When people ask me: what tax year are we in, what is the answer for 2025 filing?

This is a common point of confusion! The answer depends on what they're actually trying to figure out. When someone asks "what tax year are we in," they're usually asking about which year's tax return they're currently filing. Right now in February 2024, we're in the 2023 tax filing season - meaning we're filing tax returns for income earned during 2023. Most taxpayers need to file their 2023 tax returns by April 15, 2024. However, we are currently in calendar year 2024, and any income earned now will be reported on the 2024 tax return that will be filed in 2025. So if they're asking about income they're earning right now, that's for the 2024 tax year. I usually clarify by asking, "Are you wondering about which tax return we're currently filing, or about what year's return your current income will go on?

I was in a similar situation last year and found that using taxr.ai really helped me explain this concept to clients. I was getting so many confused calls about tax years, filing years, and payment deadlines that I needed something to help me provide clear answers. I found this tool at https://taxr.ai and it really simplified things! It basically breaks down tax terminology into plain language and helps me explain tax timing concepts to clients. When I get the "what tax year are we in" question now, I have a simple explanation ready that the tool helped me craft based on their specific situation (filing a return vs. making payments vs. planning ahead).

Just wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai after trying it. This thing is actually super helpful for client communication! I used it to create a simple one-page explanation about tax years vs. filing seasons that I now email to clients when they ask. It helped me break down the concept into a simple timeline visual that shows how 2023 income → 2024 filing → 2024 income → 2025 filing, etc. My clients actually understand it now! I've gotten positive feedback saying it's the first time someone explained it clearly. Definitely worth checking out if you deal with client confusion.

If you're constantly getting these kinds of basic questions, you might need a better phone system to direct clients. I was facing the same issue and getting swamped with calls asking about deadlines, tax years, and other basic stuff that was keeping me from focusing on actual tax work. I tried Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and it helped me set up a basic system to triage client calls. They have this demo video (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) that shows how it works. The best part for me was setting up automatic responses to common questions, which reduced my call volume for simple questions by like 40%. Now when someone calls asking about what tax year we're in, they get a clear recorded answer before even talking to a staff member.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I tried Claimyr after my skeptical comment, and it actually did help our small tax office. We were drowning in calls about basic tax year questions and filing deadlines. The system helped us create a simple automated greeting that answers the most common questions right away, including "We're currently in the 2023 tax filing season for returns due in April 2024, while any income you're earning now in 2024 will be reported on next year's tax return." Our receptionist says call volume for basic questions dropped by about 30%, and she's not constantly putting people on hold anymore. Sometimes being wrong feels pretty good!

Just be careful with how you phrase your answer, because technically we have multiple correct answers depending on what they're asking: 1. Calendar Year 2024 = The actual year we're in right now 2. Filing Season 2023 = The tax returns currently being prepared/filed (for 2023 income) 3. Tax Year 2024 = The year for which we're currently accruing income (to be filed in 2025) I usually just ask "Are you wondering about which tax return you should be filing right now, or something else?" That usually clarifies what they actually want to know.

This question causes so much confusion! At our office we made a simple calendar we give clients that shows: • 2023: Year income was earned • Jan-Apr 2024: 2023 tax filing season • Apr 15, 2024: Deadline for 2023 tax returns • Apr 16-Dec 31, 2024: Late filing period for 2023 returns • 2024: Year income is currently being earned • Jan-Apr 2025: When you'll file taxes for 2024 income Having something visual really helps clients understand the offset between earning years and filing seasons!

Great question! I've been doing taxes for about 8 years now and still see this confusion all the time. Here's how I explain it to clients: "We're currently in the 2023 tax filing season" - this is usually what they want to know. We're filing returns for income earned in 2023, with a deadline of April 15, 2024. But I always follow up with: "Is there something specific you're trying to figure out?" Because sometimes they're asking about: - Whether they missed a deadline (2023 returns) - What year to put on forms they're filling out now (2024) - When their next tax return will be due (2024 taxes due April 2025) The key is not assuming what they mean by "tax year." I've found that about half the time, they're really asking "Am I late filing something?" rather than wanting a technical explanation of tax years vs. filing seasons. One phrase that works well: "Right now we're filing 2023 tax returns, but if you're earning money today, that goes on next year's return." Keeps it simple but covers both scenarios!