C
Close180
Sign InStart Free Trial →
Built for Accounting Firms

Tax Season Shouldn't Feel Like Survival Mode

200 clients. 200 unique document lists. 200 different deadlines. And they all hit at the same time. Close180 turns the chaos of busy season into a calm, trackable process.

Every CPA Knows This Pain

You didn't go to school for project management. But that's what tax season turns you into.

"I'm Still Waiting on Their K-1"

It's March 28th. You've emailed the client four times about their partnership K-1. They respond: "What's a K-1?" Meanwhile, the April 15th deadline is hurtling toward you with 47 other incomplete returns.

The Spreadsheet From Hell

Your "client tracker" spreadsheet has 14 tabs, 200 rows, and nobody updates it. You just discovered three clients whose extensions were never filed because they fell off the sheet two weeks ago.

The "Just One More Question" Loop

Clients call every day asking "is my return done yet?" Your staff spends 30% of their time answering status questions instead of actually preparing returns.

What Changes When You Use Close180

Tax season becomes a system — not a scramble.

Every Client Gets a Personalized Document Checklist

Individual return? Business return? S-Corp with rental properties? Each engagement type has its own checklist template. Deploy it in seconds. The client sees exactly what they owe you — W-2s, 1099s, mortgage interest statements, charitable receipts — all laid out clearly. No more "what do you need from me?" emails.

Outcome: Clients finally know what to send you. Document collection goes from 6 weeks of nagging to 5 days of uploads.

Scale Your Team Without the Growing Pains

Hired seasonal staff? Add them as assignees to specific client checklists instantly. They see their assigned clients, the outstanding documents, and the deadlines — all on day one. Need to reassign a client because someone is overloaded? Move the assignee. The new person picks up exactly where the last one left off.

Outcome: Seasonal hires are productive on their first day. Client work never gets orphaned during handoffs.

Documents Come to You — Not the Other Way Around

Clients get a branded portal showing their checklist. They upload their W-2 right into the "W-2" task. Their 1099-INT goes into the "1099-INT" task. Need to add a new document mid-engagement because they forgot to mention rental income? Add it to the checklist — they get notified immediately and upload it in hours, not weeks.

Outcome: You stop being a document detective. Everything arrives labeled, organized, and attached to the right task.

Automated Reminders That Do the Nagging for You

Set daily reminders starting February 1st for clients who haven't uploaded anything. Weekly reminders for clients in progress. Escalating daily reminders as April 15th approaches. Your clients hear from the system — not from you leaving uncomfortable voicemails. Extend to quarterly estimated payments, year-end planning, and any recurring engagement.

Outcome: Clients respond faster because the reminders are persistent and professional. Your staff stops playing collections agent.

Your Tax Season — Under Control

From January kick-off to October extensions, every phase runs itself.

January

Kick-Off

Deploy checklists to all clients. Automated emails go out: "Here's what we need from you this year." Document uploads start flowing in immediately.

February

Collection Mode

Daily reminders ping clients who haven't started uploading. Your dashboard shows exactly who's at 0%, 50%, and 100% complete. Staff works the ready files first.

March

Preparation Sprint

Returns in progress are tracked on per-client checklists. Each preparer sees their queue. Reviewers get auto-notified when prep is complete. K-1 stragglers get escalating daily reminders.

April

Filing & Extensions

Completed returns are tracked. Extensions are auto-identified for incomplete files. Nothing slips through. Post-filing: estimated payment reminders deploy automatically for Q2.

May - Sep

Extended Returns

Extension clients have their own checklist cadence. Monthly check-ins, document reminders, and prep milestones keep everything moving toward October 15th.

Year-Round

Advisory & Planning

Quarterly planning checklists for high-value clients. Year-end tax planning engagements. Recurring monthly bookkeeping checklists. Every engagement type, templated and trackable.

80%
Less time chasing documents
0
Returns missed due to lost docs
Day 1
Seasonal hires productive
24/7
Clients can self-serve status

Pre-Built Tax Engagement Checklists

Templates for every engagement type. Deploy in seconds.

Individual Tax Return (1040) — Document Checklist

20 items across 4 categories

Income Documents

6 items
W-2(s) from all employers
1099-INT / 1099-DIV (interest & dividends)
1099-NEC / 1099-MISC (freelance income)
1099-B (brokerage statements)
K-1 (partnership/S-Corp/trust income)
1099-R (retirement distributions)

Deductions & Credits

6 items
Mortgage interest statement (1098)
Property tax statements
Charitable donation receipts
Medical expense records
Student loan interest (1098-E)
Childcare provider info (for CDCTC)

Business / Self-Employment

4 items
Profit & loss statement
Business expense receipts
Home office measurements
Vehicle mileage log

Administrative

4 items
Prior year tax return
Valid government ID (both spouses)
Bank routing/account for direct deposit
Signed engagement letter

Next Tax Season Will Be Different

Stop surviving busy season. Start owning it. 14-day free trial, no credit card required.