Beating the April 15 deadline
- Aileen Melchor
- Apr 2
- 4 min read
With less than two weeks until the April 15, 2025 deadline for filing annual income tax returns (AITRs), accountants and auditors find themselves in the busiest, most demanding period of the year. Taxpayers, businesses and regulatory bodies are counting on them to ensure financial accuracy, compliance and timely submissions.
A colleague once told me that the period is often called "hell week" — a time when the workload is relentless, pressure is at its peak and last-minute client requests keep coming. It's not just about crunching numbers; it's about managing stress, staying organized and maintaining professional integrity when every minute counts.
Despite early requests and careful planning, the final weeks leading up to the deadline often bring unexpected delays and urgent revisions. Handling these challenges takes more than just technical expertise — it requires patience, clear communication and the ability to stay calm under pressure.
Common challenges in the final weeks include:
– Last-minute client requests and corrections. Clients often come up with new requests at the last minute: additional financial analyses, revised tax strategies or expanded audit procedures. More often than not and despite repeated follow-ups, many clients delay submitting important financial documents, disrupting planned workflows and compressing the time available for thorough review and compliance checks. These changes can significantly impact the workload and timeline.
– Regulatory compliance and updates. Tax regulations are constantly evolving and 2024 has brought new amendments that impact compliance reporting and filing processes. Accountants must ensure that every return adheres to the latest tax codes, while auditors must verify that financial statements comply with updated accounting standards. These unexpected changes add another layer of complexity to an already demanding and time-sensitive workload.
– Time management and workflow prioritization. With multiple filings to complete, accountants and auditors must prioritize urgent tasks while keeping track of pending obligations. This involves meticulous scheduling, frequent status checks and the ability to pivot quickly when unexpected issues arise.
– Stress and fatigue management. The long hours, tight deadlines and heavy workload can take a significant toll on professionals. As the deadline nears and last-minute requests increase, the risk of fatigue and burnout rises, impacting productivity and accuracy. In this high-pressure environment, resilience, time management and attention to detail are essential for maintaining professional standards.
So, how can we manage these challenges effectively? Based on insights from my eight years of tax and audit seasons, here are some practical strategies you may consider:
– Establish a clear cutoff date for data submission. While flexibility is sometimes necessary, setting a firm internal deadline for receiving client documents can help manage expectations. Communicating this deadline clearly — along with potential consequences for late submissions — encourages clients to be more proactive.
– Prioritize tasks based on urgency and impact. With limited time available, not all requests can be treated equally. Use a priority matrix to categorize tasks based on their urgency and impact. Focus on critical financial statements and regulatory filings first, then address additional client requests if time permits.
– Utilize technology and automation. Accounting and auditing software can significantly speed up data processing, reconciliations and compliance checks. Cloud-based collaboration tools also allow real-time updates, reducing delays caused by back-and-forth emails. It is impressive to see firms that recognize the long-term benefits and embrace and invest in the latest technologies despite the upfront costs. By streamlining processes and reducing manual effort, these advancements not only simplify the workload for accountants and auditors but also lead to significant cost savings over time.
– Communicate proactively with clients. Regular updates and reminders keep clients on track. If last-minute requests arise, be upfront about what's feasible within the remaining time frame. Clear communication prevents misunderstandings and sets realistic expectations.
– Assign roles and distribute work efficiently. Ensure that team members have well-defined responsibilities and that tasks are distributed efficiently. Delegating routine tasks to junior accountants or utilizing specialized software can free up senior professionals for more complex matters.
– Maintain quality control despite the rush. Speed is essential, but accuracy cannot be compromised. A final review process — whether through peer reviews, shift work, or a second verification of critical figures — helps prevent costly errors.
To manage stress and prevent burnout, meanwhile:
– Take short breaks to maintain focus. Even during peak workload periods, short breaks can help maintain productivity and reduce errors. The Pomodoro technique — working in focused bursts with brief breaks — can be particularly effective.
– Encourage team collaboration and support. A strong support system within the team can ease the burden. Regular check-ins and collaboration ensure that workload distribution remains balanced.
– Set realistic expectations with clients. If a last-minute request cannot be accommodated, be upfront about the limitations. Clients may not always like hearing "no," but they will appreciate transparency and professionalism.
Once the tax deadline has passed, reviewing the process can help identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement. Consider the following: Which clients consistently submit documents late, and how can they be encouraged to improve? What technological tools can be implemented to streamline workflows next year? How can internal processes be adjusted to handle last-minute changes more efficiently?
The weeks before April 15 are tough, but the right strategies can help accountants and auditors stay accurate and avoid burnout. Clear deadlines, smart prioritization, technology and open communication make the workload more manageable. With good preparation and execution, we can meet the deadline successfully, even when unexpected challenges arise.
To all the accountants and auditors burning the midnight oil in the coming weeks — hang in there! The deadlines may be relentless, but so is your dedication. Keep pushing through and soon enough, we'll be trading spreadsheets for sunsets. See you at the beach after this busy season!
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Aileen P. Melchor is a managing director at Paguio, Dumayas & Associates, CPAs (PrimeGlobal Philippines), an institutional member of the Association of CPAs in Public Practice (Acpapp). The opinion of the writer does not reflect in any way the opinion of these institutions.
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