I had expected 2019/20 to be much the same as previous years - I usually photocopy last year's Stragglers List and find the usual suspects to be there for this year.
Much to my surprise, I've only seven returns left - discounting stuff that just needs signing off - instead of the usual 20 or so.
Just waiting for a couple of queries to be resolved 1
Books in, waiting for me to start 3
Supposed to be fetching books in tonight 1
Client believes still too early 2
How's everyone else found lockdown ? Has it helped ?
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Size of firm and workload varies
A prior posting said 200 left. A week ago?
At that time, I had 199
I assume you did not have 70% of staff choose to self isolate or need to deal with school closures or be worried concerning ethnicity for three months
That is 1/3 of the time available for tax returns
Pretty much in the same boat as you Lion. Found clients were bored at home this year and sent in stuff much earlier. Saying that my client with the most complex affairs, who always gives me a stack of messy papers in the last week of January with half the info missing, will still most likely be doing the same this time round!
Same for me and probably a bit ahead of last year. Still have 32% of all returns to submit according to my Taxfiler pie chart, but these are mostly the easy stuff. Happily I may actually be able to afford Christmas this year.
Those landlords of yours are going to love MTD then...
I'm surprised about the subbies - all of mine are done in April!
We are certainly ahead of the curve on SA, but much slower this month than normal with getting my head around Furlough MK8 of whatever scheme we are up to and my No.2 is being a bit slow quite frankly working from home for the 8th month now is making her lose all motivation. I thought we were doing OK with the home working but it seem to be too many distractions are creeping in.
November is normally my biggest month for SA but it wont be this year.
I have about 22% in progress of left to go, with about that of the period available left, and most of them are the smaller ones so I am happy with that. I don't get this "leave half of them to Jan" lark.
I'm ok at the moment, I've caught up with the majority of my workload and I'm trying to get into a routine now. I am preparing for my children's school's to close again by putting in clearer processes for me to follow should I have no childcare and have to work nights again, basically I'm making myself step by step sheets that I can follow when I'm tired. I'm determined to beat Covid no matter what it throws at me. I've been having mini panic attacks when I read about another confirmed case within their schools so by preparing for the worst, is helping.
My SA clients are mostly CIS so they are at my door quicker than I can say 'tax back', so I've only a few property returns to do and that's me done.
The future is still uncertain and I've still got Covid work to do but I now feel it's within my control, so that's a relief.
I think step by step sheets are a good idea. Just putting things down in writing gives me back a feeling of control.
Yes I agree. Offloading my brain by not assuming it'll all be there when i need it, and having these sheets to refer to, really takes the pressure off.
I don't think I'll could ever be a paper-free office. Out of sight, out of mind with me. Plus, adding hand written notes is something I do too. My husband has built me an office in the garden but i am currently in the 'box room' as we call it, and the walls are covered with post-it notes that are just so helpful. I'm dreading him finishing the office because I just don't want to leave and god knows how long it'll take me to move the post-it notes.