The months (and weeks) leading up to April 15 can be crunch time for most tax professionals, whether you're an in-house corporate accountant or you handle individual returns for personal clients. While rest and relaxation should be on the post-April 15 menu for every accountant, it's also important to use the slower summer and fall seasons to reflect on the prior year and decide what, if anything, you'd like to do differently going forward.
Bone Up on New Tax Laws
It can be challenging to fit in your required continuing education courses when you're working more than full-time. Signing up for a few courses during the summer or fall can be a great opportunity to learn more about changes in tax laws for the upcoming year. By getting these changes on your radar early, you'll be able to advise clients on their most effective tax strategies during the calendar year—when they still have plenty of time to switch plans accordingly.
Catch up on all the latest changes to tax laws: AFSP Continuing Education
Make Yourself More Efficient
Just as it's tough to fit in continuing-ed classes when you're under the gun, it's often hard to incorporate any major changes into how you do your job. Once you're no longer subject to tight turnaround times, you're better able to investigate ways you can streamline your work style.
Whether it's learning the ropes of a new tax software program, reading white papers on how technology is shaping the world of accounting, or developing a new way to prioritize assignments, taking action to make yourself more efficient now can ensure your next tax season will go smoothly.
Add a new skill to your list of services: QuickBooks Course
Get Your Busy Work Done
While your next few months may be filled with catching up on the tasks that have gone undone, the post-tax season lull is a great time to get out of the way any repetitive tasks you can't outsource to the cloud. The more "busy work" you can complete this summer and fall, the more time you'll have to devote to the time-sensitive tasks that come up in winter and spring.
These are just a few of the important things you can do to recharge yourself after the breakneck pace of tax season. Regardless of how you spend your summer, it's important to get plenty of relaxation so you'll be rested and ready to tackle the next tax challenge that awaits.
