I'm curious if anyone uses organizers for tax season and what success they've had with them. I've tried the generic booklet form, a customized 4-page version in Word, and the software-generated kind. None have received a very favorable response from my clients. Has anybody else had success using organizers?? Thanks!
We use software generated some clients fill them out, some attach the documentation to the related pages, and some send them back with their information but the organizer is blank. So mixed results.
We continue to use them every year as some clients ask for them if we are late mailing them out.
I don't use them. My clients would think it's an imposition. I just keep asking questions if I need more info. But my client's returns are not too complex.
Proseries has an organizer, but I haven't needed it.
I use them and find them very helpful. The majority of my client are retired and the organizer is good memory jogger for them. Some of my clients rely on the organizers to know
who they received 1099's from the previous year. I just use the software generated ones. It is a pain in the you know what to get them out tho! I'll probably be more selective this coming year to which clients get them because postage keeps getting more expensive and client list keeps getting larger.
I used to keep track which clients use the organizer and which do not, about 50-50, and I had to generate from my database slightly different cover letters. Now I send the ProSeries short-version of the organizers to everyone and probably the same number use it as before, but I use the cover letter and engagement letter from PS and the process is much more efficient.
One year, long ago, I encouraged the use of the organizer by offering a discount for anyone who completed the organizer and enclosed a check for the return, less a 10% discount. I did get some, not very many, but it saved on the time because I had fewer office appointments because of the completed organizers.
I prepare over 300 1040's, and possibly one-third to one-half do not come in for appointments.
I made my own one page organizer. It's just really a reminder of what is needed. http://www.flamewrangler.com/t... will take you to my site where I have three versions of an organzer. Some people still want the traditional style and a do mail those out. The bulk mailing cost and the waste of paper (that doesn't get used) was just too much.
Didn't have luck with organizers so I created my own worksheets and checklist for documents. Clients seem to take to this better. anuenue
