Discussion:Calls throughout the Year
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Revision as of 13:20, 30 July 2009
Discussion Forum Index --> Tax Questions --> Calls throughout the Year
Taxestaxes (talk|edits) said: | 29 July 2009 |
| I was just wondering others thoughts on numerous phone calls throughout the year from your clients. For instance, regular clients you have that call once a month to ask tax questions, such as if they bought this or sold that, etc. Do you charge people for these calls? If so, based on a flat fee? I know its not uncommon to get questions from individuals regarding their personal taxes, such as how does the first time homebuyer credit work or if I took out a home equity loan, would it help?, etc etc....but what about those who have businesses, schedule C, for instance and they call and ask in depth questions; how is buying new equipment going to effect my return, or if I sold this piece of equipment, how much profit? Or I am going to sell my business, husband going on disability, whats going to happen to my taxes?? OMG!! These people are driving me crazy. I feel like asking to them to make an appointment and come in and sit down to discuss and charging them, but then I know I will offend them and loose them as a client.....which could in turn cause me to get bad rept. (small town - word travels fast!). Ok, so I guess I needed to vent!! Just wondering how many people charge for these type of situations? | |
| 30 July 2009 | |
| It all depends on the situation. I always encourage my clients to call if they have questions because I would prefer to help them prior to them getting into a stick tax situation rather than them doing something incorrectly and then needing my help to fix it.
For my individual tax clients, it's kind of built in to their tax prep. Very few of them will call more than once or twice in a year. There are a few that call regularly throughout the year and I tack it onto their tax bill the next year, if it is a significant research issue I will tell the client upfront that I will have to charge. You will not lose clients based on honesty and billing them for your time. If they leave because you bill, they you don't want them as clients. Heck, I just fired a total PIA lawyer client <aren't they all> today for non payment of her bill for her payroll returns. After answering their questions, if it took more than 30 seconds to do, I will pull their tax folder out and make an note on the inside cover to add $25 or $50 or whatever to their subsequent year tax bill. For business clients, I talk to them regularly and when I prepare their estimate for the year, I review the previous year question calls and drop ins and see how it compares to how I pre-billed them. Then I adjust the next year bill to account for this. You need to look at the calls from your clients in a more positive aspect, I think you had another post talking about sharing advertising costs. What you need to understand is that you already have a client base that you can cultivate and utilize to generate additional revenues. These calls and drop ins should be considered opportunities to provide additional services, engage them in directional conversation, by directional conversation i mean create small talk that will turn the conversation towards areas that might help you find additional billing opprotunites, discussion of their business, the stock market, their investments etc.... client calls are a good thing. | |
| 30 July 2009 | |
| I totally agree with Fstein and handle my clients in the same way | |
