Appointment Reminders During Tax Season
Tax season is once again upon us, there are so many changes and rules you need to get organized. Every CPA should be using automated appointment reminders during this tax season to make their busy season a bit more bearable. This article includes great tips to help you this season.
Create Personalized Automated Appointment Reminders
This is the time to set your reminders on auto-pilot. These reminders are a great and easy way to remind your clients about tax deadlines, sign forms, submit documents, and more. During tax season many emails go back and forth and keeping organized can be a challenge. Not to mention, keeping communication convenient can also be a challenge. Rise to the challenge with automated appointment reminders.
Appointment Reminders allow you to send Google Calendar text reminders, call reminders, and email reminders by linking up your Google Calendar in a couple of easy steps! You can also upload files such as excel and CSV files with your customer and appointment information. As with all of our accounts, you can always add appointment reminders through the web interface, create and manage all of your reminder types, and check the status and replies to your reminders in real-time.
Educate Your Clients
Knowledge is power, especially in tax season. Educate your client using appointment reminders to send SMS of potential tax write-offs. These unique messages would make you stand out and help your client during a season that can be stressful.
If you’re a busy CPA then you’re meeting with many clients. Sometimes it helps to keep yourself organized – and you can do just that. With automated appointment reminders, you can also send yourself reminders of upcoming meetings or appointments and your customers.
Key Information & Tips to Help Taxpayers
The IRS encourages people to use online resources before calling. Last filing season, because of COVID-era tax changes and broader pandemic challenges, the IRS phone systems received more than 145 million calls from January 1 – May 17, more than four times more calls than in an average year. In addition to IRS.gov, the IRS has a variety of other free options available to help taxpayers, ranging from free assistance at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly locations across the country to the availability of the IRS Free File program.
File Electronically and Choose Direct Deposit
To speed refunds, the IRS urges taxpayers to file electronically with direct deposit information as soon as they have everything, they need to file an accurate return. If the return includes errors or is incomplete, it may require further review that may slow the tax refund. Having all information available when preparing the 2021 tax return can reduce errors and avoid delays in processing.
Watch for IRS letters about advance Child Tax Credit payments Economic Impact Payments
The IRS started sending Letter 6419, 2021 advance Child Tax Credit, in late December 2021 and continues to do so into January. The letter contains important information that can help ensure the return is accurate. People who received the advance CTC payments can also check the amount of the payments they received by using the CTC Update Portal available on IRS.gov.
Eligible taxpayers who received advance Child Tax Credit payments should file a 2021 tax return to receive the second half of the credit. Eligible taxpayers who did not receive advance Child Tax Credit payments can claim the full credit by filing a tax return.
Tips to Make Filing Easier
To avoid processing delays and speed refunds, the IRS urges people to follow these steps:
Organize and gather 2021 tax records including Social Security numbers, Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers, Adoption Taxpayer Identification Numbers, and this year’s Identity Protection Personal Identification Numbers valid for calendar year 2022.
Check IRS.gov for the latest tax information, including the latest on reconciling advance payments of the Child Tax Credit or claiming a Recovery Rebate Credit for missing stimulus payments. There is no need to call.
Set up or log in securely at IRS.gov/account to access personal tax account information including balance, payments, and tax records including adjusted gross income.
Don’t let this busy season overwhelm you. Use amazing programs to make your life easier and sign up for our free, 30-day trial right now! We can’t recommend which programs to use or an individual CPA, but we do recommend making your life a little easier with the right tools.
