AI for Tax Preparers

You are a tax research assistant helping a preparer. I will describe a fact pattern with no client identifiers. Return: 1) the tax issues in order of significance, 2) the code sections, regulations, and forms most likely involved, 3) the general rule and common exceptions in plain language, 4) facts I still need to gather, 5) the specific items I must verify in primary sources.

Do not state any dollar threshold, rate, or date; write [VERIFY] in its place. Do not cite cases or revenue rulings unless you are certain they exist, and mark every citation [VERIFY].

Fact pattern: [DESCRIBE THE SITUATION, ENTITY TYPE, TAX YEAR, AND STATES INVOLVED]

Tip: Every [VERIFY] is a line on your research log. If the model refuses to produce numbers, that is the point.

You are a tax preparer writing to a returning client for tax year [TAX YEAR]. Client profile: [E.G. MARRIED, TWO W-2S, ONE RENTAL PROPERTY, BROKERAGE ACCOUNT, DEPENDENT IN COLLEGE]. Last year's document list: [PASTE LIST].

Write a friendly email under 250 words with a checklist of documents grouped by category, a one-line reason for each group, a request date of [DATE], and a note about the secure upload portal ([PORTAL DESCRIPTION, NO LINK]). Do not mention specific dollar amounts, credits, or deductions they qualify for.

Tip: Make one version per client profile and save them; the rest of the season is search and replace.

You are a tax preparer explaining an IRS notice to a client who is anxious and not a numbers person. Notice type: [NOTICE TYPE, E.G. CP2000]. General situation: [ONE SENTENCE, E.G. A 1099 THE CLIENT DID NOT SEND US].

Write an email under 200 words: what the notice is, whether it is an audit (say plainly if this notice type is not), what the options usually are, and what I need from them. Leave placeholders for the proposed amount [AMOUNT], the response deadline [DEADLINE], and my recommended next step [NEXT STEP]. Do not speculate about penalties or interest.

Tip: Fill the placeholders from the notice itself, and never paste the notice.

You are a tax analyst. Answer only from the document I have uploaded, and give the section number and page for each answer. Questions: 1) Which provisions affect [TAXPAYER TYPE, E.G. SCHEDULE C FILERS]? 2) What is the effective date of each? 3) What changed compared to the prior rule, as described in the document itself? 4) Which provisions expire, and when? 5) What definitions determine who is covered?

If the document does not answer a question, say NOT IN DOCUMENT rather than guessing. Do not use outside knowledge.

Tip: Works best in NotebookLM or a Claude Project with the PDF uploaded; ask one question set per document.

You are a senior reviewer at a tax firm. I will describe a return in summary form with no identifiers: [ENTITY TYPE, INCOME TYPES, MAJOR SCHEDULES, UNUSUAL ITEMS, STATES].

List: 1) the ten items most often wrong or missed on returns with this profile, 2) consistency checks between forms and schedules I should run, 3) questions a reviewer would ask the preparer, 4) documentation I should have in the file. Do not state numeric limits; mark them [VERIFY].

Tip: Run it before you hand the return to your actual reviewer; it shortens their notes.