my checklist file and having it available by the end of January 2025 as I have been doing for over 40 years. I will announce its availability here on AccountingToday.com, and it will still be available for free. Also, if you have any checklists you use in your office and would like to share them, please send them to me. I will credit you for them if I include them in next year's file.
If you have not previously received the updated 2024 checklist file and would like one, send a request to me at
Do not hesitate to contact me at
