Tax work is often the calculation at the end — but a huge part of the job is the words around it: chasing missing records for a return, explaining a tax outcome in plain English, replying to the tax office, and keeping clients calm while deadlines move closer. AI is well suited to drafting that text, so you spend less time wording emails and more time reviewing the tax position.
The short version: pick a prompt below, paste it into any capable AI assistant (ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini or Claude — the free tiers are fine), swap the [bracketed] bits for the client's real details, read what comes back and edit it before it goes out. That's the whole workflow — no new software, no setup.
One rule runs through all of these: AI drafts the words, you own the tax position. It never gives tax advice, never decides what is deductible, and never lodges or files anything — you are the final reviewer of every number and every position. The prompts are written to keep you in charge, because the judgement and the responsibility are yours, not the tool's.
01
Chasing documents for a return
The most common tax-office-adjacent task: getting the right records from the client so you can complete the return properly. Specific, polite prompts tend to get answers faster than vague ones.
AI is writing the request, not the tax position. It cannot see your source documents or decide what is deductible. Give it only the facts you've checked; it turns them into a clear message.
Checklist request for a return
Write a plain-English checklist request to [client name] for their [income year / period] tax return. Group the items sensibly under headings like income, deductions, private use, assets, and other records. Include only the records we still need: [paste your list]. Ask them to send what they have by [date] and make it easy to reply. Keep it short, friendly, and practical.
Tip: make the ask concrete — names of statements, invoices, bank feeds, or notices — so the client knows exactly what to look for.
First reminder for missing records
Draft a warm first reminder to [client name]. We're still waiting on [missing records] to complete their [period] return. Say what is missing, why it matters, and the easiest way to send it ([email / upload / portal]). Keep the tone light and helpful, with a gentle nudge toward [date].
Second reminder — firmer
Write a firmer but still courteous second reminder to [client name] for [missing records]. Explain plainly that we can't finalise the return without them, and mention the practical impact: [e.g. we can't complete the review / meet the filing deadline / answer questions properly]. Offer help if they're stuck, and keep it under 150 words.
Query a specific transaction or missing figure
Write a concise question to [client name] about a specific item I need clarified for the return. Details: [transaction / amount / date / missing figure]. Ask what it relates to, whether there is any private component, and what supporting record they have. Give 2–3 simple options where possible so replying is quick. Keep it neutral and non-technical.
02
Explaining tax outcomes in plain English
Clients often want a calm explanation, not a lecture. These prompts help you translate the result into simple language while leaving the actual tax judgement with you.
Explain a tax bill to a worried client
Help me explain a tax bill to [client name] in reassuring, plain English. Facts I've checked: [amount of bill], due by [date], caused by [brief factual reason]. Write 3–4 short paragraphs that explain what the bill is, why it came up, and what happens if it's not paid on time. Do not give tax advice — this is drafting, not advising.
Tip: keep the explanation to what is already known. If the reason is still being reviewed, say that clearly.
Explain a refund
Write a friendly explanation for [client name] about why they are due a tax refund. Use only these facts: [refund amount], [period], and [brief factual reason, e.g. overpaid tax / credits / changed figures]. Explain what the refund means, that the amount is based on the return as prepared, and that timing depends on the tax office. Keep it simple and careful, without promising dates.
Explain why tax changed from last year
Draft a plain-English explanation for [client name] about why their tax position changed compared with last year. Facts: [list the actual differences you've confirmed, e.g. income changed, deductions changed, family situation changed, assets sold]. Explain the main drivers without using jargon, and avoid making claims I haven't checked. Keep it conversational and clear.
Cash-vs-tax-timing explainer
Write a simple explanation for [client name] of the difference between when cash moves and when the tax outcome is recognised. Use this context: [brief scenario you've checked]. Explain in everyday language that the timing can differ, why that matters for the return, and that the final treatment depends on the records and the rules I'm applying. Keep it short and non-technical.
03
Client correspondence
Replies to the tax office need to be accurate, complete and easy to follow. AI can help draft the wording — but only from the facts you give it, and only as a draft for your review.
Do not let AI invent facts or positions. Give it the material you have, tell it exactly what it's drafting, and keep yourself as the final reviewer of every number, explanation and attachment list.
Reply to a query letter using only provided facts
Draft a reply to a query letter from the tax office using ONLY the facts I provide below. Do not add new facts, do not speculate, and do not give tax advice — this is drafting, not advising. Facts: [paste the facts, dates, figures, explanation, and any documents available]. Write a professional response that answers the questions directly, keeps the tone respectful, and flags any point that still needs my review.
Request extra information to answer an assessment
Write to [client name] asking for the extra information I need to respond to an assessment or notice. Explain clearly what is missing: [list the items], why I need it, and the easiest way to send it. Keep the tone calm, practical and specific, and avoid sounding alarmist.
Explain an amendment
Help me explain to [client name] why I need to amend a lodged return / filed position. Facts: [what changed, what was discovered, and the corrected figures]. Write a clear, honest note that says what will change, why the original treatment is being revisited, and what I need from them next. Keep it reassuring but precise.
Tip: focus on the reason for the amendment and the paperwork needed, not on winning an argument with the tax office.
Follow-up after sending a response
Draft a short follow-up email to [client name] confirming that I've sent the response to the tax office. Include a plain summary of what was covered, any next step that might come back to us, and what I'll watch for. Keep it calm and concise.
04
Deadlines & planning
These are the low-friction messages that keep tax work moving: reminders, invitations to talk, and practical nudges around payments and filing dates.
Reusable lodgement / filing deadline reminder
Create a reusable reminder template for [client name] about their [return / lodgement / filing] deadline. Leave clear placeholders for [deadline], [records needed], and [who to contact]. The message should say what is needed, by when, and why it matters, without sounding pushy.
Tip: build one version you can reuse for every client, then swap the dates and records.
Year-end planning conversation invitation
Write a friendly invitation to [client name] to book a year-end planning conversation. Make it clear this is a chance to talk through their situation and review the information we already have, not a promise of advice in the email itself. Suggest a few times or ask them to send one that suits, and keep the tone helpful and low-key.
Instalment reminder
Draft a gentle reminder to [client name] about an upcoming instalment. Include the amount already confirmed by me as [amount], the due date [date], and a simple reminder to arrange payment on time. Keep it factual, friendly and short, and do not turn it into advice.
Checklist before a filing deadline
Write a short pre-deadline checklist message for [client name]. Mention the items I still need to finish the return: [list items], confirm the deadline [date], and ask them to reply with anything outstanding today if possible. Clear, calm and practical.
05
Admin & process
The repeatable tasks that keep your files tidy: documenting your workflow, reducing email clutter, and turning rough notes into something the file can actually use later.
Write up a repeatable return-prep procedure
Turn my rough notes into a repeatable return-prep procedure a team member could follow. Notes: [paste your working notes]. Structure it as numbered steps, with a short note under each step on what to check and what must be reviewed by a person. Keep it practical and do not guess at anything I haven't written.
Summarise a long client email thread
Summarise this long client email thread so I can pick up where it left off. Thread: [paste it]. Give me the current status in one line, the key facts agreed, the questions still open, and the next action I probably need to take. Don't add anything that isn't in the thread.
Turn rough notes into a tidy file note
Rewrite these rough notes into a tidy file note for the client record. Notes: [paste them]. Keep it factual, chronological where useful, and in a professional tone. Include what was reviewed, what was clarified with the client, any open item, and who is responsible for the next step.
Create an internal summary from a meeting note
Turn these meeting notes into a short internal summary for the file: [paste notes]. Keep only the decisions, follow-ups and anything that affects the return or the response to the tax office. Make it easy for someone else to read in a minute.
Privacy and review, in one line. Check what any AI tool does with your data before using it for client work, keep sensitive identifiers out of your prompts, and never let a draft reach a client unread — you check the figures and the tax position, the AI just helps with the words.
06
Common questions
Which AI tool should a tax accountant use?
Any capable general assistant works for the drafting tasks on this page — ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini or Claude. The free tiers are enough to try every prompt here. What matters is not the brand but keeping yourself as the reviewer: the tool drafts the words, you check the figures and the tax position.
Can AI do the actual tax accountant's work or give tax advice?
No. A general AI assistant should not decide what is deductible, assess the tax position, finalise a return or file anything for you. Use it for the wording around the work: chasing documents, explaining outcomes, drafting replies and summarising notes. The tax judgement stays with the accountant.
Is it safe to paste client or employee details into an AI tool?
Treat any AI tool like any external service and follow your own confidentiality obligations. Keep sensitive identifiers out of the prompt — use the [bracketed] placeholders and add only the context the draft actually needs. Check what the tool does with your data before using it for client work.
Do I still need to check what the AI writes?
Always. Everything on this page produces a first draft, not a finished document. Read every line, correct anything that is wrong, and make sure the numbers, the tax position and the wording are right before it reaches a client or the tax office. AI drafts; a person is responsible.
If you'd rather this just happened on its own
These prompts are the manual version — copy, paste, edit, send. They work, and for a lot of tax accountants that's enough. But if you find yourself doing the same drafting, chasing and explaining every week, that's the part that can run quietly inside the tools you already use, with your data handled properly and a person always reviewing before anything goes out.
That's what SG1 Consulting builds with The Everything — and there's a free 22-page playbook that shows exactly how a firm puts it to work.