| 
Check
out ‘A Day In The Life’ profiles below
to learn what it’s really like to work at HA&W.
A Day in the
Life -
STAFF Accountant
| Time |
Activities |
| 8:00 am
|
The first thing
I do when get in the office is check and respond
to emails. I then determine which projects
I need to complete from the previous day. If
I completed every thing the day before, I check
with my coworkers to see if they need any help
or I move on to the next project.
|
| 8:30
|
I gather information
to start a tax return. Since it is a partnership
tax return, I begin by entering the trial balance,
updating the company’s assets in the tax
software and doing journal entries. I then
export the information to the tax software and
verify that the information was exported successfully.
If I am lucky, it balances.
|
| 1:15pm
|
For lunch, I try
to take only fifteen to thirty minutes, so I
can leave earlier.
|
| 1:45
|
Because I completed
the partnership return, I can work on the return
of the individuals’ who own the partnership.
I review the information the client provides
and I enter this information using the tax software.
I also enter in the K-1 I created from the partnership.
Once all the information is in, I review the
prior year’s return for any missing information.
|
| 3:00
|
I call the client
and request more information and I fax a document
for a partner.
|
| 3:30
|
I send documents
to processing for scanning and I verify previously
scanned documents are in the system via our
paperless office software.
|
| 4:15
|
I begin another
client’s tax return by entering the trial
balance and making journal entries again.
Because this particular company has added many
new assets, I have to enter those assets in
the tax software. With this client, there
is also a like-kind exchange, so remove the
replaced assets and I add the new ones while
calculating any future gains.
|
| 6:15
|
I come to a good
stopping point and I pack up and leave for home.
|
A Day in the
Life -
Tax Manager
| Time |
Activities |
| 8:00 am
|
By eight o’clock,
I’ve been here for at least an hour. I’m
at my desk, returning phone calls and emails.
I then review my schedule for the day and prepare
for any meetings I have.
|
| 9:00
|
I work on client
projects or attend client/internal meetings.
|
| 12:00
|
I take a quick
thirty minute lunch, which I usually bring from
home. Sometimes, I go to lunch across
the street to Moe’s with my coworkers.
|
| 1:00 pm
|
I continue to work
on client projects or attend client/internal
meetings.
|
| 4:00
|
I work
flex time to avoid traffic (45-mile commute).
So, I’m headed home, although I work later
if my workload or deadlines require it.
|
| 7:00
|
During tax season,
I go home around this time.
|
| 9:00
|
Occasionally, I
will check email from home or complete projects
at home.
|
A Day in the Life
-
Staff Accountant
| Time |
Activities |
| 8:00 am
|
I finish studying
for the CPA exam. I start my work day
by checking my email and reviewing my calendar
for scheduled appointments. Next, I review
the Real Estate work schedule to find out which
projects I will be working on in the upcoming
weeks.
|
| 9:00
|
I complete any
unfinished projects from the previous day.
|
| 10:00
|
I start a new project
which might involve audit work, tax returns,
cost certifications, or whatever a partner needs
assistance with.
|
| 1:00 pm
|
I take an hour
for lunch.
|
| 2:00
|
I meet with the
partner or the manager in charge of my current
project to review my work. I ask questions
and I make review notes.
|
| 5:00
|
I begin wrapping
up any unfinished projects.
|
| 6:00
|
I check my email
and my calendar before I leave so I am aware
of tomorrow’s morning appointments. I
clean up my desk and head home.
|
A Day in the Life
-
Senior Accountant
| Time |
Activities |
| 8:00 am
|
When I first get
in, I check my email and prioritize my projects
and tasks for the day.
|
| 9:00
|
I work on a combination
of business and individual tax returns. The
business tax returns are mostly real estate
partnerships.
|
| 12:00
|
I normally take
an hour for lunch.
|
| 1:00 pm
|
I continue to work
on the business and individual tax returns.
|
| 3:00
|
After completing
the tax returns, I wrap up small projects such
as tax return review and clearing of open items.
|
| 4:00
|
I enter my time
for the day into the billing software. I clean
up my workspace and I head home.
|
A Day in the Life
-
Staff Tax Accountant
ADVISORY AND BUSINESS SERVICES Group
| Time |
Activities |
| 8:00 am
|
I review my schedule
and map out my day before I arrive to work.
|
| 9:00
|
I arrive to work
around 8:30 every day. My first task is
to review emails and to respond to any emails
received. I then listen to my voice mails and
respond to any phone calls and I make a list
of tasks I want to accomplish for the day.
|
| 10:00
|
Using my task list,
I get to work on my projects for the day. I
am often working on multiple projects at one
time and I make a point to be aware of each
project’s status. This way, I can give
the partners an idea of how long it might take
to turn around emergency projects that pop up
from time to time. My projects may take
a few days or a few hours. I work mostly on
business tax returns, compilations or our clients’
accounting software issues.
|
| 12:00
|
I often eat lunch
with coworkers in the break room. Other times
we go out to lunch, but my preference is to
eat in when possible.
|
| 1:00 pm
|
There are about
2 weeks of every month where I work at clients’
offices for a few hours every day. At
the client’s office, I perform bank reconciliations
on their accounting software and I help them
with any other financial issues. Normally,
I leave around this time headed to a client’s
office. I change my email and voicemail to make
clients are aware that I am out of the office
and I clean my desk.
|
| 2:00
|
I work at the client’s
office.
|
| 5:00
|
I complete my project
at the client’s office and either head
back to the office or I head home. I will take
the information I gathered at the client’s
office to work tomorrow and it will become a
new task for me to complete a monthly, quarterly
or yearly compilation or tax return.
|
| 6:00
|
I go home and spend
time with my husband.
|
A Day in the Life
-
Staff Tax Accountant
| Time |
Activities |
| 9:00
|
I prefer to arrive
to work later and work later in the evening.
When I get in, I normally check email and voicemail
and I respond to any immediate matters.
|
| 10:00
|
Usually, I have
at least one meeting with a client or a partner
or senior manager either in the morning or in
the afternoon.
|
| 12:00
|
It’s
a nice break in the day to go out for lunch
with my coworkers.
|
| 1:00
pm
|
I continue
to work on the big projects I started earlier.
Most tax returns or other projects that I work
on take anywhere from one day to 2 weeks to
complete.
|
| 6:00
|
I enter my time
into the system before I leave for the day.
|
|
