AI tools saved my sanity this tax season. what I used and how.

Just wrapped up my 7th tax season at a mid-size firm. first year leaning into AI tools. the difference was real.

claude ($20/mo): this was the main one.

• researching tax code questions - instead of digging through IRS publications for 30 minutes, I describe the situation to claude and get a summary of relevant sections with citations. I still verify everything but it cuts research time by 70%.

• drafting client response emails for complex questions - I describe the situation and ask claude to help me structure the response in plain english. clients don't want a tax code lecture, they want "here's what this means for you."

• reviewing engagement letters for missing clauses

• first drafts of planning memos

I am not using it to prepare returns or do calculations. that's what our tax software is for. claude handles research and communication.

communication volume: tax season means 80+ client emails a day. I dictate all my replies through willow voice. a 5-sentence response takes about 15 seconds to dictate vs 2-3 minutes of typing. over 80 emails that's hours saved per day.

Excel copilot: for spreadsheet-heavy analysis. entity selection comparison models, multi-year projections, depreciation schedules. copilot generates formulas from plain english. the formulas still need checking but initial generation saves time.

Grammarly ($12/mo): final pass on anything going to clients or the IRS. catching errors when I'm proofreading at 11pm during filing season.

What I'd tell other accountants: start with claude for research. lowest risk, highest reward. don't use it for anything going directly to the IRS without thorough human review. treat it like a very fast but occasionally wrong research assistant.

How are other firms handling AI?