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Creating a Tax Savings Playbook - Cognito Forms

Follow these easy steps to create a Tax Plan Playbook for your tax planning clients.

 

Please note: Creating your Cognito Forms account this way (as a user in our account) allows me access to view your submitted entries. While I have no intention of going in and viewing your client's information, you may choose to create your own Cognito Forms Team account so that I would not have access to your client entries. 

 

Pricing info (as of June 2019)  Team $24 + $4 for the custom form 

X Free account - Does not do Custom Document Templates (required) 

X Pro Account - lacks data encryption - which we advise because you will be entering social security numbers into the form 

 

To create your own Cognito Forms account (not a user on our account) click this link to create your account. Using this link gives you one free month  

https://www.cognitoforms.com/l/referral/?crs=cmVmZGlyZWN0OjpUYXhTYXZpbmdzVGVhbTE=

 

Once you have created your account, click this link to gain access to our template, then skip to Step 2 below. 

https://www.cognitoforms.com/templates/shared/TaxSavingsTeam1/TaxSavingsPlaybook

Cognito Forms access from link

Step 1) Follow the personalized link emailed to you to set your password . 

Step 2) Change the title and description if you are going to share this link with clients

Step 3) Share the link (in Publish) if you are going to share this link with clients

Step 4) After you have entered data for the first time and created your first entry, you must "publish" the form and make it live

Step 5) Decide if you want a PDF form (easy) or Word (full customization) 

Step 6) Click "Create Document" to download the completed document (takes 20-60 seconds) and then print 

TIP: Purchase 3 hole punched paper to save tons of time!  

Here's what I use: https://www.amazon.com/Multi-Use-Letter-Loading-Reemless-3-Hole/dp/B001GKJ6NK/

Step 7) Put the printed plan in a 1 1/2" binder - See "Choosing a binder.." 

Step 8) Print the cover (create it if it's your first one)  

Step 9)  Update and print the cover sheet - See "Cover Sheet"

Step 10) Update and print the "money map" diagram

Choosing a binder and printing a cover for your Plan 

I recommend using a basic white 3 ring binder, 1.5 inch is sufficient for most tax plans.

Upgrade to a leather presentation binder for a more upscale look 

AmazonBasics 3-Ring Binder, 1.5 Inch Rings - 4-Pack (White)

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-3-Ring-Binder-Inch-Rings/dp/B01BRGU2FI/ref=sr_1_5?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1546801272&sr=1-5&keywords=1.5+inch+binder

LEATHER PRESENTATION BINDER 1 1/4"- WITH WINDOW

https://www.amazon.com/Gallery-Leather-Presentation-Binder-Freeport/dp/B00GUPC3N6/ref=sr_1_15?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1546801393&sr=1-15&keywords=leather%2Bpresentation%2Bbinder&th=1

Creating a Cover using Design Bold

I recommend using a program like Design Bold or Canva to make a  really nice looking cover (if you are going to use a 3 ring binder) You can use this cover as a template by clicking here https://www.designbold.com/design/edit/gjZJ5Yrj95

Tax-Plan-Cover---8x10-_2_.png

Creating a Cover using MS Publisher

If you don't want to use an online tool like Design Bold or Canva, You can also use MS Publisher (if you have it) Download and refer to the templates below

Creating a Cover using MS Word / Excel

Can you do it... Yes. Do I recommend it? No 

Create a Tax Savings Report

Use Microsoft Word to create a Playbook report sheet    

  • Step 1) Download the Tax Savings Playbook - Report template  https://www.dropbox.com/s/ukgnzw020y8aiio/cover%20sheet.docx?dl=0

  • Step 2) Replace "[Your logo here]" with an image of your logo

  • Step 3) Replace "Prepared by:" info with your info 

  • Step 4) Replace "[John Sample]" with your client's name 

  • Step 5) Replace "[John]" with your client's name

  • Step 6) Remove or replace "Core 4" tax strategies as needed, do not do more than 4 strategies at a time, and keep this to one page

  • Step 7) Change the estimated savings if you think it will save the client more or less money

  • Step 8) Add up the savings and update the "First year estimated savings"

  • Step 9) Print and include as page one in your tax plan binder

  • Completed Tax Savings Playbook - Report - Christi Bender CPA  https://www.dropbox.com/s/q3vezagj5jhxano/cover%20sheet%20-%20CB.docx?dl=0

Create a Tax Savings Report - Money Map

Keeping track of kid's hours worked

Creating a Tax Plan

How to use the Tax Planner Generation System in Microsoft Excel to build presentable, actionable, and implementable tax plans    

14 Day "Augusta Rule" Strategy Documentation 

 

Keeping proper documentation is the key to substantiating this deduction, so it's important that clients have and hold a strategy meeting in their home that will help their business grow.     

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