The last time we checked in on #TaxTwitter, they were bravely forging ahead toward October 15 deadlines. While I was combing through Twitter last week looking for tweets to include in Friday Footnotes, I noticed a theme: ragging on clients.
It seems many practitioners are raising fees these days, and who can blame them? I don’t need to explain to you that inflation hasn’t been this high since 1982 which is longer than many of you — and almost even my old ass — have been alive. Think about that for a minute. Most of us have never seen prices steadily rising like they are now. Granted, all of us have been victims of shrinkflation for most of our lives, though that’s more companies being cheap and gross and greedy than a direct byproduct of trillions of dollars being pumped into the economy. You know what … nevermind, this is off topic. Point being, prices are rising so it stands to reason freelance professionals and firms would quite reasonably raise their fees to reflect the ever-shrinking value of a dollar. As expected, clients are not happy about this. Whatever though, fuck ’em.
We also have the usual foot-dragging ahead of deadlines, poor record keeping, and just general dicking around by clients who think they’re the main character and that their accountant exists for the sole purpose of serving them. You know the ones.
Just updated my home page. It now says I’m not accepting discovery calls for new entity clients. This after booking stating “accountant retired, I have an S-corp, looking for a new affordable accountant.” #TaxTwitter 1/3
— Amber Gray-Fenner, EA 💚🦈💚 (@taxtherapist505) January 25, 2022
I do what I can to communicate what most #taxpros would consider reasonable expectations for doing business as widely and as publicly as I can. #TaxTwitter 2/3
— Amber Gray-Fenner, EA 💚🦈💚 (@taxtherapist505) January 25, 2022
It never ceases to amaze me that small businesses with entity returns due on 3/15 think late January is still plenty of time to find “an affordable accountant.” #TaxTwitter 3/3
— Amber Gray-Fenner, EA 💚🦈💚 (@taxtherapist505) January 25, 2022
And this reply:
Thing is, I AM affordable. But when they say affordable it’s a clear indicator that they don’t really want to pay for professional level work at all.
— Amber Gray-Fenner, EA 💚🦈💚 (@taxtherapist505) January 26, 2022
Protip to clients: telling an accountant you are trying to hire that you are looking for an “affordable” accountant is not going to score you a deal. Who wants to bet the prospective client below can’t get a call back because all their voicemails start with “I am looking for a new tax accountant because my current one has raised their fees”?
Todays market & demand is not even close to what I envisioned when I started down this path 12 years ago with the intention of learning a skill set that would make me recession proof.
Every new client: “You’re the only office that would even call me back.”#TaxTwitter
— William Holtsman, CPA (@W_Holtsman) January 19, 2022
Here’s an idea: if your clients complain about high fees, send ’em Lorilyn’s way (OK don’t actually do that):
Providing a new subscription service to my fellow tax preparers – if anyone says your fees are too high, refer them to me and I’ll quote them 2x your price. #TaxTwitter
— Lorilyn Wilson, CPA (@LorilynWilson) December 28, 2021
Clients trying to squeeze you? Just send ’em packing. Seriously.
Client emails berating me because I won’t lower her fees compared to last year since she was a returning customer. Simple email reply:
Mrs. X,
I’m sorry you feel this way. Best of luck in your search for a new accountant.
Cam
Ain’t nobody got time for this. #taxtwitter
— Cam Matheny (@CamMatheny) January 19, 2022
Speaking of new accountants, is there anything more satisfying than clients ditching you because they’re butthurt about fees only for them to discover that “you get what you pay for” isn’t just for fashion and quirky crap from China advertised to you on Instagram?
I feel bad for the firms that take on the two clients we “felt would be happier elsewhere” recently. Complete messes, no online access, late in paying the IRS, PITA calls all the time. Wanted lower pricing and didn’t want monthly billing anymore. Byeeee #TaxTwitter #Accounting
— Craig Hausz, CPA CFP (@CPATaxTeam) January 26, 2022
Client: Your price increases are too much. I’m going to do my own books and taxes this year.
Us: Ok
Client: But before I get started, can I sit down with someone there to ask some questions?
Us: Yes, for the price we sent you previously.#TaxTwitter— Craig Hausz, CPA CFP (@CPATaxTeam) January 25, 2022
Oh come on. They just want to “pick your brain.” For free. And they also need you to walk you through their return in excruciating detail. Also for free.
Here’s your word of the day: boundaries. Set reasonable expectations for clients and remember that no matter what you’re charging, at the end of the day you are allowed to — and should — set boundaries.
And to further expand after some thought I think all of us #TaxTwitter are passionate about good service. The complaints come from those clients who don’t pay or don’t pay enough. All of which we can control and should be cognizant of in our pricing and boundaries.
— Josh Youngblood, E.A. (@JoshYoungblood) January 23, 2022
We’ll end this wrap-up of #TaxTwitter happenings with a a bit of clients behaving badly.
What are some of the most “interesting” reasons you have fired clients for? 1. Kept coming in and flirting with two employees. 2. A female client who insisted she only deal with males in our office since they know more and client was rude to other females. #taxtwitter
— Mike Sylvester, CPA (@MikeSyl36625988) January 27, 2022
Hang in there, everyone, you’re doing great. Well, everyone except cheap clients that is. Clients, y’all have been warned. Your accountants are mad as hell and they’re not gonna take this anymore.
Photo by Moose Photos from Pexels
