This month's eNewsletter sponsored by:

De-Stressing During Tax Season

By Isaac M. O'Bannon, Technology Editor

Alright, tax season is now officially here, the national chains have been advertising for a month, nearly every individual filer has received their W-2s, and hopefully they’re lining up in throngs for your services.

February to mid-April is the busiest time of the year for many practices, even those with year-round write-up, bookkeeping or other services. In fact, for some practices, this two-and-a-half month window can account for 70 percent or more of their annual revenue. In addition to the stress that comes with servicing a greater number of clients (many of whom are new or confused or angry about the tax situation they’ve dug for themselves), the principals of small practices may also have the added stress of knowing that their firm’s fiscal well-being depends upon this critical time. If something were to go wrong….

Find out more about stress contributors and stress relievers, and get a short list of things you can do now to help you and your staff “de-stress” in the midst of tax season.

Tech2Go Podcast Series

Don't miss the inaugural episode of “Tech2Go,” The CPA Technology Advisor's new monthly podcast. It's a fast-paced roundtable discussion with Executive Editor Gregory L. LaFollette, CPA.CITP, and regular columnists Brent Goodfellow, Dave McClure and Randy Johnston. These thought leaders tackle current technology issues impacting the tax and accounting profession. This month, the panel discusses Vista, Office 2007, their discoveries from CES, and state of scanning products being offered to the profession. [Running time is 1:10:44]

Gregory L. LaFollette CPA.CITP

Brent Goodfellow CPA.CITP, MCSE, MST, MCT

Dave McClure

Randy Johnston

IRS Extends Filing to April 17

Tax season just got two days longer, thanks to a holiday in the District of Columbia. The IRS has announced that filers will have until April 17 to file returns or extension requests because the traditional filing deadline of April 15 falls on a Sunday and April 16 is Emancipation Day, a legal holiday in Washington, D.C.

The holiday has an impact nationwide because of processing centers and other administrative functions in the capital, although all IRS offices will be open nationwide. Filers will also have until April 17 to make TY 2006 IRA contributions or make 2006 balance due payments. More information is available at www.irs.gov.

Productivity Survey

What's Your Productivity Score?
Your Productivity Score is calculated using a proprietary algorithm that reveals a correlation between technology adaptation and overall productivity. The Productivity Survey is FREE and available to all tax and accounting firms nationwide. It includes a series of questions relating to professional practice standards, office processes, backup procedures, paperless office technologies, connectivity and general technology utilization. You can get your Productivity Score for free at www.CPATechAdvisor.com/productivity.

Can you improve your score?
You can, by improving your implementation and utilization of various technologies. Answers to the survey questions in four major categories are scored by awarding (or subtracting) points based on the relative importance of the specific question. Some answers are additive only, while others are subtractive. Some answers result in very small changes to a score while others change the overall score quite significantly. Certain questions are paired and their answers scored based on their combined answers. Each firm taking the Productivity Survey will receive an individualized report that includes suggestions for improving the productivity in your firm based on recognized “best practice” processes. Firms are encouraged to re-take the survey (up to three times per year) to see if their results have improved after implementing the suggested changes.

Productivity Survey and Score sponsored by:

Editorial Calendar

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