A Month Before Tax Season Can Make A Big Difference
Tax season does not leave much room for experimentation. For Barrett Young and his CPA firm, the weeks leading up to busy season were focused on setting up systems that could handle both recurring work and one off projects without slowing the team down.
Barrett shared that his firm onboarded Anchor right before last tax season and completed the setup in the span of about a month. During that time, they built out billing workflows that supported recurring retainers, subscription services, and one off tax return billing, all in one place.
The goal was not to add complexity. It was to create a process that worked quickly, stayed lightweight, and supported how the firm already operated.
Supporting Both Recurring And One Off Work
One of the biggest challenges for many firms is managing different billing types across separate tools. Barrett explained that his firm uses Anchor for recurring projects, recurring retainers, subscription billing, and one off tax returns.
As the firm was creating engagement letters, they were able to set ranges for services and establish a clear structure for their offerings. When a client signs the e file forms for a tax return, the invoice is approved at that same point. From there, the firm creates a manual bill in Anchor to handle the one off work tied to that return.
This approach allowed the firm to keep billing closely aligned with client approval, while still maintaining flexibility across different types of engagements.
Lightweight Setup Built From Templates
Barrett emphasized how quickly his firm was able to get everything up and running. Templates played a key role in making that possible.
For recurring services, the firm set up basic service options for each client. These options were built from templates that were very easy to create, very easy to run, and simple to reuse. That structure made it possible to standardize recurring billing without overengineering the process.
All of this was completed within about a month, right before the start of tax season, which helped the firm enter busy season with billing already handled.
Delegating Proposal Creation Without Losing Oversight
One of the most meaningful shifts Barrett described was moving proposal creation off his personal plate.
With Anchor, proposals no longer require him to personally create every single one. His admin now creates proposals using templates, and Barrett reviews them before they go out. That change allows the firm owner to stay involved without being the bottleneck.
This delegation made it easier to keep work moving while maintaining oversight and consistency across client engagements.
Built In Reminders And Simplified Payments
Barrett also highlighted how Anchor supports the payment side of the workflow.
The platform sends reminders automatically and allows bank accounts to be linked to multiple engagements. This simplifies how clients pay and reduces friction in the collections process.
For Barrett, the value was not just about automation, but about making the entire process of getting paid simpler and more predictable across the firm’s client base.
Why Lightweight Systems Matter During Busy Season
When asked why he loves Anchor, Barrett came back to a few consistent themes. The system is lightweight. It is fast. And it does not require unnecessary manual effort from the firm owner. Watch his full video here.
Those qualities mattered most because of timing. Everything was set up right before tax season, when speed and clarity are essential. Instead of adding stress, the system supported the firm as work ramped up.
Barrett’s experience shows how firms can prepare for busy season by focusing on simplicity, delegation, and processes that align closely with how they already work.
Anchor helps accounting and professional services firms send agreements, collect payments, and manage billing in one simple system. Join the thousands of accounting firms who have made the switch. Book a demo here.
