Tax office

All too often we install the security cameras after we are burglarized; start carrying pepper spray after an assault. Business owners, large and small, face heightened risks in our modern world and reactive security plans do not cut it. A proactive plan can prevent the breech before it ever happens.

Small business owners, income property owners and even people with a side hustle need to have a security plan. It’s not only a big business problem. Some businesses are required by law to have a security plan. For example, the IRS requires tax professionals to have a written security plan that is updated annually. Those selling securities or insurance, banks and other financial institutions have similar requirements. 

Whether your industry requires a security plan or not, you must have one. In this post we will start with a short discussion on security plans for tax professionals and accountants because that is the demographic this blog serves. I will then share where the detailed security plan nearly failed in my office and how we shored up our procedures to protect employees and clients. Then we will discuss implementing a security plan for your business, regardless the field you are in. I will point out the benefits of a security plan for even as innocent a side hustle as dog walking. If you never need to test your security plan in real life, all the better. But if fate comes knocking I want you, kind readers, to be prepared so risk is reduced. 

The crisis in the accounting industry is self-feeding. The worse it gets the more workload is shoved onto the desks of the remaining souls. Stress is taking a toll.

Several support groups for tax professionals exist on social media platforms. Tax season reveals a serious level of stress for practicing tax professionals. Complaints of long hours and clients unwilling to pay higher fees to compensate for the added complexities of the new tax laws has more professionals looking to leave the industry.

And it isn’t the tax pros facing the worst pinch. The ultimate loser is the client. With fewer experienced tax professionals accepting clients it has put taxpayers at risk. The IRS knows taxpayers have limited choices when defending themselves in an audit which means the IRS’ advantage is larger than ever.

Running a business is similar to conducting a science experiment. Unsuccessful proprietors use trial and error hoping to find a winning strategy. Gamblers do something similar. Successful business owners do things a bit differently; examine where need exists and then search out a plausible solution.

Success is similar across all industries and business sizes. Whether you are managing a massive international corporation, a regional firm, a small local business or running a side gig to pay the bills while you enjoy all life has to offer, the rules of success are similar from top to bottom.

Today we will focus on the side hustle and small local businesses. The conversation will also focus on the tax preparation industry.

I own and run my own accounting practice which is centered on tax and have been doing so for over three decades. What worked in the 1980s and 1990s would bring you ridicule if you tried the same thing today.

Tax professionals all have stories of clients who wanted to cheat on their taxes. It might be tempting to nudge the line a bit to the left to keep a client happy and collect a fee. But you need to think long and hard before you make your decision.

If you prepare your own return you can avoid all the pesky demands of tax professionals to file an accurate tax return. Just as a tax professionals face serious penalties, so does the taxpayer. If you talk a tax professional into an unreasonable position on your tax return you will be penalized a lot faster than the tax professional. Tax preparers are really just entering data. She may not be aware of the malfeasance. That leaves you blowing in the wind. And a cold wind it is.

The dog days of tax season are here. I’m dead tired and not as caught up as I was a week ago. Missing documents and research put me in a minor bind. Still looking good, but for the record, I took a short nap at my desk Friday. I was cooked. I’m off Saturday, but working Sunday to prepare for a phone meeting with Mr. Money Mustache. The quiet, empty office is conducive to massive productivity. You’d be surprised what no interruptions can do to a guy’s efficiency.

A surprise refund in the middle of summer from the IRS quickly raises suspicions “this might not be a good thing”. However, refunds for less than anticipated are more common. Missing refunds top the list.

Before you panic, refunds have a general time table. If your refund is AWOL you might need to practice patience first. If it’s been less than three weeks since you e-filed (six week for paper filed returns) you need to wait a bit longer. Calling the IRS will waste a good portion of your day only to hear the friendly IRS employee say you need to wait at least 21 days before they can do anything.

It was an exciting week in the Wealthy Accountant’s world. Facebook decided they didn’t want me to use the name Keith Taxguy. Now if I were a Russian meddling in the election I would’ve had no problems at all. It all ended well (so far).

New policies instituted in the office this year are paying off. For the first time since I showed up in the blogosphere people are surprised how fast I’m getting work done. After tax season I’ll spill the beans on my experience so other tax firms can experiment with the same tools. It should help other business owners and those with a side gig formulate ideas to increase their efficiency. This means less work and more profit. Isn’t the modern world awesome!

Tax season is still early in the tooth but patterns are starting to emerge.

My software allows me to use current year data to estimate results based on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act changes. With a couple hundred returns under the belt already the impact of the changes are mostly expected with a few surprises thrown in.