Firm Operations
Workflows, tools and habits that save accounting firms time.
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12 KPIs Every Small Accounting Firm Should Track
What gets measured gets fixed. Twelve practical KPIs for small accounting and tax firms, from revenue per client to document completion rate, and how to use them.
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WISP for Tax Preparers: How to Write a Written Information Security Plan
Federal law requires tax and accounting professionals to maintain a Written Information Security Plan. What the FTC Safeguards Rule requires, the 500-person breach rule, and a step-by-step guide using IRS Publication 5708.
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Tax Season Capacity Planning for Small Accounting Firms
Most busy-season crunches are planning problems, not workload problems. How small firms estimate capacity, smooth the flow of documents and use deadlines and extensions to avoid the April pile-up.
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Phishing Scams Targeting Tax Professionals: How to Spot and Stop Them
The IRS's 2026 Dirty Dozen warns that tax professionals are targeted by fake 'new client' and 'document request' emails. How these scams work, the warning signs and the defenses every firm should have.
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How to Price Tax Returns: Fixed Fees, Complexity Tiers and Late-Document Fees
Underpricing is the quiet profit killer in small tax practices. How to set fixed fees by complexity, account for the real cost of chasing documents and handle late-document and rush fees.
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Data Breach Response Plan for Accounting Firms: What to Do in the First 72 Hours
A practical incident response plan for accounting and tax firms: contain the breach, contact the IRS, meet FTC and state notification rules, communicate with clients and prevent it happening again.
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Document Retention Policy for Accounting Firms: How Long to Keep Client Records
How long accounting firms should keep client documents, based on IRS periods of limitations, e-file rules and data security requirements, plus a sample retention schedule and secure disposal process.
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Busy Season Burnout: How Accounting Firms Can Protect Their Teams
Burnout in accounting isn't inevitable. Many of its causes are process problems that can be fixed before January. Practical changes that make busy season sustainable.