It’s getting easier for people to figure out their own tax returns online for free...
…There are AI tools that scan documents, answer questions plainly and walk them through returns at 11 p.m. in pajamas, no accountant in sight.
… Tax preparation tools don’t send clients a $200 bill for a 20-minute phone call they didn’t understand anyway.
…People open an app, scan a W-2 and get a refund estimate before they’ve even returned their email. Some don’t even think to call. Why would they?
Their AI best friend can give them an answer in two seconds! And it doesn’t make them feel stupid. That’s more than we can say for the CPA that’s been in their family for generations, charging premium rates for word vomit.
Accountants are in the Relationship Business
These days, your success relies on learning how NOT to freak normal people out.
You’re not just a number-cruncher anymore! You’re a translator, a strategist a financial first responder. You make things make sense. You remind people to breathe when money stuff starts stressing them out.
Money is always going to feel overwhelming, no matter how advanced the tech gets. (Lucky us!)
And AI is never going to know the full story.
It doesn’t know your client’s kid has a disability or that they qualify for tax credits they’ve never heard of. It doesn’t know that the client lost their job, started freelancing and are terrified of owing money they don’t have. It doesn’t know they inherited property from their grandmother or understand the emotions and tax implications connected to selling it.
AI doesn’t know how to gently walk your clients through a rough year with empathy and clarity. It doesn’t connect dots. It doesn’t read the room. It doesn’t call after hours because something doesn’t “feel right.”
You do! And that’s what makes you irreplaceable.
Taxes are Human Prep
Your edge in the digital age isn’t the tax prep, it’s the human prep.
It starts with a mindset shift. Your job isn’t to prove how much you know, it’s to help someone understand what they need to know.
Here’s how to flip the script:
Ask before you answer: What are they really worried about? What’s the outcome they care about most? Start there.
Talk in takeaways: Lead with the stuff that was too long for them to read, then offer deeper information if they ask for it.
Ditch the jargon: If they say, “I drive for Uber,” don’t reply all technical with, “Well, as a sole proprietor filing a Schedule C…” Just say, “Yep, that counts as self-employed income.”
Acknowledge the emotion: “I know this stuff can be overwhelming.” “Totally normal to feel anxious around taxes.” “You’re not the only one. Let’s walk through it together.”
It’s translating, and it’s what people pay for now. A calm, clear voice in the financial noise. Don’t freak them out!