Answer a client's tax question clearly without overstepping
Drafts a plain-language reply to a client's tax question that is accurate, flags what depends on facts, and knows when to refer.
The prompt
Help me answer a client's tax question.
The client's question (as asked): [PASTE]
Client situation that matters: [entity type, country/state, filing status, income range, prior treatment of this item]
My role and credentials: [bookkeeper / EA / CPA / accountant - and whether I prepare their returns]
What I already think the answer is: [MY VIEW, if any]
Steps:
1. Restate the question precisely and list the facts the answer depends on.
2. Give the general rule in plain language. Mark any figure, threshold, rate, or deadline as [VERIFY CURRENT YEAR].
3. Explain how the answer changes under the facts I don't know yet.
4. Flag if this is outside a bookkeeper's scope or needs a licensed tax professional, an attorney, or a specialist (e.g. multistate, international, estate).
Return:
1. Short answer - one or two sentences, with "it depends on X" if true.
2. Reply to the client - under 200 words, warm, no jargon, clear next step.
3. Facts I still need from them - as quick questions.
4. Internal note - the reasoning and what to verify in official guidance before sending.
Don't cite specific code sections, publications, or cases unless I provide them; use [CITE SOURCE]. This is general information, not tax advice - verify against current official guidance before relying on it.
Highlighted [brackets] are blanks to replace with your own details.
Fill in the blanks and use this promptMore Email & Workplace Communication prompts
What to fill in
- PASTE
- MY VIEW, if any
- VERIFY CURRENT YEAR
- CITE SOURCE
How this prompt is built
This prompt follows the RTF structure (Role, Task, Format). RTF tells the model who to be, what to do and what shape the answer should take. It is the quickest structure that still gives noticeably better results than a bare request.
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