Do your 1040 clients come in for a sit-down interview?

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What % of your 1040 clients come in for a sit-down interview?

0%
5
10%
>0% - 10%
12
24%
>10% - 25%
7
14%
>25% - 50%
10
20%
>50% - 75%
10
20%
>75% - 90%
4
8%
>90%
2
4%
 
Total votes : 50

#1
Wiles  
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5058
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21-Apr-2014 9:42am
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CA
I am interested to hear what others do and why they prefer this one way or the other.
Last edited by Wiles on 17-May-2018 5:54pm, edited 1 time in total.
 

#2
ATSMAN  
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2094
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Location:
MA
Roughly 60 to 75% of my clients who have relatively simple returns that I can prepare within the hour will wait in my waiting area because they don't want to make a second trip (save gas and time) to pick up. Others will drop off or mail the paperwork and then either pick it up or I mail it out.

For a new client I do request a short meeting just to know each other and get a feel for the expectations. So far i have had only one client who did not want a initial meeting and wanted to deal with me by phone or e-mail! Later i found out from someone else referred by this client that it was a personal issue.
 

#3
Wiles  
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5058
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21-Apr-2014 9:42am
Location:
CA
We are about 60% as well. Mostly because the 40% would rather not bother or live outside of the area.

Our sit downs are different. We do not deliver on the spot. We prepare during the meeting and input placeholders where additional work is necessary. We attempt to give them numbers at the appointment and we chat about & estimate next year's taxes.

They then go away. We complete and review the returns and deliver in 1-3 weeks.
 

#4
sjrcpa  
Posts:
6477
Joined:
23-Apr-2014 5:27pm
Location:
Maryland
I meet with 1040 clients if they want to. I do not prepare returns or do calculations at the meeting. I meet with about 10% of the 1040 clients.
 

#5
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797
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30-May-2014 7:38am
Location:
NC
I try to only meet with 1040 clients when they’re new, have complicated returns or have a year with significant changes. Otherwise I encourage the drop off. I did lose a client this season when I asked them to drop off instead of meet but they always wanted to cheat anyway so it was for the best.
 

#6
ATSMAN  
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MA
Tax Me Up wrote:I try to only meet with 1040 clients when they’re new, have complicated returns or have a year with significant changes. Otherwise I encourage the drop off. I did lose a client this season when I asked them to drop off instead of meet but they always wanted to cheat anyway so it was for the best.


Well that is an issue with many drop offs with just the organizer and current tax documents. They can fill in what they want on some of those items (eg. Charitable donations, medical expenses etc.). With a sit down interview you can generally flesh a lot of these by asking pertinent questions.

I picked up a new client who was used to drop off routine and when i asked certain questions was taken aback. He said the previous accountant never asked, he just went with the amounts in the organizer.

With the tax law changes I see a decline in those issues.
 

#7
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2772
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22-Apr-2014 1:34pm
Location:
North Carolina
I usually meet with all new clients, any existing clients that ask to (usually a couple of my elderly ones), and anyone that has some unusual or complicated issues for the tax year. I never prepare returns while anyone is waiting. I always have detailed phone conversations with everyone regarding questions/clarification for items on their return. I don't really have a lot of questions (or know everything that is missing) until I get into actually preparing their return
 

#8
Joan TB  
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21-Apr-2014 9:08am
Location:
Texas
Me too, Seaside.
 

#9
jesella  
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94
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23-Apr-2014 3:58pm
Location:
Seattle
We require drop-off (or upload), take a first pass through the return, send them an email with things we know are missing, and schedule a wrap meeting. The wrap meeting is either by phone or in person, but we consider it required to: run through our interview questions, uncover if there have been changes, make sure they understand their return and what to do next, and most importantly take a first stab at planning for the new year. It took three years to get some of our long-time clients moved from an up-front meeting to a wrap meeting, but now that they're all switched over, feedback has been great. Dropping off first and meeting at the end has been the most efficient use of their time and ours, gives us the opportunity to make sure the return is correct and complete, and still gives them the reassuring face to face (or phone) contact.
 

#10
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2468
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24-Apr-2014 7:54am
Location:
Wisconsin
I do returns under different systems, depending on the client. However, this only works because I have no other staff. If I had a firm like you, Wiles, I would work to make a system where all clients are drop-offs.

For the drop-offs, unless it is a brand new client or a really new situation, I prefer the wrap meeting to the drop-off meeting. It's where I can best use my time with the client and show my value.

I have some clients with simple returns where I prepare while they wait. When it is a simple tax return (W-2s, Schedule A, maybe a 2441) it is the most efficient for everyone involved -- the client usually only needs to make one trip and one phone call/e-mail with me, I only touch their documents once, they can ask most of their questions, and I get paid at the end of the appointment.

I send all clients the lightest organizer that UltraTax can generate, which is just the list of the documents used in the previous year return. I've found clients are more likely to look through a 2 page list of their documents (with a handy-dandy envelope for them to shove the tax documents into as they arrive) than a 15 page organizer. When clients use it, they are less likely to forget documents, which helps make a more efficient system as well.
 

#11
Wiles  
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Location:
CA
I agree. I believe, though, the key to making the drop-off system work most efficiently is to have somebody else work up much of the tax return and do preliminary inquiries before it comes to me. It would not be efficient if that somebody was me. If that were the case, then it would be more efficient to have the face-to-face on the front end.
 

#12
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Wisconsin
If that were the case, then it would be more efficient to have the face-to-face on the front end.


Maybe, but it depends on your clientele. If your clients are constantly doing new/weird things, a face-to-face on the front end is the best way to get the information concisely communicated. For a typical taxpayer with a generally SALY return, a face-to-face on the front end really isn't the a great use of your time.
 

#13
Wiles  
Posts:
5058
Joined:
21-Apr-2014 9:42am
Location:
CA
I disagree. For the clients with nothing new going on, then we can get the meeting over in 30-45 minutes. During that time, I can have 80% of their return prepared. We can deal with all the usual nonsense questions such as direct deposit of refund, noncash contributions, business miles on their vehicle, home office expenses, ... We can talk about approximate balance due / refund and why it is. We can talk about changes for next year. They will leave with a small punch list of open items.

If it's the other way around, then I will put the same amount of time into preparing the tax return, because we will have to correspond about a very large list of open items. And now the client will sit in my office for an additional 30-45 minutes on the back end. Yes - It's a better value for the client, but are they willing to pay more for a back-end meeting?

md, I look forward to you pointing out the flaw in my logic / process.
 

#14
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2468
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Location:
Wisconsin
The system from your most recent post is not a drop-off engagement; it's 80% prepare-while-they-wait, which is extremely efficient. And since you're not talking about a drop-off system, my point about front-end meetings from a drop-off SALY engagement being a generally poor use of time doesn't apply.
 

#15
CrowCPA  
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402
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25-Apr-2014 3:27pm
Location:
New England
I meet with most clients at the front end. I can look over the documents that they bring, ask questions and give them a homework assignment for anything additional that I need. Those who do not come in usually live at a distance. When the work is finished I mail it to them. The only people that I have come in for pick-up are those with something that is going to need explanation like the sale of a PTP.

I have picked up several good clients who formerly used a larger local firm that uses the drop-off only method. These people felt like they didn't matter and got no personal attention at that firm; they did not get a chance to ask questions. All of these taxpayers are people of means who have rental property (sometimes in another state) and portfolio assets.
 

#16
ATSMAN  
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2094
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Location:
MA
have picked up several good clients who formerly used a larger local firm that uses the drop-off only method. These people felt like they didn't matter and got no personal attention at that firm; they did not get a chance to ask questions. All of these taxpayers are people of means who have rental property (sometimes in another state) and portfolio assets.


I have found many CPA firms in my neck of the woods use this method as well. Usually the first year the client will have a face to face meeting with the CPA, later years they are required to either upload all the tax documents to a portal, mail or drop it in and if they have any questions, they are dealing with a junior person BUT the bill they pay is at CPA rates.

I too have picked up a few clients who want personal attention and feel they need to personally know the person preparing their return and be able talk personally to that person on any issue.
 

#17
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679
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30-May-2014 1:43pm
Location:
MA
In an ideal world, I would prefer to have no 1040 tax appointments, either at the front end or as an exit meeting. As a rule, we tell all new clients to drop off their tax information and we will call if there are any questions. There are other CPA's in our office who are willing to be way more flexible when it comes to 1040 appointments, including nights and Saturdays.

If a business client who is paying us thousands per year wants to stop in while dropping off their tax info, that is one thing. There is no way I am going to allow a new $300 schedule A client to come in sit for a 45 minute meeting in Feb-Mar-Apr.
I do have some clients who have always come in but we mostly just glance at the paperwork to see if it is all there and then spend most of the time on small talk.

I always worried about doing a return on the computer while the client was right there. I would think most clients would be annoyed if I entered the info, sent it up for assembly and then 45 minutes later presented a bill for $300 ($400/hour in the clients mind). I tell them it has to be input by staff, then checked and reviewed and hopefully you have a turn around time of 7-10 day.

We do a lot of corporate year ends so there is not enough time to meet with 1040 clients even if we wanted to. I am sure some new clients may be annoyed without a meeting but it seems like the people with the simplest returns want the meetings.

What is the longest time you spent preparing a return while the client is in the office? I can not imaging having someone there for a couple of hours.
 

#18
ATSMAN  
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If a business client who is paying us thousands per year wants to stop in while dropping off their tax info, that is one thing. There is no way I am going to allow a new $300 schedule A client to come in sit for a 45 minute meeting in Feb-Mar-Apr.


It boils down to managing the expectations of the client and your business model. When I was young I used to get referrals from CPA shops who did not want to deal with your typical run of the mill 1040 returns. But then they were not paying me CPA rates :cry:
 

#19
CathysTaxes  
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Suburb of Chicago
I had three returns that I would prepare while they waited. Two sisters (one had her spouse), very simple returns, the single sister also bought her daughter's return. For this past year, the couple moved to Arizona, the single sister was too busy to come in and her daughter moved to Florida. All were done remotely. I prefer drop off and either an in person review or telephone review. Many of the remote clients just want to know what the refund is.
Cathy
CathysTaxes
 

#20
ATSMAN  
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2094
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Location:
MA
This is just my hunch. I think in big cities people are always busy on the run so they probably prefer to drop off and pick up (like the laundry ) even for relatively simple 1040 returns. Whereas in the rural, semi-rural areas folks are more laid back, and they may prefer to make one trip and get the job done. They don't mind waiting an hour. My office is on a state highway and there is a mall 3 miles from my place. Roughly half of my clients will combine a mall trip with their tax prep trip. One parent will wait in my office while the other takes the kids to the mall.
 

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