[Anonymous]

I have a question that I’m guessing varies from firm to firm.

How many hours per week are you expected to work during tax season?

I work at a small firm, with no possibility for upward mobility and a compensation package that is not terribly competitive. It seems like the expectations here are unreasonable. But I’d like to hear what others are doing before I make that judgement.

/crankyandtired

[Anonymous]

I've worked for a small firm for a little over a year – 22 people. I work about 55 hours a week during tax season and 40 hours off season – except for July/Aug which is usually less. I'm really happy with my hours and the flexibility. I can also work from home whenever I need without it being a problem.

[Anonymous]

Small firm with 6 CPA's, I'm working 70-80 hours a week during tax season. 40 hours outside of tax season.

[Anonymous]

@cpham4 that's about what I'm doing, maybe a bit less. I've been doing high 60's to mid 70's. But they act as though I'm barely meeting expectations.

Do you feel that you have a competitive wages & benefits?

[UCFCPA]

I work at a small firm (17 people), and we were expected to do 10 hours a day Mon-Fri and some Saturdays (but most of the time I was told I didn't have to come in on Saturday… so I only worked 2 Saturdays for 8 hours each time).

REG (8/7/12) 77
FAR (10/4/12) 70 Retake 5/25/13 84!!!!!!!!!
AUD (11/2/12) 78
BEC (11/30/12) 82

[Anonymous]

@bluegirl, i think they compensate me pretty fairly compared to other firms. I actually get 33% of what I make for the company so that's not too bad at all. The hard part is getting them to pay out the bonuses on a yearly basis, I just need to remind them..

[kitty_7]

I work at a small firm (<10 ppl). In January we start working about 45/wk. The past two weeks I've worked about 50 hrs. Also dont have ability to move upward. Only get a week of paid vacay and sick days. No other benefits or paid OT. Feels like im giving more than im taking.

[littlenumberrobot]

Very small firm (less then 10 people, only 1 boss and 1admin). I did 46-52 hrs each week this year. Only my second year with this firm before this firm I was doing 60-70 a weak both march/April and sept / oct months at my old job. I get paid OT. I could use a raise but waiting for the CPA to be done to ask. Everyone else there is more experienced and have been there more than 5 years so I am thinking I will be compensated just need to ask.

CA CPA - All because of the journey listed below
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FAR - 53('10), 8/25/12 79 PASSED!
REG - 66('11), 69('12), 12/06/12 77 PASSED!!
BEC - 58('10), 74('12), 01/05/13 77 PASSED!!!
AUD - 43('11), 66('12), 69('13), 74('13) 7/29/13 85 PASSED!!!!!

(Combinations of Roger, Yaeger, Wiley Book, Wiley TB, & NINJA Notes)

Ethics 90%

[Keely]

My firm (less than 10 people) has a requirement of 55 hours during busy season, but for the first two months, I was struggling to find work to do to justify being here 55 hours (I was new, but I think that was the way most of the office was). The last week, we all put in around 60-65. I've never seen anyone here past 8PM, though. Someone left at 5 the other day and I said to my boss not a lot of places would let you leave at 5:00 a few days before April 15th and he said, “We don't run a sweatshop!”

BEC: (4/2012) 88
AUD: (5/2012) 91
REG: (8/2012) 82
FAR: (1/2013) 78 🙂

VA CPA #42010

[Anonymous]

I work for a midsize regional firm, about 125 total employees, maybe 25 in the tax department. I worked 60-65 hours a week in February, and about 80 hours a week from March 1 – April 15th. I worked about 940 total hours from January 1 – April 15th.

[whitelilies04]

We have a 55hrs per week busy season “goal” from mid-Jan through mid-March in my office. I work for a big 4 firm and we do mostly corporate taxes in my office. The corporate tax extension deadline is 3/15, so busy season dies at that time and picks back up in August – September. I feel like I'm well compensated for what I do, and while there is no such thing as work-life balance during busy season, 70hr weeks are a rarity in my office. If I were in your shoes I would be tired and cranky too.

@bhayes520 – please tell me what your study plan was like and how you finished in under 100 days?

FAR - passed, 11/12
AUD - passed, 5/13

[sarah210]

About 200 people where I work (regional firm), 45-ish people in tax department.

We worked consistently 55 hours a week starting at the beginning of Feb, then 60-65 by March, and around 70 the first two weeks of April. When it's not busy season, we're expected to work 40 hours a week, but we all get 5 weeks vacation, so a lot people take time off.

REG- 53, 91
BEC- 88
FAR- 62, 85
AUD- 85

Ethics- 93

[RSBro]

Small firm, but 65-70 is normal for us. 35-40 for the rest of the year. We don't do a lot of extensions, however.

REG - ('11) 71, ('12) 71 - Becker
AUD - TBD
BEC - TBD
FAR - ('16) 54 - Becker

[Author]

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