Tell new tax and bookkeeping clients what to bring

Start with a plain document checklist

Have the preparer approve a short list for a first appointment. Use everyday descriptions beside form names so clients can recognize papers they have received. An individual-client list might ask for:

• Identification to bring to the appointment.
• A copy of the previous year’s return.
• Current income forms, with examples the office accepts.
• Tax letters or notices they want to discuss.
• A short note about changes since the last return.

Mark which items apply only to some clients. Explain what to do when a document has not arrived, such as bringing a list of missing items. Keep the checklist readable on the page and useful when printed, without requiring an account to view it.

Separate business records from personal papers

Give small-business clients their own section. Ask the preparer which reports, income and expense records, bank statements or payroll summaries help them understand the work. Explain unfamiliar report names and give instructions for someone whose books are incomplete. Avoid making clients decide the technical scope before speaking to you.

For monthly bookkeeping, describe the starting information separately from return preparation. That might include the months needing attention and existing bookkeeping reports. Explain how records will be handed over at the appointment. Keep documents, account numbers and passwords out of a general appointment message; the request should only gather enough information to arrange the conversation.

Make busy-season booking understandable

Show the office’s appointment hours and any seasonal changes. Explain when you encourage clients to request a first meeting and whether they can meet while waiting for paperwork. Keep current availability close to the request so an old notice does not suggest that a full week still has openings.

Say how the office agrees on a time after reviewing the inquiry. Explain that an appointment and completed work are separate steps. Describe how the preparer discusses the schedule and the date they need complete records. Keep individual filing questions for that conversation, without turning the page into tax instructions or promising a particular result.

Walk through the first meeting

Describe arriving, meeting the preparer and reviewing the folder together. Give the time clients should allow, using the office’s own estimate. Say whether the meeting includes listing missing papers, discussing the work and reviewing a proposed fee before anything starts.

Explain what the client leaves with, such as an agreed next step and a list of records still needed. Distinguish any catch-up bookkeeping from preparing a return so the scope is understandable. Give clients a way to ask preparation questions before visiting. Check the page with whoever handles appointments, using the questions new clients actually ask on the phone.