Did your accountant (possibly me) ask you to make a MyTax Illinois business tax payment for your Illinois pass-through entity, such as a Partnership or S-Corp — maybe an estimated tax payment or extension payment? And you’re not entirely sure how to make that happen? Well, you’ve come to the right place.
The big difference between making an Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) payment for an individual (or even with a sole proprietorship) and an entity-type business (for example, a Partnership, S-Corp, C-Corp, or Co-op) is that for an individual, you do NOT want to log into the MyTax Illinois system — it won’t work. But for an entity-level business, you MUST first log into the MyTax Illinois system — it’s the only way to get it to work. Once you know that little tidbit, the rest of it is pretty easy to figure out.
So, first things first: if you’re making a payment for your business entity, go to MyTax Illinois and log in under your business Username and Password. (But if this is for your personal taxes or Schedule C/ sole proprietor/ freelancer taxes, do not log in; instead follow these instructions.)
It will prompt you to verify your security code, usually sent to your business email address, and once you enter the two-factor authentication, you should see your IL business tax dashboard.
Go to the “Summary” tab.
On the ‘Summary’ tab, look for the ‘Business Income Tax’ section. (In other words, not the Unemployment Insurance, Withholding, Sales Tax or any other type of tax.)
Once you’ve found that section, look to the right of it. Click on the link for ‘View more account options’.
There are two ways to do it from here; the first is:
— In the ‘Account Options’ section, click the link for ‘Make An Estimated Payment’.
— Select the period you want to pay (which is 12/31/2024 for tax year 2024, if you’re paying a balance due or extension payment — or, choose 12/31/2025 if paying estimated taxes for any quarter in the current tax year). — Click the first ‘Add Payment’ hyperlink in the Payment Schedule table for each payment you would like to schedule. — If your payment information is saved in MyTax Illinois, you will see it as an option under ‘Payment Channel’. — Otherwise, select ‘Use a new payment channel’ and enter your company bank info. — In either case, on the right where it says ‘Payment’, you can change the payment’s debit date and enter the amount. — Click Submit, and re-enter your password for security purposes.
Make sure to save or print the confirmation page that pops up as a pdf — for your files, but also please send it along to your amazing and dedicated tax preparer.
(If you miss that last bit, then please go into your payment history for this account and do a print-screen that includes the status section; it will show the amount, confirmation number, and date/time.)
And remember that when it comes time to log this payment in QBO, it will go in the “Taxes & Licenses” section of the Profit & Loss (not in the sub-account of Equity for personal tax payments). Please note the type of payment (balance due, extension, or estimated tax) in the memo, and the year to which it is being applied (and quarter if applicable).
That’s all there is to it! Congrats — you did it! I’m proud of you!
Alternative Approach — Now, just because I love it when people get really confused by having too many options, I’m going to point out that there is an alternative method to paying these taxes on the MyTax IL website. Should you prefer, you can follow these instructions instead… but I don’t recommend it, because it routes you to a “Select payment type” page that is a bit overwhelming if you’re not already a tax pro familiar with Illinois’ unique approach to forms and payment types. But if you insist… from the ‘View more account options’ page, you can do the following: — In the ‘Periods and Submissions’ section, click the link for ‘View Account Periods’ — Click the 12/31/2024 link so that your payment is applied to tax year 2024 (or a later period if paying current-year estimated quarterly taxes) — In the upper right corner of this page, click the ‘Make A Payment’ link — Select the ‘Bank Account Debit’ link — Click the IL-1120-ST Payment link (ST denotes a “Small Business” payment) — Enter the amount you want to pay in the Amount and Confirm Amount fields — Click Submit, and re-enter your password for security purposes
Either way, you’ve now made an Illinois state income tax payment for your pass-through entity, and you can sit back, relax, and enjoy all the other fun activities that come with being a small business owner.
One last thing… on the off-chance that you made a payment for the wrong period (some people get confused when making their 1Q estimated tax payment and instead book it to the prior year, since those tax returns are still fresh on our minds), IDOR finally has a way for us to cancel those payments instead of having to call and have them moved to the correct period. A client who made exactly that mistake this year sent me these instructions to share with y’all:
>> Log in >> Go to Business Income Tax >> View more account options >> View Account Periods >> Select the period >> Select Payment Request >> Then click Cancel Payment on the upper right.
Now you REALLY have everything you need to navigate the complexities of paying your business taxes on MyTax Illinois! And if possible, I hope that you’re able to do it all in good cheer. Hang in there, I see you. And you’re doing a great job.
If this or any other posts on the website were useful to you, and your financial situation permits it, please consider contributing to my tip jar. Ths allows me to continue to provide free accounting resources to small businesses who do not have the funds available to hire a CPA.
I love attending accounting conferences. This comes as a surprise to no one who knows me (or even knows of me) – I’ve been featured in countless promo reels, given interviews on the topic, written “tips & tricks” articles, and talked up the amazing Accounting Cornerstone Foundation (more on them later) endlessly. Why? Accountants are boring, right? Why would anyone want to hang out with a bunch of them? What is there to learn that you can’t get from an industry publication? And anyway, conferences are expensive and couldn’t possibly be worth all the fuss, right. What’s the point?
I recently joined Gary DeHart of Insightful Accountant to discuss exactly that question, and to walk through my picks for the Top 10 Accounting Conferences of 2025.
Why I Attend Accounting Conferences
Back in 2016 I wrote a blog post about my takeaways from the first Scaling New Heights conference I attended. Mind you, I’d been to plenty of other conferences before then, but this particular blog post resonates in particular because it still holds entirely true, almost ten years later! In re-reading it, I am delighted to find my core reasons for attending conferences remain the same:
Focusing my practice on our strengths & priorities – Exactly what these are change from year-to-year and are deeply personal; it’s something I discuss with my team and we often decide together. Some examples from the past for us: niching; staffing; training; defining our Ideal Client Profile; pivoting to education, leadership, public speaking; automation and delegation; the client experience; the list goes on. I usually pick one or two overarching goals for each conference – but I also keep my eyes open to concepts I haven’t yet considered.
Apps & Solutions – Something that no webinar, demo or virtual conference can fully emulate is the unmatched experience of being able to research and compare various products, apps, and other tools, all under one roof… with countless colleagues surrounding you who have actually implemented one or the other solution. This is how my Senior Accountant and I finally landed on Keeper a few years back – which has been a game-changer for our CPA and bookkeeping firm – and it’s what led me to Gusto payroll and Relay banking back in the day. It’s also how I finally decided to focus on QuickBooks rather than diversify into other platforms. These may not be the solutions for you (as I said, it’s a deeply personalized experience based on your needs and goals), but for us they’ve made a lasting difference, and researching potential partnerships with these companies would not otherwise have been possible with the same degree of interaction and comparison.
Real-life accounting firm scenarios – There’s a saying that the real conference happens not in the sessions, but in the hallways. Now, I’m not throwing shade at the classes, workshops, events or vendor hall, because I’m obsessed with all of those as well! But remember what an incredible resource your colleagues are… as a collective, they probably have all the combined experience you need to get all your questions about firm-running or providing great service answered. There’s always going to be someone out there who’s tried this-or-that and has an opinion on the topic, and it’s about time you found them. Keep your ears tuned to the other questions folks ask, talk to your class or lunch neighbors about your goals and aspirations, and pay attention to others attending demos and ask what if any solution they’re currently using, and why they’re exploring other options. Your community is the biggest resource you could possibly imagine – we’re all trying to figure it out and no one can do it alone better than they can with input from others.
Tips & tricks – By this, I mean the nuggets rather than the giant implementations. Some of my biggest takeaways have sometimes been the smallest little chunks of learning… setting defaults for reporting, or uploading receipts via a mobile app, or tweaking settings for reminders; the list goes on. I keep a page at the back of my notebook for little gems like these, and also write the names of specific clients that would benefit from implementation so that I don’t forget when I get back to the real world.
Networking & comparing notes w/ colleagues – Building relationships with colleagues is fun. It makes life better. It helps you feel less alone; it gives you someone to bounce ideas off of; it can be invaluable when you end up with a client who opens an account with a bank that won’t sync with QuickBooks and you can’t remember how to import the data. (If that sounds weirdly specific it’s because it actually happened to me last year. Pro tip: don’t use Square’s Checking account.) And the best way I can think of to find these people is to meet them at conferences, and learn about which communities they’re a part of that you can join. There are so many great ones out there – Bookkeeping Buds, Realize, Roundtable, and of course my own ‘Ask a CPA’ membership for bookkeepers who have questions they (for whatever reason) can’t ask their clients’ tax pros. (Tantalizing freebie download for readers: an abbreviated version of our “Bookkeepers Guide to Annual Reviews”.)
Meeting vendors & speakers – I know I mentioned Apps & Solutions earlier, but this time I’m talking about developing personal relationships with vendors and speakers, whether you need a rep to help you solve a specific problem, or might need a go-to in the future, or to set up a demo for your clients or community, or for a future potential collaboration. I did this for years just as a matter of course, because I like people and I like knowing what’s going on in the industry, and time and time again it’s come back to me in a positive way, whether it’s because I needed a favor, or had one to offer, or was looking for a podcast sponsor or guest. I once even had the amazing experience of a Point of Sale guru giving a client of mine a call when her old QuickBooks Desktop POS went on the fritz – the amazing Will English came to the rescue and saved her literally thousands of dollars and months of headache. All because I was impressed with his talk at a conference and got to know him better in the vendor hall.
Exploring a new city or visiting an old favorite – Yes, I’m talking about travel. I almost always try to arrive a day early and leave a day or two after the conference so I can catch some of the sights with my husband, who often travels with me and works from the hotel room. You can also do this on your own or make plans with other attendees to meet up (ahead of time or on a lark). It’s an incredible opportunity to check out the sights and build some work-life balance into your trip. And it’s travel with built-in protection from client demands and team emails, since they know you’re busy at a conference, learning things that will help make their lives better when you get back.
How to Choose Which Conferences To Attend
I posted on LinkedIn to find out how my colleagues set their goals, budget, and criteria for deciding which conferences they’d attend and got a lot of great feedback. I asked: – What are your favorites? And most importantly: WHY? – What do you look for in an accounting conference? – How do you budget for them? – And how do you choose from so many amazing ones?
First, a few general comments about “Different types of conferences”. I aim to attend at least A) one smaller-scale retreat, B) one accounting technology conference, and C) one tax update conference per year, and everything else falls into place based on 1-people I want to meet, 2-my travel schedule, 3-my goals for the year, and 4-in my case, whether or not I’ve been invited or accepted to speak.
To get those juices flowing, here’s a list of different types of conferences that I personally consider:
Accounting Technology
Bookkeeping
Tax Compliance
Advisory
Topic-Specific (e.g., Mental Health/ Sustainability-Bridging The Gap; Pricing-REFRAME; Education-‘Appy Camp)
Format: Live/Virtual/Hybrid; Keynote/Breakout/Panel; Size: Big/Medium/Small; How Interactive/Participatory; Solo/Team)
Location – whether because you want to travel somewhere specific or avoid somewhere you don’t like, or you want to stay local! (Erin Pohan even created her own conference in Seattle because she didn’t want to travel – talk about “building your own stage”.)
In my opinion, it’s important to be intentional about what you’re choosing and why (something I learned from Cindy Schroeder in Bookkeeping Buds). There’s an endless number of incredible events out there… to get the most out of your conference budget, it helps to have a list of long-term, short-term, and conference goals. (I have a business to run… time away from my team and clients can be rejuvenating and insightful, but it’s also non-billable.) With goals in mind, it’s much easier to choose which ones to attend, as well as to plan your time wisely while you’re there, and of course, to evaluate your takeaways and fold them into the fabric of your practice after you get back.
Goal-Setting
What are your goals for your firm, team members, your own career development, and your role in the accounting space? Are you marketing for new clients or collaboration with colleagues? Do you need technical guidance most? Firm practice management? Inspiration? These are all valid, and all highly personal.
Once you know what you’re looking for overall, then you have to figure out how to choose which conference in each target area. Spend some time on LinkedIn, check in with your favorite webinar speakers, and of course, consult with your professional organizations – for me that’s my own ‘Ask a CPA’ community, as well as Bookkeeping Buds, Realize, ‘Appy Camp, Theatre of Public Speaking, NATP, and AICPA – to see which members are attending what.
Now, I hear you introverts out there, “what do you mean, check in with my favorite webinar speakers?” I mean, ask them whether they’re speaking at any in-person conferences this year. Shoot them an email or DM on the socials. Everyone likes having fans, and we’re all trying to distinguish ourselves from the crowd — it’s a real compliment to hear from someone who you’ve reached with your messaging. Don’t be shy about asking.
Planning your Time Wisely
Each year I write a big article for MSN on planning your time at Scaling New Heights and Intuit Connect, so follow me there if you’d like to get notified when those come out. Because once you’ve chosen the conference or retreats, I recommend you build your schedule intentionally.
For a big tech conference like Scaling New Heights — with someone like Heather Day Satterley hand-selecting the best speakers in our industry — it easily takes me 2.5 hours to go through all the session descriptions and speaker lists to pick my favorites. And then some are already booked up, and some are held at the same time… if the app allows you to “favorite” more than one, then you’ll have a backup if the one you attend turns out not to be the right fit for you. I also like to take a quick look at the PDF of the slides if they’re in the app to see if the level of the class is a match.
Making a list of vendors you’d like to meet in the Exhibit Hall is another planning recommendation.
I’m a huge proponent of planning ahead, yet not being married to your choices. That way you never waste time in the moment trying to decide what to do, but you also don’t blind yourself to going with the flow. Sometimes you’ll decide to engage in one-on-one or small group discussion, or catch up on Slack or app chat; that’s great, just go with the flow without getting lost.
And now… (drumroll please), the moment we’ve all been waiting for, in chronological order:
For a detailed explanation of why I chose each one of these, check out my interview with Insightful Accountant — if you’d like to leap right on over to the drumroll and the list, it starts about half-way through for those who want to skip to the good stuff (I promise I won’t be offended).
Born from a ‘what if’ sticky note at Appy Camp, the Accounting Cornerstone Foundation has become a reality with only one goal in mind: to share the opportunity to attend continuing education conferences and support the growth of accounting and bookkeeping professionals around the globe. They are a nonprofit that sends accounting and bookkeeping professionals to local in-person continuing education conferences, providing conference tickets, airfare, and hotel accommodation.
If you’re already keen on accounting conferences and you know how life-changing and career-enhancing they can be, then please consider becoming an ACF donor. All of us were once in the situation where we knew attending a conference could make a big difference in our lives, but the question of the chicken or the egg loomed… how am I supposed to come up with the money to attend, when I have to earn a living and I’m just getting by? And then you tell yourself… but if I attend, maybe that will give me the tools I need to not just “get by” but to really thrive? But then… Catch 22 again… where is that money going to come from? The more donations ACF gets, the more applicants they can accept and the more first-timers they can send to conferences, pure and simple. If everyone in accounting-conference-land out there could donate even a small amount, we’d be able to pay it forward for generations.
Final Thoughts: Conferences Can Change Everything
Whether you’re a seasoned firm owner or a solo practitioner still finding your footing, the right accounting conference can make a world of difference. I’ve built lifelong friendships, made smarter tech decisions, improved my team’s systems, found new passions, and met mentors and peers who make this whole journey more joyful and sustainable. Every year, these events help me hit the reset button on my vision and remind me why I do what I do (as well as help me “do it better”).
Please don’t just read this list and move on. Take a moment. Revisit your goals, peek at your calendar, and choose at least one conference to attend this year. Bonus points if you apply for a scholarship from the Accounting Cornerstone Foundation, or help someone else attend by donating. Trust me — it’s worth it.
Here’s to growing your practice, expanding your network, and falling (maybe all over again) in love with this amazing, weird, ever-evolving industry of ours.
See you in the hallways. 💼✈️🎉
If this or any other posts on the website were useful to you, and your financial situation permits it, please consider contributing to my tip jar. Ths allows me to continue to provide free accounting resources to small businesses who do not have the funds available to hire a CPA.
Tax season—that special time of year when caffeine consumption triples, restful sleep becomes a scavenger hunt, and your spouse and friends begin to question your sanity. If you’re deep in the trenches of tax filings, bookkeeping clean-ups, and client questions that could’ve-been-Google-searches, you know the struggle is real. But after 23 years, I feel like I’m finally finding my groove… and because I don’t want it to take you as long to figure out as it did me, I’m sharing tips and tricks that have been successful, and maybe this vision for the future will make today’s load a little lighter.
Tap Technology to Do More with Less
I’ll start with the lifesaver of modern accounting: technology. Yes, I recognize that it’s also the bane of our existence when “Mercury’s retrograde” (or whatever we want to blame for it), but as my software-developer-husband likes to remind me, that’s because I’ve built my life around my tech stack—and vice versa, have built it around my life. It’s what facilitates the lifestyle I’ve chosen for myself: a fully-remote CPA firm that allows me to live in Mexico during tax season and travel during conference season, while making an important difference in the lives of small business owners back home in Chicago.
For me, that means making sure my tech is portable, accessible by my whole team, easy for my clients to use, secure, and reliable.
QuickBooks Online has been my trusty sidekick on this journey for years. And I was such a hater when it was first released! I still laugh when I think about how negative I was about it; because at the time, it was a real frustration that it didn’t behave like or do what the Desktop version could. Thankfully those days are far behind us now. For the type of work we do, QBO has far surpassed its older cousin – it helps automate the tedious, repetitive tasks that used to eat up my team’s capacity (especially when combined with RightTool, my favorite QBO-loving Chrome extension). We lean hard into creating bank rules, automating recurring transactions and payments, and using third-party syncs with Point of Sale and Project Management systems. And because there’s functionality for ProAdvisors that allows us to easily review and recategorize (check out my MSN article on our favorites), it means I can feel confident about the quality of the end result… before it goes onto my clients’ tax returns.
A few QBO life-savers I wish I’d had in the Desktop Days: the audit log makes short work of the tedious task of figuring out why last year’s retained earnings might have changed (and who was responsible); the reconciliation review allows a junior accountant to make sure all accounts are reconciled before we start our review; and the “transactions without payees” report helps us make sure we don’t miss any 1099 vendors. As a firm runner, I also love that I can assign different team members to individual clients, and that I can control their level of access – this came in very handy recently when I had to have a contractor jump in mid-season due to multiple team members having personal setbacks. As I recently noted on LinkedIn, managing team capacity is hard enough without having technology get in the way.
I also rely on apps that help me make the most of our time outside of tax season. In my webinars on 1099 best practices, I illustrate that an hour during tax season is about 4 or 5 times as precious as one during the rest of the year. So the more I can do in the off-season, the less my team and I have to cram into the space right before deadlines. A great example is Keeper – we use them to create a year-round 1099 workflow, where we review for vendors and request W-9s as part of the month-end close. It also helps with practice management and client communication, as we’ve standardized our annual process and language for collecting information from clients, and I have transparency into where my team is getting stuck in closing out the books and handing them off to the tax team.
And lastly, I couldn’t do tax season without Ace Cloud Hosting. Talk about a sanity-saver. They simplify the setup and maintenance of cloud-hosted tax software while still giving us enough administrative control to implement changes when we need them. We used to live in fear of our server going down just before a deadline; in the case of a significant software problem, now we have a whole team to assist in rolling back and restoring any data. I can honestly say that I sleep better at night than I did before working with them.
These tools don’t just save time—they support my mental health. Automating the little things and not worrying about the big ones means I can focus on higher-value work (or take a five-minute dance break between Zoom meetings… see my next point).
Remember That Work-Life Balance Is a Thing (Really!)
Busy season has a way of making you forget that life exists outside of work—but here’s a secret: it’s okay to take a break. Seriously. In fact, it’s not only okay, it’s essential. And my clients will survive if I step away for a meal that doesn’t involve eating over the keyboard. My brain functions better when it’s not running on fumes, and my work is actually better and more efficient when I prioritize rest.
My husband and I have a tradition: every night we have what we call “sunset wine”. We climb a ladder to the roof and watch the sunset over an adult beverage. The birds are busy going back to their roosts, the sky changes colors, and my old friends the winter constellations start to draw their pictures up above. I picked this tradition during the pandemic, when I realized that I could not be relied upon to take a break. There was always another email that needed to be sent, another article to write, another emergency to address. But the sun doesn’t wait for “just one last thing”… it’s gonna set when it sets, and I have a date to keep. By creating an external trigger for my breaks, I was able to truly disconnect and decompress. And discovered in doing so that when I went back to work later that evening, I felt renewed focus.
It’s a similar phenomenon to when I started dancing, 12 years ago. I felt like I didn’t have enough time for physical exercise, because I was always so busy. But going to rehearsal three times a week only took about five hours—and it turns out the exercise led to higher-quality sleep, so that I went from needing nine hours per night to only seven-and-a-half. Net weekly gain: over five hours.
I use an accountability app to remind me to exercise, where my best friend can see that I’ve checked in each day, even if it’s just a quick stretch, breathing exercise, or a kitchen dance party while I’m making dinner. And once-a-week, a friend sets up a zoom session for one of our dance troupes, the Fabulous Ladies of Fitness. (In case you’d like to follow along at home, here I am at Chicago SummerDance leading 400 enthusiastic participants in a rousing routine to Laura Branigan’s Gloria.)
Lean on Your Professional Community
Accounting might be a numbers game, but I believe that it’s primarily about personal relationships. And especially during busy season, your community can be a lifeline. Whether it’s a QuickBooks ProAdvisor Facebook group, a local networking event, or a paid community like Bookkeeping Buds (I’ve been a participant for almost a decade) or my ‘Ask a CPA’ membership – having a place to vent, ask questions, and share wins is invaluable.
I can’t count the number of times a fellow ProAdvisor has shared a shortcut or app that’s saved me hours. And when things get overwhelming, just knowing that others are in the same boat is deeply comforting. It’s one of the main themes of my favorite conference, Bridging the Gap; last year I presented a panel there on “Vulnerability as a Strength,” about the importance of taking off our masks and sharing our challenges with each other; it absolutely builds trust and diffuses the isolation we often feel when times are hard. (Bonus tip: Last year’s BTG also reminded me how effective expressing gratitude and helping others can be in building resilience and improving mental health. Having a rough day? Lift someone else up who’s feeling low. Now two people feel better. This is one reason BTG’s Randy Crabtree and I both volunteer during tax season to assist AICPA as scholarship judges.)
I’m also a dedicated attendee of the bi-weekly AICPA Town Hall. Not only can I count on Lisa Simpson to offer the latest technical guidance, but I also get some “me time” that clients and team members simply aren’t allowed to interrupt. (Meeting hosts Lisa and Erik in-person and getting my moment on-stage with them at DPCA was a dream come true.)
Whether it’s the Town Hall, Unofficial QuickBooks Podcast, or The Accounting Podcast (honestly, whatever your favorite flavor of continuing education is), you can stack keeping up on industry guidance with community… and maybe even exercise (I love listening while I’m in the pool and I know many folks consume podcasts while on a walk). An easy three-fer.
So, don’t go it alone—tap into your community. It’s like group therapy… but with more bank feeds and spreadsheets.
Keep Perspective (And a Sense of Humor)
When a client “forgets” to mention a major business merger or a team member has to suddenly take a leave of absence, I sometimes let exasperation take over and decide I’m going to burn the whole thing to the ground. But laughter truly is the best stress relief—I’ve enjoyed quite a few accounting memes among WhatsApp groups and on LinkedIn that sometimes are just the ticket.
And of course:
Busy season is tough, but it’s temporary. And with the right tools, support, and mindset, we can get through it—and make a plan for each season to be better than the last.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a well-earned dance break to take.
Note! As my readers know, I am downright fanatical about transparency and full disclosure (often to my detriment, as you may have noticed that I have a wildly popular award-winning blog that is non-monetized). Though this particular post is a paid partnership with Intuit, I want you to know that a) I wanted to write an article on managing tax season stress anyway, but couldn’t find the time; getting paid allowed me the break from client work I needed to make it happen; and b) they didn’t delete a single thing when I presented it. In fact, they have been totally cool with all my Intuit-bashing since the first article I wrote for them… which impressed me quite a bit, to be honest. That’s four times now — I might just keep this win-win-win up.
It’s tax time, you’re digging through your records… and your preparer or tax software asks about tax payments you’ve already made. Um, was I supposed to track those?
Lots of small business owners pay what are known as “quarterly estimated taxes” to the IRS and their state department of revenue throughout the year — as a replacement or in addition to W-2 withholding, in order to pay tax on their self-employed or pass-through company’s profit. But what happens if you didn’t keep notes on these payments? No worries — the IRS did.
“What is an IRS Account Transcript and Why Do I Need One?”
During the pandemic, we began requiring all clients to submit a copy of their IRS Account Transcript along with their Tax Organizer and other annual tax prep documentation. Initially, this was to confirm the amounts of stimulus payments and child tax credit payments. But what we found was that it was a great way to confirm how much the client paid to the IRS for quarterly estimated taxes — and to make sure we credited the payment to the correct tax year. As such, we now always require a copy of this particular transcript — and wish we’d done so all along! It’s free, reasonably easy, and reliable. In the end, it saves the clients (and us) a load of potential headaches.
It’s important to note that there is more than one type of transcript, and each meets a different need. For example, if you’re trying to prepare a tax return for a prior-year and need a list of all the informational documents filed with the IRS that are associated with your SSN, you’d want a Wage & Income Transcript. For more info on how to do that, and the various types of transcripts out there, please see the comprehensive article I wrote for MSN on the topic.
An Account Transcriptlists information on payments and credits posted to your account throughout the year, such as quarterly estimated tax payments. The best news where downloading any transcript is concerned? All you need is a photo ID, a mobile phone with a camera, an email address, and an Internet connection.
Keep in mind that the IRS will not email you a transcript; you must go online and create or log in to your account and download it. There are email scams out there that entice folks to click on a link or attachment with the promise of an IRS Online transcript – don’t fall prey.
“How Can I Download My IRS Transcript?”
1. From the IRS website, you’ll need to create an ID.me account. (This is the most involved of the steps, but thankfully you only have to do it once; moving forward, you’ll simply sign into the same account each time.) The ID.me website uses facial recognition to confirm your identity, so you’ll need your phone to take a selfie.
If you need help creating your ID.me account, the ID.me Help Center spells out the process very clearly. You can also watch this video or review these written instructions if you want to review the process first.
One note: if you were using the old IRS account system, you won’t be able to log in with your previous IRS username and password anymore — the IRS sunsetted that program in early and now you need to use the ID.me system. At this point, most of our clients already have ID.me set up, but this may be new to you if you’ve never downloaded a transcript before.
2. Once your account is created, log in, go to the IRS’s Get Transcript page and click the “Sign into your online account” button (or the “Get Transcript Online” button, depending on which version of the screen you see).
3. You used to have to select the reason you need a transcript. This seems to no longer be a part of the process, but I’m leaving the screenshot here just in case the workflow is not consistent from one login to the next. If you are prompted, it’s fine to just select “Other”.
4. Once on the “Transcripts” page, you will see an expansion arrow at the top for “Customer File Number”. Unless you were directed by a third-party to enter something here, leave this section collapsed so that the Customer File Number field is blank.
5. The rest of the screen will display all four (or five, if you have non-filing years) transcript options and the available years.
If you have not made any quarterly tax payments and have no other credits on your account (such as an amount paid/applied forward from the prior-year tax return), there will be an N/A noted where the year would normally be listed.
Make sure to have your spouse download their transcript as well, because quarterly estimated payments and amounts paid forward from the prior-year tax return may be associated with their SSN instead of yours.
6. Under “Account Transcript”, click the tax-filing year (the top line of the upper-left box — “2024” in this example).
7. Click the tiny arrow on the right, and like magic, a PDF will pop up in a new tab of your browser with all the information you need. Here’s what the header looks like:
8. Save or print the file to PDF and put it somewhere safe, along with the rest of your tax season documents.
(And if you want to get deep into the weeds, NASFAA has an amazing “Tax Transcript Decoder” that compares the fields on a tax return to the fields on a tax return transcript, and Saving To Invest had fun with highlighters when creating a legend for each row on an account transcript. Tax nerds unite!)
“What About State Information?“
Each state has its own idiosyncrasies, and many have their own system — but quite a few states are using the same software company, so they often look and act similar. Our firm is located in Chicago, so to get a list of the estimated tax payments you’ve made to the state of Illinois, go to https://mytax.illinois.gov/?link=1040EPy (without logging in) and enter your SSN, Name, and the tax year in question.
If you also made payments from a corporation or partnership, you’ll need to log in to your company’s MyTaxIllinois business account to get those.
“Now What Do I Do With These Files?”
Seriously? You make sure to use your accountant’s secure file transfer system to send them your PDFs. Please do not ever email sensitive documents. It puts both you and your CPA at risk.
Done! Let the tax return preparation (or extension payment calculation) begin!
If this or any other posts on the website were useful to you, and your financial situation permits it, please consider contributing to my tip jar. Ths allows me to continue to provide free accounting resources to small businesses who do not have the funds available to hire a CPA.
Big news! The IRS announced yesterday that tax season for 2024 returns will officially begin on January 27, 2025. They have been working hard on modernization efforts this past year — and as such, will offer more and better tools and features to help taxpayers prepare an accurate return efficiently, and to answer their questions in a timely manner. (Wishing I could say the same for the helpfulness of Congress, who is actually responsible for the insanity that is our complex labyrinth of tax code.)
A few things all taxpayers should know:
You do not need to wait until January 27th to file —
For those who are chomping at the bit to get their taxes filed, you have options. If your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is $84,000 or less in 2024, you can file electronically for free by using IRS Free File, available only on IRS.gov (there is even a Spanish version available). IRS Free File providers will allow taxpayers to prepare and file returns now and hold them until they can be electronically filed on that date. Many other software companies — including our professional tax software — offer a similar option. If your situation is complex, I don’t recommend this approach, as changes in forms and worksheets can affect your liability. But for most straightforward DIY filers, this is a great approach. Get it out of the way now! (Here are some good reasons for that angle.)
Tax due dates are not the same for all return types —
While April 15th is the due date for individual tax filers this year (October 15 if you file an extension), keep in mind that S-Corporations and Partnerships (which include most multi-member LLCs) are actually due one month earlier — March 17th this year (since the 15th lands on a Saturday). The reason for this is that Form K-1 is generated as a part of these returns, and that document contains information that flows through to the personal return, so that extra month is a necessary buffer. Filing an extension will take you to September, 16, 2025.
Keep in mind that estimated quarterly tax payments for business owners (including sole proprietors) are due January 15 (4Q 2024), April 15 (1Q 2025), June 16 (2Q 2025), September 15, 2025 (3Q 2025) and January 15, 2026 (4Q 2025).
If you’re in an area that has been declared in a natural disaster, these dates may have been automatically extended on your behalf. The IRS has a tool to look up information for your area.
An extension to file taxes is not an extension to pay taxes —
This is unquestionably one of the most common misunderstandings among taxpayers. The 6-month extension to file taxes is exactly that: an extension to file. It’s not an extension to pay. “Well, that’s nuts,” you say… “how am I supposed to know how much I owe if I haven’t filed yet?” This is one situation where you might consider working with a tax professional. We take many factors into consideration and work hard to come up with a projection for our small business clients. If you are a small business owner, or you have had a major life change since last year’s tax filing season that might affect your liability — consider working with a credentialed professional preparer (see more info on this, later in the article). There are numerous free programs for professional filing assistance as well (below). And if all else fails, at least include a payment of some sort — your best guess — rather than nothing, with your extension, unless you’re sure you will be getting a refund.
Refunds will not be issued if you do not file; after three years, no refunds are issued —
The good news is that if you are due a refund, and you don’t file on time, you will not face a penalty for late filing or late payment. However, the IRS will not issue your refund until you file.
The majority of all US tax filers typically do get a refund — the average of which is over $3,000 — and the IRS usually issues these within 21 days of accepting a return. Please note, however, that on the IRS website it notes that if you are claiming an Earned Income Tax Credit, by law they cannot issue the EITC-related refund before mid-February. Past issues with fraud have been too pervasive.
Generally speaking, “filing electronically and selecting direct deposit is the best way to get your refund quickly,” IRS Commissioner Werfel said in a press call. Once you have submitted your return, you can use the agency’s Where’s My Refund tool to check the status.
If you do not file a tax return for three years after the due date, the IRS will no longer issue a refund. In this situation, it is still required that a taxpayer file a return, but keep this in mind if you are behind in yours.
Creating an IRS online account truly makes life easier —
Did you know you can now create an online IRS account to look up past filings, payments, balances due, and transcripts, as well as make payments, set up payment plans, and view tax pro authorizations? They introduced this feature quietly some years ago and it’s been improving steadily ever since. Since the pandemic we have required clients to create accounts so they can download and submit account transcripts to confirm their estimated tax payments — it’s made everyone’s life better as a result.
The IRS lists creating an online account as number one on their recommendations for how to get ready to file your taxes and I would be hard-pressed to think of anything more helpful — especially if you have a payment plan, balance due, overdue balance or unfiled returns. You can even perform actions that were unheard of online at the IRS just a few short years ago, such as requesting an Identity Protection PIN and signing tax forms such as powers of attorney or tax information authorizations.
There are alternatives when it comes to how to file your taxes —
The IRS offers multiple options for filing your tax return, as do various organizations, and of course tax professionals.
Free File — as I mentioned earlier, If your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is $84,000 or less in 2024, you can file electronically for free by using IRS Free File, available only on IRS.gov (there is even a Spanish version available). This is a partnership with eight different private software companies.
Direct File — another free program, this one was a pilot last year; taxes are filed directly through the IRS rather than a third-party software provider. Not all states are included, but it’s more than twice the participants from last year, and most allow you to file the state return as well, for free. You can view participating states and check eligibility online. While they have expanded the use cases, most complex returns will not qualify/
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) — this program offers free tax help to people with low-to-moderate incomes, persons with disabilities, and limited-English-speaking taxpayers who need help preparing their own tax returns. Go to IRS.gov/VITA or call 800-906-9887. (Want to volunteer? It’s an amazing experience that I can personally recommend; no experience is required, as they provide all the training.)
Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) — they offers free tax help for all taxpayers, particularly those who are 60 years of age and older. TCE volunteers specialize in answering questions about pensions and retirement-related issues unique to seniors. Check out IRS.gov/TCE for more information.
MilTax — Members of the U.S. Armed Forces and qualified veterans may use MilTax, a free tax service offered by the Department of Defense through Military OneSource. For more information, visit MilitaryOneSource.mil/MilTax.
The IRS offers resources for finding a credentialed tax professional in your area —
Interestingly, while most states require a professional license to cut hair or give a manicure, no license is necessary to prepare taxes. However, as complex as the tax code is, I cannot in good conscience recommend at this point that anyone work with a non-credentialed tax preparer. For one, they will not be able to represent you in front of the IRS if your return is selected for examination. Secondly, they have no requirements for a minimum number of continuing education credit hours each year. And finally, the tax code is a horrifying morass of byzantine complexity. Do you really want someone without any proof of education or testing working on your return?
The IRS offers numerous resources for finding a credentialed tax preparer in your area:
A directory of tax pros that have one of the accepted designations for practicing in front of the IRS. If you enter your zip code and distance, you can find someone nearby who has an accepted designation. My recommendation is that you check the boxes for Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Credential and Enrolled Agent (EA) Credential. The others are only qualified to assist in very specific scenarios. Keep in mind that in this day and age of remote work, you do not need to select a firm that is nearby, but it can be helpful if they need to have knowledge of state and local laws as well.
Information on choosing a tax pro, with links to many resources, including videos and articles with everything to consider.
They also maintain a short list of IRS Tax Pro Association partners, which are professional associations that tax pros can belong to in order to stay on top of tax law changes, get continuing education, and have a say in our country’s tax administration. The IRS recommends you choose a tax professional that is a member of at least one of these organizations. Proud to say that I am a member of two organizations on this list: the AICPA and NATP — both top-notch education providers.
Have a problem with the IRS and don’t know where to turn? The Taxpayer Advocate Service may be able to help —
I’ve worked directly with TAS — their advocates strive to ensure that every taxpayer is treated fairly and that taxpayers know and understand their rights. They’ve even developed a mind-blowing “roadmap” (more like a European subway system) to help taxpayers figure out where to go within the IRS depending on their issues. As an independent organization within the IRS, they help taxpayers resolve problems and recommend changes that will prevent problems. They are a great option if you’re not having any luck with the IRS directly — find out how you can get help here.
Tax season is just around the bend! We’re working hard to issue all our clients’ 1099-NEC forms before they’re due at the end of the month, and are in the process of sending out electronic tax organizers. I met with our team and we’re excited and ready for the most organized tax season yet. Wishing you all the same!
If this or any other posts on the website were useful to you, and your financial situation permits it, please consider contributing to my tip jar. Ths allows me to continue to provide free accounting resources to small businesses who do not have the funds available to hire a CPA.
A few too-good-to-miss free resources have come through my inbox and socials recently, and I wanted to make sure to share the goodness with y’all.
Velocity 2025 – Virtual Annual Planning Retreat by Justine Lackey
🗓️ Date: Tuesday, January 10th ⏲️ Time: 12:30-4 pm EST
What’s the disconnect between dreaming big and actually making it happen?
✨ You need a clearly articulated vision. ✨ You need to map that vision to projects and/or milestones. ✨ You need a system to move you from idea to impact
Velocity is an annual planning virtual retreat for bookkeepers and accountants who are SO DONE with task overwhelm, to-do list drama, and missing their goals every single year.
This event is all about: 🎯 Getting clear on what YOU want for your business and life. 🛠 Building your roadmap to success. 🔥 Equipping you with the tools to take off like a 🚀 rocket 🚀 in 2025.
Justine is a dear friend and endlessly supportive, and I know we have a lot of members of her “The Nest” program in our ‘Ask a CPA’ group who have amazing things to say about her quality as an educator.
Paid Diagnostic Reviews: Unlocking Profitable QBO Cleanups by Veronica Wasek
🗓️ Date: Tuesday, January 21st ⏲️ Time: 2:30 pm EST | 1:30 pm CST | 12:30 pm MST | 11:30 am PST
Kick off 2025 with a fresh approach to profitable cleanups! In this webinar, Veronica will share her step-by-step process for conducting paid diagnostic reviews. Explore how to assess your clients’ QBO books, get paid for your time and position yourself as the expert for cleanup services. You’ll learn:
This is the process we use internally for doing diagnostic reviews as well that I learned directly from Veronica many years ago.
(And yeah, that’s a photo up top of the two of us showing off our Top 10 ProAdvisor awards together last year! She loves dancing as much as I do and is my favorite accounting conference “dance buddy”.)
Building a Healthier & Happier Tax Season by Randy Crabtree
Insightful and practical session focused on strategies for managing stress, improving work-life balance, and maintaining mental and physical well-being during tax season. You’ll learn practical tips for time management, effective communication with clients, and maintaining focus and energy. Randy will share actionable tools to enhance productivity, reduce burnout, and foster a more positive, enjoyable tax season.
Randy is one of the most inspiring, kind people in the industry, and works tirelessly to promote the idea that accounting can be a sustainable career choice. He runs my favorite conference, Bridging the Gap (early-bird registration only $799 through 1/31) and I’ll be a guest on his Unique CPA Podcast next month!
I Got 1099 Problems But a Workflow Ain’t One on QB Power Hour
🎥 Recorded, watch anytime!
Dan DeLong invited me to join Rich Kane and Matthew Fulton to chat about 1099 tips and tricks, as well as ways to make 1099s a part of your monthly client services.
The session came with a special offer to join ‘Ask a CPA’ for 30% off the first 3 months with discount code QBPH30 so you can enjoy the recording of our recent, fabulous Q&A session on 1099s with payment method expert Jennifer Dymond!
Speaking of discount codes, the first 99 new subscribers to apply code DANCING1099 will get an extra 10.99% off their first order at Dymond’s legendary https://www.1099problems.io searchable 1099 payment method website, so go get on it.
We see you, bookkeepers and accountants… we know January’s a rough month. Hope these free resources make your January less stressful! You are not alone.
If this or any other posts on the website were useful to you, and your financial situation permits it, please consider contributing to my tip jar. Ths allows me to continue to provide free accounting resources to small businesses who do not have the funds available to hire a CPA.
As of December 27,2024, the Fifth Circuit reversed their own stay while they’re deciding the case. This means the injunction is back on and there’s currently no enforceable BOI reporting requirement.
Apparently one panel of the Fifth Circuit decided to stay the injunction — but just a few days later, a different panel of the same U.S. Court of Appeals circuit issued an order vacating the December 23, 2024 order granting a stay of the preliminary injunction.
This sounds weird — because it is — but basically, they “stayed the stay” (which is like a double-negative) of the injunction. Meaning the district court temporary hold on FinCEN being able to enforce the BOI reporting is still in place after all. Companies are not currently required to file beneficial ownership information with FinCEN.
Therefore, anything in the original article I published a few days ago is informational-only and BOI filing is currently voluntary per the FinCEN website.
If this or any other posts on the website were useful to you, and your financial situation permits it, please consider contributing to my tip jar. Ths allows me to continue to provide free accounting resources to small businesses who do not have the funds available to hire a CPA.
My feelings regarding how FinCEN has handled Beneficial Ownership information (BOI) under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) are best left unexpressed.
UPDATE: as of December 27,2024, the Fifth Circuit reversed their own stay while they’re deciding the case. This means the injunction is back on and there’s currently no enforceable BOI reporting requirement.
Therefore, anything in the original article below is informational-only and BOI filing is currently voluntary per the FinCEN website.
Here is the original article from the day before the 12/27/24 reversal:
With all the insanity about Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting these past few weeks — first the nationwide injunction preventing FinCEN from enforcing the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA)… then the House passing a Continuing Resolution (CR) that would give us all a year-long delay while the various court challenges made their way through the system… then the Senate passing a version of the CR without addressing the issue… and then, yesterday a stay on the injunction by the Fifth Circuit — meaning that everything is back in place and the BOI is once again law of the land — how much more confusion could there possibly be?
I’ve been putting off finalizing my definitive article on the topic for months, despite having interviewed five different filing companies back in January and February, as most sources of information suggested that the BOI was likely to be delayed a year — that’s certainly what AICPA, NATP, and our other membership organizations have been lobbying for in Congress. And with the increased confusion surrounding this year-end injunction prohibiting its enforcement, even FinCEN itself said that though they would appeal, for the time being, BOI filing would be voluntary. And now it’s the holidays and everything has been upended. So — I’m going to push off a longer article on what the heck BOI is and why we have to file it and the myriad reasons I feel it’s a terrible law (though probably not unconstitutional — just terrible lawmaking) until after the New Year, and this just covers “what you need to know NOW”.
In a tiny bit of good news for what’s left of our holiday season, at least they’ve given us 12 days of BOI extension in place of 12 days of Christmas or 8 days of Hanukkah.
‼️ Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, US Treasury issues small extension/delay for BOI reporting. ‼️ Specifically: * Companies created or registered prior to January 1, 2024 have until January 13, 2025 to file. * Companies created or registered on or after September 4, 2024 that had a filing deadline between December 3, 2024 and December 23, 2024 have until January 13, 2025 to file. * Companies created or registered on or after December 3, 2024 and on or before December 23, 2024 have an additional 21 days from their original filing deadline to file. * Companies that qualify for disaster relief may have extended deadlines that fall beyond January 13, 2025. These companies should abide by whichever deadline falls later. * Companies that are created or registered on or after January 1, 2025 have 30 days to file.
Well, I’m not a lawyer, so I can’t advise you, but I can say that you do seem to have a couple of choices — file it yourself or seek help.
File the BOI on your own as a DIY — in which case I recommend you use my colleague Hannah Smolinski‘s handy do-it-yourself YouTube guide, here. This is free and you file directly with FinCEN. The negatives are that it’s a bit fussy and your data is not saved for the next time you file or update your info. The pros: FREE and DIRECT.
File the BOI with the help of a third party. There are a zillion out there, many of whom are just going through the motions without considering the potentially special needs of your situation — such as condo associations, cooperatives, and other group filers, or other companies whose beneficial owners are not listed on the Secretary of State documents filed when you became organized or incorporated. Worse even, many companies and attorneys are charging an arm and a leg for this reporting — and getting it, from unsuspecting businesses. I’ve interviewed quite a few companies offering this service, and my favorite ended up being File Forms. I like the ease of use of their user-interface, the fact that they have guidance to walk you through the process, and that they let you save your info for the next time you have to file or update your report. (Note: while this is a referral link, know that I chose them well before they offered it to me; I had a great experience with their sister organization during the ERC era, and they were my objective personal selection for my own BOI filing after interviewing five different companies.)
What happens if I choose not to file?
Penalties are steep for willful non-compliance. I would not take this approach… though if you’re really opposed to it, or already on winter vacation, or busy with year-end tax planning or other seasonal work, you could try waiting until the first week of the new year in case this gets delayed one more time. I wouldn’t personally give you a hard time about that approach. Just don’t forget!
Why are some people so opposed to this?
For now, I’m going to skip answering this question in full — it’ll have to wait until my more comprehensive article on the topic. The short version is that it’s a huge amount of red tape for small business owners that already have way too many barriers to success; FinCEN did a lousy job promoting it and educating business owners; the definition of a beneficial owner is vague; most of this information is already on file at the Secretary of State; it’s too easy to miss filing an update unknowingly; the penalties for non-filing are way too high; and the people who are doing the money laundering are going to have an easy time getting around this anyway.
Is it unconstitutional?
I have no idea. Some folks think it is. Some don’t. That’s why there’s so much court activity on this, adding to the confusion.
What’s my next step?
Decide whether to file DIY or with a third-party. If DIY, go to Hannah‘s step-by-step instructions. If with a third-party, decide whether to use your usual attorney or a company like File Forms. If your situation is at all complex or you don’t understand the instructions — seek professional assistance!
And have a happy holiday season.
If this or any other posts on the website were useful to you, and your financial situation permits it, please consider contributing to my tip jar. Ths allows me to continue to provide free accounting resources to small businesses who do not have the funds available to hire a CPA.
I’m still a little confused as to how it became a thing for accounting and bookkeeping services to advertise Black Friday or Cyber Monday specials… does that feel weird to anyone else? Just me? Hmm.
Regardless, there are some really good ones out there. I’ve rounded up a few that I’m most excited about, and if you decide to spend your weekend shopping online for good deals to match your career goals for the next year, consider this a shortcut.
Scaling New Heights tickets will be 20% off on Dec 2 (Cyber Monday). I presented last year and am hoping to be selected again in 2025! One of my favorite conferences, and the only “must go” for bookkeepers, imo. The only other sale they traditionally offer is Groundhog Day, and I don’t think it’s quite this good, so just go for it. https://www.woodard.com/scaling-new-heights-2025
Royalwise Black Friday Sale* — 25% off sitewide! Alicia Katz-Pollock’s QuickBooks Online classes as well as their famous iPhone or Mac courses. Use code 25%OFF at checkout. And on Cyber Monday, snag 10% OFF all annual memberships with code 10%ANNUAL — that equates to three months FREE. https://learn.royalwise.com/visitor_class_catalog?affiliate=5982001
Get Productive with Google* — Dara Sklar, the most incredible Google expert I know, is offering her Get Productive Pro Pack at 40% off, for only $97. And you get her amazing Get Productive with G Suite FREE with purchase of the companion program. We’ve got this ourselves and LOVE it. Can’t say enough good about her or her products. And this combo is a steal. https://thedancingaccountant–withdara.thrivecart.com/get-productive-pro-pack-gppp/
Veronica Wasek – ALL of her 5MB Academy courses are 20% off with code blackfriday2024 — do not miss this! I loved her paid diagnostic review session and honestly refer to what I learned in it all the time. https://courses.5mbacademy.com/pages/courses-by-category
Eric Green’s Tax Rep Network (TRN) deal includes their Certified Tax Representation Consultant (CTRC) program (Reg $995) along with all the on-demand video training in the Annual Silver Membership (Reg $995), and all 7 of their eBooks (Reg $379) for only $749. Offers expire November 30th. https://ao406.infusionsoft.app/app/orderForms/b4c00fa5-edd4-45b0-bc1a-f122a627cd3b
Justine Lackey Pricing Perfection Program — only $79 (84% off) through Monday. Learn her “Value Plus+ Pricing Model” in this fast-track program on pricing and selling your bookkeeping services. https://courses.justinelackey.com/pricing-perfection
Beneficial Ownership Information reporting through FileForms*, my preferred vendor – 30% on referral rewards in December if you become a partner (at no cost). These folks are among the only ones I trust to get these reports right, educate your clients, and save the info for annual reporting and updates. https://partners.fileforms.io/l/DANCINGACCT/
Kellie Parks’ Workflow Watering Hole is offering 33% off everything in the Cloud Accounting Templates Store. She’s discontinuing some of her app-specific templates, so this might be your last chance on those. Use code BLACKCYBER24. https://cloudaccountingtemplates.com/
Get The Bookkeeping Side Hustle Guidebook for 50% off with code JOY. Kate Johnson is one of my very favorite colleagues and I’m endlessly impressed by her abilities, generosity, values, advice, and hustle. If you’re not already signed up for her bi-weekly newsletter, please do — she even has her own Black Friday Deals Deals Deals section in the most recent one, which you can check out here. https://www.bookkeepingsidehustle.com/store/
And don’t forget us! Get 30% off your first 3 months of your membership to The Dancing Accountant’s “Ask A CPA” community — for bookkeepers who want to level-up their accounting game and increase collaboration with their clients’ CPAs and tax preparers. Use code WORKFLOWCON2024 — just extended through noon on Tuesday, December 3rd! https://www.thedancingaccountant.com/ask-a-cpa-landing/
Following Kate Johnson‘s lead here in full disclosure — If a link has an asterisk beside it, it means it is either an affiliate or tracking (me not you) link. Neither of these results in any additional cost to the purchaser; on the contrary, earning commissions is part of what enables me to write blog and social posts and provide free information to better our industry and help pro bono clients, so in part, you’re contributing to that mission and helping create content that benefits you and/or your clients.
If this or any other posts on the website were useful to you, and your financial situation permits it, please consider contributing to my tip jar. Ths allows me to continue to provide free accounting resources to small businesses who do not have the funds available to hire a CPA.
One of my favorite books when I was a kid was “Hail, Hail, Camp Timberwood,” about a girl who goes to summer camp for her first time. She’s standing around, feeling (and probably looking) uncomfortable as all the return campers are running around, hugging each other, excited to be reunited. All of a sudden, someone runs up to her and gives her a big hug and says how happy she is to see her again. After a moment of total confusion, the girl leans in and says, “Don’t worry – we don’t actually know each other. I was just feeling left out and figured I’d join ‘em.” The two of them become fast friends and go off hugging others who looked out of place and letting them in on the joke. Before you know it, the entire place was full of everyone running around hugging each other and laughing.
While I can’t say this is likely to happen exactly like this at the upcoming Intuit Connect conference in Las Vegas, I also wouldn’t be that surprised if it did. There will be heaps of people reuniting for the first time since last year, or at least since Scaling New Heights (check out last year’s video blog about those amazing takeaways, which includes some bonus suggestions for Connect). But there will also be loads of first-timers attending, who are nervous and out of their element. Find the other wallflowers and go up to them – tell them it seemed like maybe they didn’t know anyone there, either, and do they want to eat lunch together or go to a vendor booth or grab a drink? You’ll be delighted and surprised at how many of these folks you’ll stay in touch with through the years. Remember, progressive accountants and bookkeepers such as the kind you’ll find at Connect – especially those who go year after year – are excited you’re there, and they want to help make your experience better. Introduce yourself to someone who looks like they “belong” and say that you’re new, and not sure where to begin. I am sure they’ll point you in the right direction, take you under their wing, or introduce you to someone who might be a great conference buddy.
For today’s blog post, I’m going to be that conference buddy, and share with you my Expert Tips for Attending Intuit Connect 2024.
Tip One — PLAN AHEAD
Attend a prep session webinar or podcast for individual insights. Michael Ly presented one on October 15th as a tax-extension-day celebration and you can check out the recording here. Also, Lynda Artesani joins Matt Fulton and Richard Roppa-Roberts to host a wrap-up on November 8, sponsored by Forwardly. Keep your eye on this space, as I’ll be updating the article as I learn about new events.
Plan ahead, make a schedule, but be comfortable diverging from it; that way you don’t waste time figuring out what to do in the moment, but you also don’t miss the organic opportunities that arise.
Make a list of vendors you’d like to meet; they’re often very busy during open Exhibit Hall time; it might be helpful to set up a time with them to meet during a session when the Hall is less busy. Bring a list of questions you’d like to have answered. Narrow your scope… it’s impossible to visit everyone. Pick a few areas of interest, look into which vendors serve those areas, and focus on them.
Connect on social media with others who will be attending, whether it’s in a Facebook group like The Unofficial QuickBooks Connect Conference Group, LinkedIn, or other platform — you can always use the official hashtag #IntuitConnect to find out who you already know that might be going. Engage and make plans ahead of time.
Check with your sales reps and vendors for the tools you love best – whether you’re already using them or plan to implement this year – to see if they are hosting any customer dinners, happy hours, or get-togethers. Same with professional associations you’re either in or are considering joining, like Bookkeeping Buds, Realize, or Roundtable.
Register for parties that aren’t already in the QBC app! In addition to the always-fabulous ConnectFest on Tuesday evening, there are loads of RSVP-only sponsored parties, such as:
There are also some customer-specific dinners and get-togethers for RightTool, Relay, Synder, ClientHub, Truewind, and other vendors and professional associations (such as Bookkeeping Buds, Realize, and Roundtable) – check with reps for the apps you already use or are planning to implement, and ask if they are hosting anything.
Tip Two: DOWNLOAD AND USE THE MOBILE APP
When you log into the Intuit Connect website (same credentials you used to register for the conference), you can select sessions ahead of time. Keep in mind that some are 50-minute sessions and some (including mine) are 100-minutes. One of the nice things about the app that Intuit uses is that you can sign up via the website or the mobile app. You can also “favorite” (aka “heart”) a session without signing up for it. Although you can only sign up for one session per-slot, you can “favorite” more than one, giving you an excellent way to select backup classes. (There’s one small bug – in an attempt to make sure you’re not signed up for two sessions simultaneously, they accidentally made it so that you have to choose between LUNCH at meetups that are being held during the lunch hour.)
On your phone, you can log into the Intuit Connect website and scroll down about half-way to download and sign into the conference app; the app and the website sync with each other! If you still have the app on your phone from last year, it will work! You just have to click the “update” button in your phone’s app store.
You can also click on the “Add Personal Time” button, which allows you to include items in your agenda that aren’t part of the official conference.
Once you’ve got your calendar just the way you want it, you can then export it so that everything shows up on your personal calendar, by clicking the dropdown at the top of the “My Agenda” view.
You can “register” for only one per timeslot, but you can “favorite” many, which is great if a session turns out not to be your cup of tea and you want to bail for another, or if you’re somewhat undecided.
The app won’t let you register if it’s full. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to attend anyway! Lines will form for the “sold-out” sessions, and they will let additional people in if there’s capacity, which there usually is – get there early to be near the front of the line. There is almost always extra room and I’ve rarely been turned away.
If you click on the session, it will show you the description, as well as speaker info. If you click on the speaker it will show their bio and all the sessions they’re teaching at the conference. This is a great way to research which instructors you’d like to hear.
Tip Three — PACK WISELY AND COMFORTABLY
Wear comfortable shoes – there’s a lot of walking, even though it’s a confined space. Three floors, plus events at neighboring properties. (And of course, dance parties!)
Pack an extra collapsible duffle bag for swag if you’re into it – but remember… you can also say “no thank you”. It’s easy to get lost in the freebie frenzy, but do you really need another stress ball? That said, some of the stuff will be too good to pass up and you want to make sure you have room to carry it home. Personally, my QBO wine stopper from last year is a treasured memento – no joke!
The breakout rooms are often FREEZING! Bring a wrap or sweatshirt. Also, Vegas is in the desert… it’s chilly this time of year.
However, there are a couple of hot tubs in the pool area, so also bring a swimsuit. Keep in mind that they close very early — 4 or 5 pm depending on the day.
Bring a refillable water bottle (or reuse a plastic bottle) and/or coffee/tea mug; there will be dispensers, and also, the water in your hotel room is fine to drink. Pro tip: the gym is 24/7 and has great filtered water.
Bring battery packs and chargers – often the rooms are in a basement and your cell struggles and chews up your battery; plus you’ll want to be on the conference app, your association’s Slack or Circle app, and you’ll probably text or WhatsApp a lot.
Conference hotels are pricey! Buy food & drink at a nearby convenience store if you’re going to want snacks or a bottle or box of wine outside of the usual meals and parties – but there are lots of those, so it’s not strictly necessary. Also, ordering delivery food or groceries is a lot cheaper than eating at the casino. While you’re at the convenience store or ordering online, grab some Epsom salts to soak your feet. You’ll be glad you did.
Speaking of the hotel restaurants, the reservations book up very quickly. If you know you’ll want to eat out on a given night, go ahead and reserve as soon as you can.
There are no coffee-makers in the rooms, and the line at the café winds through the casino. Bring a portable tea kettle or coffee-maker; this is ours. I wish I had an affiliate link because I recommend this thing to everyone.
Carry small bills for tipping bartenders at the various happy hours, socials, parties and receptions. They work hard and many attendees don’t think to bring cash.
Bring earplugs for sleeping and loud parties.
All that said, don’t overpack. We’re only there for four days and you can re-wear some of your clothing. You don’t want to get stuck spending most of your final night re-packing your whole wardrobe. You’ll probably need less stuff than you think.
Anchor is hosting a service on the final day where you can store your luggage, after checking out (rather than with the hotel concierge) — register here. (They’ve been amazing. Airport pickups on the first day, storing luggage on the last, a hospitality lounge, and loads of co-sponsored events with other apps and organizations. And incredibly nice people, too!)
Dress code: BE YOURSELF. Many people are in sweats and jeans, others are in power-suits or dresses, and some of us love dressing up in-costume and wearing tiaras whenever we get the chance. Wear what makes you feel most like yourself.
Addendum: Halloween is October 31st! Many of us are bringing costumes, so if you’re inclined to do the same, you will not be alone.
Related: plan for ample travel time while in Las Vegas, whether you’re on foot or in a vehicle. Use cabs instead of rideshares when you must take a vehicle, as they are prohibited from surge pricing. But keep in mind that the lines to grab a taxi outside each property can be long. Stick with over-street pedestrian bridges and monorails when possible.
Once you’ve met a bunch of folks at the conference, consider coordinating to share a cab back to the airport when you depart.
Check in early and skip the QBC lines. On Oct 27 from 12 PM-7 PM you can head to the Mariposa Registration Desk on Level 2. Remember to bring your ID.
Tip Five — NETWORKING
Represent your tribe… for example, last year the Bookkeeping Buds wore our tiaras to show support when a member was competing in a QBO Tips & Tricks session. I also always bring my favorite Bookkeeping Buds bag and use it instead of the conference one (it not only is a nice talking point, but it also is easier to find if you leave it behind somewhere). Many folks love wearing t-shirts from their favorite apps – Kim Noh even has her own tee that has logos of her tech stack!
Stay connected via Slack, WhatsApp, social media, and texts throughout the conference.
Bring business cards – digital, paper, or a paper one with a QR code (or QR code stickers). I used HiHello for my first time last year, but there are loads of others out there. These days the vendors usually just scan your badge to get your info, but they do sometimes have raffles where you can drop an old-school card in an old-school fishbowl; I have a different set of b-cards I use for these with an email that routes to a different folder.
Prepare your elevator pitch – who are you, what do you do, why are you here, what makes you different? What will I want to remember about meeting you?
Tip Six — TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
Sleep well the week and weekend leading up to the conference – the sessions start early, the parties go late, and there’s always something happening in the hotel bar.
Put your badge on the inside of the doorknob when you get back to your room, so that you remember to grab it on your way out — a great tip I learned from Lynda Artesani. They are strict about not letting anyone in without it.
If you’re getting groceries delivered or stopping by a 7-11 or Walgreens, consider picking up some epsom salts to soak your feet.
It’s okay to skip the morning session if you were up late, or to take a nap during a mainstage or between events. Give yourself some grace.
But be careful about how late you stay up and how much you drink. You don’t want to miss something valuable or feel sick just because you lost track of yourself. There’s a cool “bracelet trick” I learned years ago… put as many bracelets on your left wrist as drinks you’ll allow yourself. Move one bracelet to the right wrist with each adult bevvie. Once your left wrist is empty, cut yourself off. Another trick is to re-use the same glass each time you get another cocktail — filling it up with water between drinks. You have to finish the water before allowing yourself a refill. And this may go without saying, but make sure to eat a full meal to soak up all that fun.
Consider arriving a day early or leaving a day late so you can see the sights in Las Vegas. If you haven’t been to Absinthe, Lost Spirits, a Cirque de Soleil show, the Fremont Street Experience and the downtown Vegas lights, or the Museum of Neon, I can highly recommend taking the extra time to make it happen. And it’s a great way to form a tighter bond with some of the new friends you met at the conference!
Tip Seven — SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
There are always seats up-front, even when a session looks full. Don’t be nervous about walking right up there, even if it’s a few minutes into the session. No one’s looking at you, and no one cares.
That said, feel free to ditch a class if it’s not what you were hoping for or expected. There are other workshops that will be better worth your valuable time – or maybe it’s an opportunity to visit with vendors or network with colleagues.
Take a photo of the Exhibit Hall map so you can easily zoom in/out and orient the phone so that you’re pointing the right direction.
Take lots of notes – notebook, e-ink pad, tablet, laptop… however works best for you. (In fact, as a paper-note-taker, I plan to check out my friends’ Remarkables and Supernotes as one of my research goals for the conference.) Make one page a list of client-specific takeaways and one page a list of non-client actions you’ll perform when you get back to the office. Try to restrict that second list to only 2-3 things – it’s impossible to implement every shiny new idea you come across. Those will hang around in your head and you’ll get a chance to learn more at the next conference, by which point maybe you’ll have a new set of goals.
It’s natural to be nervous, but you can do this! Even extroverts struggle with meeting new people sometimes. Move through that shyness or fear and lean into the fact that almost everyone here came alone; everyone had a first conference where they didn’t know anyone; and everyone is here to meet other people and develop their practices. We have so much in common… sit at a lunchtable where you don’t know anyone and introduce yourself. Ask why they’re here and what they’re enjoying most. Find out where they’re from and what their specialty is. Tell them your goals and ask if they have advice. Ask them what their tech stack is and share your struggles with your choices and vendors and all the things. We will never run out of topics to talk about with each other, because there is so much to learn in our industry. Plus, chances are that these are folks who are as passionate about what they do as you are, or they wouldn’t be here in the first place.
