What to Do With Your IT After Tax Season: A Post-Tax Checklist for CPA Firms
The last few months were probably not the time to deal with IT questions. Now that tax season is behind you, it is worth taking a few hours to look at your technology setup while things are quieter. Problems that did not stop you in April can become real issues by next January if you do not address them now. Here is what to review.
Review what broke or slowed you down this season
Start with what you actually experienced. Was there anything that frustrated your team or caused delays between January and April? Slow remote access, printing problems, a backup that failed, software that would not update, a staff member who could not get into their account?
Write those things down. Each one is either a recurring problem or a symptom of something that needs fixing. Addressing them now, while the details are fresh, means you will not be rediscovering them in December.
Security review
- Confirm MFA is enabled on every Microsoft 365 account, including any seasonal staff you brought on. Remove access for anyone who no longer works at the firm.
- Check when your endpoint protection last updated and whether any devices are flagged for attention.
- Review your email security settings. Phishing attempts targeting accounting firms peak during and after tax season when attackers know you have been handling financial data.
- Pull your cyber insurance policy and confirm your security controls still meet the requirements. If you added devices or changed your setup this year, verify nothing has drifted out of compliance.
Backup verification
- Do a test restore. Pick a non-critical folder and verify you can actually retrieve a recent backup. Many firms discover their backup has been silently failing only when they need it.
- Confirm your backup includes everything that changed this season: new client files, completed returns, updated records.
- Check your recovery point objective. If your backup runs nightly and something fails at 4pm, how much work could you lose? Is that acceptable?
Hardware and software
- Note any workstations that felt slow or unreliable this season. Hardware older than five years is worth budgeting to replace before next tax season, not during it.
- Check for any software license renewals coming up in the next six months, including your tax software subscription.
- Make sure operating systems are current on every machine. Delayed updates are one of the most common security gaps we see.
Staff and access
- Review who has access to what. Over time, permissions accumulate. Remove access that is no longer needed.
- If you had staff join or leave during tax season, confirm their accounts are properly set up or deactivated.
- Consider scheduling a short security refresher for your team before next tax season. Fifteen minutes on phishing recognition makes a real difference.
Plan for next season
The best time to prepare for next tax season is now, not November. If there are IT projects you have been putting off — a server upgrade, moving to the cloud, improving remote access — summer and early fall are the right time to do them.
Changes to core systems during October or November carry real risk. Give yourself enough runway to work out any issues before January.
We do post-tax-season IT reviews for CPA firms in the Chicago area. If you want a structured look at where things stand and a clear list of what to prioritize before next year, we are happy to sit down and work through it. No obligation.
ITM Consulting
Questions about your IT setup?
We work with small businesses and accounting firms across the Chicago area. Schedule a free 30-minute consultation and we will tell you honestly what we see.