Quote & Proposal Drafting for Accountants & Bookkeepers

Draft a [State]-appropriate 1040 engagement letter for tax year [year] with these inputs:

- Client name(s): [name + spouse]
- Filing status: [MFJ / MFS / Single / HoH]
- Complexity tier: [W-2 simple / Schedule C / K-1 / multi-state / crypto / foreign]
- Flat fee: $[amount] (collected before work begins)
- Document deadline: [e.g., 3/15 for on-time filing; after that, extension default]
- Extension policy: [default to extension if docs not received by [date]]
- Additional-fee triggers: out-of-scope items (prior-year amendments, IRS correspondence after filing, state notices)
- E-sign and payment link at end

Include the firm's standard language on: document retention, limitation of scope (no audit, no financial planning), client responsibilities (accuracy of info provided), circular 230 disclosure.

Flag missing inputs as 'NEEDS PARTNER INPUT'.

Based on the discovery questionnaire, produce three fixed-fee tiers:

BRONZE — Core Books
- Monthly bank + CC reconciliation (up to [X] accounts)
- Monthly P&L and Balance Sheet
- QBO subscription management
- Year-end 1099 filing
- Monthly fee: $[amount]

SILVER — Books + Payroll
- Everything in Bronze
- Gusto payroll integration and monthly journal entries
- Quarterly payroll tax review
- Monthly fee: $[amount]

GOLD — Books + Payroll + Advisory
- Everything in Silver
- Monthly 30-min strategy call
- Cash-flow forecast (rolling 13-week)
- Budget vs. actual variance report
- Monthly fee: $[amount]

ONE-TIME CLEANUP (required before monthly begins): $[amount] based on [# months behind] × [# accounts]

Price anchor: position Silver as recommended. Base pricing on the monthly transaction band from the questionnaire.

Every engagement letter must explicitly EXCLUDE (unless scoped in separately):
- Audit or attestation work
- Forensic accounting / fraud investigation
- IRS / state audit representation
- Tax planning beyond the current tax year
- Financial planning / investment advice
- Sales tax registrations in states not yet listed
- Entity formation, S-corp elections
- Prior-year amendments
- Correspondence with lenders / third parties on behalf of client
- Consulting on specific transactions (M&A, real estate sales, stock options)

For each exclusion, include: 'Available as a separate engagement — hourly rate $[X] or fixed fee upon scope'.

Signed acknowledgment of exclusions is required before work begins.

You are a professional proposal writer for [Business Type]. Using the following client intake information, write a professional service proposal.

Client: [Name/Company]
Service needed: [Service]
Scope: [Scope details]
Timeline: [Timeline]
Budget indication: [Budget]

The proposal should include:
1. Executive summary (2-3 sentences)
2. Understanding of the client's need
3. Proposed approach/scope of work
4. Deliverables
5. Investment (use placeholder: [PRICE])
6. Next steps

Tone: Professional but approachable. Clear and direct. No jargon.

Subject: Following up on your proposal — [Company Name]

Hi [First Name],

I wanted to follow up on the proposal I sent over on [Date]. Have you had a chance to review it?

Happy to jump on a quick call to answer any questions or walk through the details. What does your schedule look like this week?

Best,
[Your Name]