If you are a tax professional living in Las Vegas, and you’re interested in working for me for the 2023 Tax Season (2022 tax returns filed in 2023)–or you are in Las Vegas and you’re interested in becoming a tax professional–we may have an opening for you. So why am I starting a post in regards to Bozo Tax Tips with my possibly expanding my staff for 2023?
The reason is the “Great Resignation.” The tax professional community skews older in age: I saw a statistic that the average age of a tax professional is in the mid-50s. Finding good tax professionals is not easy (indeed, hiring in any profession isn’t easy), and I’m blessed to have the staff that I do.
From February 1st through the date this post is being written (March 10th), I have been averaging over two inquiries a day into using our services. Indeed, my next available appointments are in May! From talks with my friends in the business, they’re seeing the same things: not enough staff, and demand through the roof.
This equates to a seller’s market. We increased our rates (for 2021 returns prepared in 2022) by 10%, and I’ve already concluded I didn’t raise them enough. The law of supply and demand holds in every industry: if supply decreases and demand increases, prices go up. Yes, you’re going to pay more.
So let’s get back to the title of this post: angering your tax professional. Those who have met me know my salt and pepper hair is now mostly salt. I enjoy what I do, but I do not enjoy (and have never enjoyed) dealing with misanthropes. Given the high demand, your tax professional almost certainly feels the same way. Every year, tax professionals send letters to clients who are about to become former clients because they’re either no longer a fit for them or the tax professional cannot make a profit from them (because they require too much time or will not pay what the tax professional believes to be a fair price). I’ve sent these in the past, but I never enjoy doing that. I’m vowing to send some at year-end unless conditions radically change.
The average tax professional is very stressed out. Dealing with the IRS has been a disaster for the last few years. The pandemic hasn’t helped in any way. Congress (and the IRS) have added new regulations and forms (e.g. Schedules K-2/K-3) that add tremendous busy work with little gain. My Office Manager recently saw me blow up (and I rarely do that). I have marked a client that he is getting a “Dear Former Valued Client” at year-end because of what he put me through. (I’d like to send one to Congress, too, but I can’t do that.)
So do not anger your tax professional…unless you want to find a new one.
Tags: BozoTaxTips