I like to believe that I am my clients “Most trusted advisor” and not just their tax preparer.
But I do have a couple of clients that act as if I were a commodity, that that I am no different from a garage preparer with a Turbo-Tax package filing multiple returns.
These people tend to believe that they have a simple return with a rental property and multiple brokerage accounts. Yet need a professional to prepare their simple returns for them. This stance is more about them not understanding the value proposition of using the right CPA.
They scorn planning and advice from all sources, thus the multiple brokerage accounts.
Yet I still try to review their returns with them every year; compare revenue sources and options. I attempt to do give advice and make recommendations. To save more for retirement, transfer credit card balances to special no interest credit cards offers. Reduce their refunds to stop loaning the government money for free, so they can save it and invest it for themselves.
I have turned some over the years, others I still am working on.
But I treat them as their “most trusted advisor”.