Outsourcing SLAs and turnaround times for tax season

Publication 509 sets the federal dates. In calendar 2026, partnership and S corporation returns were due March 16 because March 15 fell on a Sunday, and individual returns were due April 15. Build separate SLA windows for the business-return peak and the individual peak.

• Business returns: shorter turnaround in the weeks before the March date
• Individual returns: highest volume in the weeks before April 15
• Extended returns: a second, smaller peak before the fall deadlines

Define turnaround by return type and complexity tier, measured from complete file to draft. Add a re-work window for review notes, a capacity commitment for peak weeks, and an incident clause that matches your security plan.

Under the Safeguards Rule you must periodically assess providers, so add reporting: weekly volumes, turnaround against target and any security events.

HelloBooks Practice lists US tax-deadline auto-scheduling for 1040, 1120, 1120-S and 1065 and team workload dashboards as live, so each engagement carries its own due date and you can see where outsourced files sit against it.