What productive share should I use?

Use your own data. Count the hours your team actually logged to return work last season against total hours worked.

Does it include review time?

Include review in hours per return, or add review as its own line with the reviewer’s hours.

Planner · Firm capacity

Firm capacity planner for tax season

Enter how many returns of each type you expect and how long each takes, then your team size and weeks to the deadline. The planner shows whether the work fits, the pace you need each week, and how many extra people would close any gap.

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Return type	Returns expected	Hours each
Form 1040
Form 1065 / 1120-S
Form 1120
Other

Staff on returnsHours per person per weekWeeks to the deadline% of time on returns

Hours needed: 0
Hours available: 0
Utilisation: 0%
Returns per week needed: n/a
Hours spare: 0
Extra people needed: 0

Planning arithmetic only. Use your own timesheet history for hours per return.

How the planner works

Required hours are returns times hours per return, added across types. Available hours are staff times weekly hours times weeks, scaled by the share of time that goes to return work rather than admin, client calls and review.

Use your own timesheet history for hours per return. Guesses are usually low.

What to do with a gap

Move some returns to extension early, by agreement, rather than late by default.
Bring in seasonal staff or an outsourcing partner, after the due-diligence checklist.
Cut hours per return by getting complete documents earlier.
Stop taking new clients once utilisation passes your limit.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What productive share should I use?: Use your own data. Count the hours your team actually logged to return work last season against total hours worked.
Does it include review time?: Include review in hours per return, or add review as its own line with the reviewer’s hours.