The dates your calendar is built on
Every tax office calendar hangs on a few IRS dates. For the 2026 season the IRS announced the opening day on January 8, 2026 and started accepting returns on Monday, January 26, 2026; returns were due Wednesday, April 15, 2026. The IRS usually announces opening day in early January, so plan for a late-January start and adjust your posts the day the date is published.
For the season you are preparing for now (2026 tax returns), the regular deadline is Thursday, April 15, 2027, and taxpayers who file an extension have until Friday, October 15, 2027 to file.
One more date matters for refund-driven offices: by law the IRS cannot issue refunds that claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) before mid-February. The IRS says most early EITC/ACTC filers who e-file with direct deposit can expect the refund by early March. Set your clients' expectations in your posts instead of promising dates you do not control.
November: rebrand and get the season's designs ready
November is when a tax office has time. Use it for the work that is impossible in February: a refreshed logo and colors, a new flyer set, and your first month of social posts.
- Refresh your logo, colors and fonts so every flyer and post looks like one brand (logo and branding).
- Order the season's flyer set: an opening-day flyer, a refund flyer, a referral flyer and a deadline flyer (tax season flyers; see 11 flyer ideas with real examples).
- Update your website's hours, prices and booking link before people start searching (tax office websites).
- Start a waitlist: a simple post asking returning clients to reply or message you to book early (how to get more clients before January).
December: waitlist, referrals and recruiting
December posts keep you in front of last year's clients while they make plans. Keep them short: one message per post, your logo, your phone number.
- "Book your appointment for opening week" posts that point to your waitlist or booking link.
- A referral offer for returning clients, stated clearly (what the client gets and when).
- Hiring posts if you need seasonal preparers or front-desk staff.
- A holiday greeting that doubles as a reminder of what documents to collect (W-2s, 1099s, last year's return).
January: opening day
January is your launch. The day the IRS announces opening day, post it; the week it opens, post every day. Opening week is when people who waited start looking for a preparer, so your Google Business Profile, website and social pages must all show the same hours and phone number.
- "Now accepting clients" post and story, and the same message pinned to the top of your page.
- A documents checklist post: photo ID, Social Security cards, W-2s, 1099s, dependents' details.
- A "what to expect for refunds" post that repeats the IRS timing in plain words (see the EITC/ACTC note above).
- Your opening-day flyer printed for the counter, the window and local businesses that allow it.
February to April 15: weekly offers and deadline reminders
This is when people choose between you and the office down the street. Post on a fixed rhythm (for example three times a week) so you never have to decide what to post on a busy day. Plan the whole stretch in December; our 30-day tax season content calendar is built for exactly this.
- Week-by-week reminders: "X weeks left to file" with your booking link.
- Posts for specific clients: families, self-employed and gig workers, small businesses, first-time filers.
- Short videos: a 15-second clip of your office or a walkthrough of what to bring (AI video ads).
- Last two weeks: daily deadline posts, extension reminders, and your extended hours.
April 16 to October: extensions, year-round work and next year
After April 15 your audience shrinks to people who filed extensions, businesses and clients who need help during the year. Keep posting, less often: extension reminders before October 15, small-business bookkeeping or payroll if you offer it, and "we're open all year" posts. Use summer to plan next season's look.
Your calendar on one page
- November: rebrand, flyer set, first month of posts, waitlist.
- December: waitlist reminders, referral offer, hiring, documents checklist.
- January: opening-day announcement, daily posts in opening week, profiles updated.
- February to April 15: fixed posting rhythm, offers for specific clients, deadline countdown.
- April 16 to October 15: extensions, year-round services, next season's brand.
Want the season designed in one go? Get a free quote or see how we work with tax preparers in all 50 states.
Questions tax preparers ask
When should a tax preparer start marketing for tax season?
Start in November. Use November and December for your brand, flyers, first posts and a waitlist, so you can announce opening day in January instead of designing under pressure.
When does the 2027 tax filing season start?
The IRS usually announces the opening day in early January. For the 2026 season it announced the date on January 8 and opened on January 26, 2026. Plan for late January and post the official date as soon as the IRS publishes it.
What is the tax deadline in 2027?
Most individual 2026 returns are due Thursday, April 15, 2027. Taxpayers who file an extension have until Friday, October 15, 2027 to file.
Can I promise clients their refund by a certain date?
No. You do not control IRS processing. By law the IRS cannot issue refunds that claim EITC or ACTC before mid-February, and it says most early filers with those credits who e-file with direct deposit can expect them by early March. Repeat the IRS guidance instead of promising a date.
Sources
- NCACPA: IRS announces first day of 2026 filing season (IR-2026-02) (checked November 2, 2026)
- IRS: Refund timing for EITC and ACTC filers (checked November 2, 2026)
This guide explains marketing for tax businesses. It is not legal or tax advice.