Please bookmark this thread so we can discuss this in depth after the 17th

I know that I am mismanaging client information retrieval because I spend too much time getting information.  I need to improve this part of my practice.  I know that clients are, in part, paying me to help but information management is not part of my value proposition.

Is there a software or online tool you use that can assist clients in managing and tracking tax information?  (I use Citrix ShareFile primarily for secure transmission and I'm experimenting with a few clients to see how it works for information management. Results thus far are mixed. The Lacerte organizer seems decent so I should spend more time with it.)

Do you fire clients who provide information in bits and pieces and constantly delay getting in you information?

Do you have a tip to share to make this process more efficient?

A CPA nearby me fired 25 clients last November who were constant laggards and didn't get going until October. And guess what?  He was able to take a vacation from October 4 to October 13.  When he returned to the office, he had 1 - ONE! - tax return left to prepare. That is a wonderful achievement, isn't it?