Today I’d like to share a short article from AICPA Insights written by a non-CPA, with advice on how to break the news to a client that they owe money.  The author, Adam Junkroski, points out, “Clients don’t always understand that you’ve saved them money even when they owe the IRS.”  So, how can you communicate this and alleviate some of their stress?

A summary of his advice:

1) Encourage your clients to plan for their taxes — check in with them once-a-quarter.
2) When discussing a return with a balance due, take a moment to review the steps you took to minimize their exposure.
3) Have a clear idea of what the client could have done differently in order to avoid a tax bill, and share that with them.
4) Remember that to the client, your pile of tax returns consists solely of theirs. Be patient, and don’t push them too hard to recognize otherwise.

I feel this is important information to share not just with my CPA, EA and other tax preparer colleagues, but also with my own clients.  Why?  So they can understand what we do to try to help them help themselves.  For example, I often don’t receive a response to my quarterly check-ins.  I sometimes get negative reactions even when I’ve gone through the steps I took and what they can do to minimize their exposure.  And, honestly — that I know they think their return is the only one.  It’s not.  I’ll try hard not to remind them of this, but I’d love the respect that comes from recognizing the stress I’m under at this time of year, and doing what they can to understand that the earlier they prepare, the better off we’re all going to be.

Source: Advice from a CPA Client – How to Break the News That They Owe – AICPA Insights