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LIVE VOTING HAS ENDED

And the Winners are......

"You Want Me to do What?!"

For the most outrageous client ask or bookkeeping situation

To record over $40K in vinyl record purchases as "misc. business expenses" (client is a lawyer).

Prepare my 2025 taxes even though I haven't paid your for 2024 tax preparation yet.

Write off "getting her nails done", weekly liquor store trips, and personal shopping because "She is the business!"

At 10:30 p.m. on April 15, my client who was already on extension emailed, texted, and called me to ask if they could lower their tax bill by contributing to a traditional IRA. (I was fast asleep when they called.)

"We Should've Had a Process for That"

For the moment everything went sideways because there was no system

My client insists on DIY bookkeeping, and says that the books and records are ready to go, every year, and then uses the tax return to review the DIY books and records and expects changes and re-prep of the return but doesn’t want to pay more fees!

In my first year of business I took on every single client that came in the door. I didn’t understand why others thought it was hard to get clients, until about 6 weeks in, I created a mess, clients weren’t sending documents, invoices weren't being paid.

Clients assumed that I would be completing their return but they ignored all communication, did not sign the engagement letters and then threatened to sue me when I said they would be required to file and pay a fee for a tax extension.

Every year people would submit their docs whenever they liked and then ask when's my return going to be done (over and over). So I decided to schedule them. I just picked dates for them and asked them to let me know if the dates weren't good. Heavenly!

"Still Showed Up"

For navigating a personal life event while making it through tax season

At the end of March, my spouse started to have heart issues and needed a quadruple bypass. I filed a lot of extensions. Between lots of prayers and my preset boundaries I was able to stay calm. Thankfully he is on the road to recovery.

The founder of my firm (and only other partner) was diagnosed with cancer during tax season. I never wanted to be a solo owner but was forced into it, abruptly with his diagnosis. I leaned on family, other colleagues and friends to make it through.

Starting in February, my daughter and then my entire family cough whooping cough and the flu. I didn't but had to nurse everyone and didn't get sleep for 6 weeks. I kept going and somehow kept filing returns. showing up for my family and my firm.

There's no single winner here. Every story deserved recognition. Thank you for sharing such personal moments and for showing up for your clients even when life made it incredibly hard.

"Accidental Marketing Win"

For the most unexpected way you gained clients or visibility this tax season

I was working with the copywriter for my firm website. After sharing my ideal client info and my firm strengths. She sheepishly asked, could I work with you for my business and my husband's too?

I reluctantly said yes to a podcast interview for an adjacent industry to share general information and scored a new and one of my largest revenue clients and I keep getting leads from it 2 years later.

I will answer questions in Facebook groups from time to time to help point business owners in the right direction and have gotten several leads and closed 3 clients this way.

At a party, an out of town guest was trying to choose between two CPA’s after her CPA retired. She was nervous so I shared with her that it’s ok to change, I see it often and any good CPA will be able to help. She called to hire me the next day.

"But AI Told Me & Misin'form'ed"

For the client who came in fully confident with completely wrong tax information (K-1's, K-2's, K-9's...canines???

Client says, I have some more W-2 for you, client calls all documents a W-2 and shows up with 1099 for contract labor, interest income, social security and retirement income (that's all the same, right?)

Client brings me tax strategies from chatGPT. There were strategies for international corporations in the U.K. My client is a U.S. based partnership.

I have other income but there is no Form 1099, so it's "off the books" and not reportable.

I don't know why you're so hung up on Mileage. Any good CPA knows they don't need that. Just figure it out like my last preparer and put something in there.

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