# Remote Staff for CPA & Accounting Firms | Coconut VA

Client services, bookkeeping and tax prep support for US CPA firms. Full-time, 40 hours a week, from $1,450/month. First 40 hours free.

## Someone to chase the W-2s and K-1s so your partners can spend tax season reviewing returns.

A dedicated, full-time professional who sends organizers, follows up on missing 1099s and K-1s, takes the "Did you get my documents?" calls, and helps keep your CAS clients' reconciliations on schedule. Your licensed CPAs still review and sign. Coconut handles sourcing, vetting, payroll, benefits and support on one monthly invoice.

- From $1,450/month per full-time professional
- First 40 hours free, month-to-month
- Shortlist in 5 to 10 days
- 600+ companies served, 97% talent retention, 5.0 on Google

Tools: CCH Axcess Tax, UltraTax CS, Lacerte, QuickBooks Online Accountant, Xero, Karbon, TaxDome, SmartVault

## Your CPAs are doing work that doesn't need a license.

- **Partners chasing W-2s, 1099s and K-1s**: From January to April, some of your most expensive people are sending reminder emails, logging portal uploads and calling clients about missing bank statements, when they should be reviewing returns ahead of the Mar 15 and Apr 15 deadlines.
- **Phones and inbox fill up in tax season**: "Did you get my documents?" and "Where's my refund?" pile up in voicemail and the portal. Clients wait longer to hear back, and unsigned 8879s hold up e-files.
- **Bookkeeping clients slide behind tax work**: Bank and credit-card reconciliations get pushed to May, so month-end close for your CAS clients runs late. Then you hire seasonal temps and train new ones the next year.
- 33% drop in first-time CPA exam candidates, from 48,004 in 2016 to 32,188 in 2021 (AICPA 2021 Trends Report, cited by The CPA Journal).
- ~75% of the current CPA workforce is expected to retire within the next 15 years (AICPA estimate, cited by Befree).
- ~340,000 accountants and auditors left the profession in the US between 2019 and 2024 (FirmAdapt analysis of BLS data).

## What a full-time hire can take on in tax season and after it.

Most firms see fewer returns stalled on missing documents and clients hearing back sooner. A full-time seat also covers both halves of your year: client services from January to April, then bookkeeping and the monthly close the rest of the year.

- Send tax organizers and PBC lists, then chase missing W-2s, 1099s, 1098s and K-1s through SmartVault, TaxDome or your portal
- Answer phones, email and portal messages with status updates on returns, extensions and refunds
- Collect signed engagement letters, Section 7216 consents and Form 8879s through DocuSign or SafeSend
- Rename, scan and file source documents so preparers can find what they need in one folder
- Set up returns from the prior year and enter source documents into CCH Axcess Tax, UltraTax CS, Lacerte or Drake for CPA review
- Track extensions and e-file acceptances and flag rejections to the preparer the same day
- Categorize transactions and reconcile bank and credit-card accounts in QuickBooks Online or Xero for CAS clients
- Work the month-end close checklist, AP/AR and 1099 prep ahead of the Jan 31 deadline
- Keep Karbon or TaxDome job statuses current through preparer, reviewer and partner sign-off
- Send invoices and payment reminders and follow up on aging AR

## Roles

- **Client Services Coordinator**: Phones, email and portal, organizers and document chasing, status updates, 8879 and e-signature collection, payment reminders. It's our fastest role to fill and has our best retention. Firms often add an Administrative Assistant next.
- **Bookkeeper**: Transaction categorization in QBO or Xero, bank and credit-card reconciliations, AP/AR, month-end close checklists and 1099 prep for CAS clients. A Staff Accountant is a common next hire.
- **Staff Accountant / Accounting Assistant**: Workpapers, trial balance adjustments, accruals, draft financial statements for your review, and PBC tracking. Many firms add a Tax Preparer Assistant after this seat.
- **Tax Preparer Assistant**: Enters source documents into your tax software, rolls returns forward from the prior year, tracks extensions and e-file acceptances. A US CPA reviews and signs. Often paired with a second Client Services Coordinator to help with peak call volume.
- **Administrative Assistant / Practice Admin**: Partner calendars, engagement letters, billing and AR follow-up, practice-management upkeep, file naming and scanning. Firms that start here often bring on a Bookkeeper next.
- **Payroll Specialist**: Runs client payroll in Gusto, ADP or Paychex, prepares quarterly 941s and year-end W-2s, sets up new hires. Works well alongside a Bookkeeper.

## FAQ

### Is it legal to send client tax data to someone outside the US?

Yes, with the client's consent first. Under IRC Section 7216, the taxpayer's consent is required before tax return information is disclosed to a preparer located outside the United States. Most firms add a 7216 consent form to the engagement letter or onboarding packet, and your remote professional can help send and track those consents.

### Can a remote professional sign returns or replace my CPAs?

No. They handle prep support, data entry, bookkeeping and client communication. Returns are reviewed and signed by your licensed staff. The idea is to give your CPAs back the hours they spend on work that doesn't need a license.

### How fast can someone start before tax season?

We send a shortlist in 5 to 10 days, and the first 40 hours are free. If you start in the fall or early January, your coordinator can be sending organizers and chasing documents ahead of the Jan 31 W-2 and 1099-NEC deadline.

### Do they know our tax and practice-management software?

Tell us your stack, for example UltraTax CS or CCH Axcess Tax, Karbon or TaxDome, QBO or Xero, and we'll look for candidates with that experience. Your firm's own setup, naming conventions and review steps get learned during the free 40 hours.

### Should I hire seasonal help or full-time?

Full-time. Full-time seats last longer, and clients who start full-time grow their team 3x more often. One full-time person can cover client calls and document chasing from January to April, then reconciliations and the monthly close for CAS clients the rest of the year, so you're not training new temps each season.

### Which role should a CPA firm hire first?

Most firms start with a Client Services Coordinator, because document chasing and client calls take up the most partner time. The usual second seat is a Bookkeeper for CAS clients, then a Tax Preparer Assistant or Administrative Assistant as the team grows.

### How fast can someone start?

You get a shortlist within 5 to 10 days. Once you pick and interview, your 40-hour trial can start right away.

### Where are they based, and what hours do they work?

Our network spans the Philippines, Latin America and Eastern Europe. Your professional works your business hours, in your time zone, dedicated to you.

### Who handles payroll, benefits and HR?

We do. Contracts, pay, benefits and compliance are on us, and you get one monthly invoice. You direct the day-to-day work.

### Is there a long-term contract?

No. Managed Talent is month-to-month. No minimum term.

### What if it isn’t the right fit?

Your Client Success Manager steps in first. If it still isn’t right, we replace your professional at no extra cost, as many times as it takes.

Book a call: https://calendly.com/conor-coconutva/30min?utm_source=go.coconutva.com&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=accounting-and-cpa-firms&utm_content=markdown