The Tax Power Hour is a monthly webinar series for tax section members only.  This free, hour-long talk will help tax practitioners save time, reduce stress and run an efficient practice. Topics will focus on: Practice Management Growing Your Practice Leveraging Technology Technical Tax Issues & Updates And more…

Speakers are tax practitioners sharing advice and best practices and other experts (e.g., marketing, management, human resources, etc.) to offer other recommendations or tips & tricks to help make you and your practice as efficient as possible.  In addition to bringing you CPA tax practitioners and other experts, each Tax Power Hour will also feature two recurring segments:

1. In the Capitol Tax Update, we will provide a brief review of what's happening in Washington and update you on advocacy issues specifically related to CPAs who provide tax services.

2. The Issue Spotlight walks you through the answer to a question on a 'hot topic' that came to the tax team from our Member Service Center.  

There is ample time in each session for questions so you can be part of the conversation.  Join us!  We want to help you save time, reduce stress and make your practice more profitable.

Event Archives

If you missed a presentation, don't worry.  Links to video archives and presentation handouts will be available for one year after the presentation. Click here to view presentations or download handouts.  Archives Available: April, 2012:  Tax Season Debrief March, 2012:  Managing Extensions February, 2012:  Microsoft Outlook - Tips & Tricks for Maximum Efficiency January, 2012:  Optimizing Client Communications During Filing Season December, 2011:  Tax Season Watch - Due Diligence Traps to Avoid This Filing Season November, 2011:  Gearing Up for Tax Season

	Mid-Year Planning Date: Thursday, May 24, 2012 So far on the Tax Power Hour, we planned for and discussed strategies to stay efficient and effective throughout filing season.  Last month, we debriefed tax season.  Now it is time to look forward and plan the rest of the year.  This month we'll discuss the scope and timing of key practice management initiatives that normally happen in the summer and fall.  We will walk through the CPA tax practitioner's business cycle month-by-month and take a closer look at the life cycle of a CPA firm. Register today!
	Leveraging Technology - Using QuickBooks, Sharing Files, Client Portals and more... Date: Thursday, June 28, 2012 We want to help you navigate your choices to either improve your current processes or consider something new.  This month our focus will be on technology.  We’ll explore options for sharing QuickBooks and other electronic files with clients, using portals, securely exchanging documents with clients and electronic delivery of organizers and tax returns.  Learn the pros and cons of the different technologies as well as best practices and experienced user tips.  You’ll hear about the number of firms that use the technologies and why they use them.   Registration will open about a month before each program
	Starting Off Right - Roadmap to Starting a Firm Today Date: Thursday, July 19, 2012 So, you are thinking about going out on your own.  What’s involved?  How do you get started?  This month we will explore these questions.  It is so important to set the tone from the beginning.  It will impact everything else – the clients you serve and the staff you attract and retain.  We will cover the tactical issues, such as technology options (e.g, should you go straight to the cloud?), using laptops or mobile devices, software must haves (tax, write-up, word processing, spreadsheet, adobe, email) and where your office location should be.  We will also talk about client development, marketing and strategies for you to use to position yourself as the premier provider of tax services. Registration will open about a month before each program
	Tackling Staff Compensation Issues Date: Thursday, August 16, 2012 It’s that time of year again when firms start asking if it is time to raise their fees.  Before that can be considered, firms need to look at their compensation and development plans.  What is your firm’s long-term development plan?  Do you have written plans that address staff growth, compensation and incentives?  Is your compensation plan performance driven or based on something else?  Join us this month for a discussion to address these questions.  Attracting and retaining qualified staff is one of the top issues facing firms today.  A critical part of that process is having a well-defined development and compensation plan.  We’ll walk you through the key components of a successful plan and share tips to help you complete this cycle this year with confidence. Registration will open about a month before each program
	Tax Return Billing:  Hourly, Fixed Fee, Fee Schedule or Value Billing? Date: Thursday, September 20, 2012 During the April Tax Power Hour, we asked participants how they billed for tax returns.  Over 60% responded saying they used a combination of methods, not just one.  This month we will through each type of billing model and explore their pros and their cons.  We’ll also share how some practitioners were able to successfully switch from one model to another. Registration will open about a month before each program