When do tax preparers need funding, and for which costs?
Tax prep firms: cash for pre-season setup and summer gaps.
Not a lender.
We work the file, not a single product.
Shopped for fit.
Sent only where it matches, and nowhere else.
You make the call.
Funders' terms in writing. Nothing moves until you choose.
- Cost to apply
- Nothing. Applying asks for no payment.
- Credit
- Ask how any credit review works before you sign.
- Speed
- We make no timing promise. Each funder sets its own review time.
- Offers
- Each one shows total payback and terms from the funder.
Afterfirst MCA is a marketplace, not a funder. A tax office applies once, and the desk shops it to funders whose programs fit the file.
How much does tax preparation work change by month?
Tax preparation jobs more than double from late summer to February.
The table shows our month index from BLS payroll data for 2021 to 2025, where 100 is an average month.
| Month | Job index (100 = average month) | What the month usually means |
|---|---|---|
| January | 139.5 | Season opens |
| February | 152.6 | Peak filing season |
| March | 150.5 | Peak filing season |
| April | 147.3 | Peak filing season |
| May | 80.2 | Work drops off |
| June | 70.2 | Off-season low |
| July | 68.0 | Off-season low |
| August | 66.2 | Off-season low |
| September | 66.5 | Off-season low |
| October | 71.0 | Extension returns; setup starts |
| November | 83.9 | Pre-season hiring |
| December | 104.1 | Pre-season hiring |
In 2025 the industry had 145.7 thousand jobs in March and 70.1 thousand in August, per the same BLS series.
How we built the index
We took the BLS series for tax preparation services, CEU6054121301, before seasonal adjustment. For each month we divided jobs by a centered 12-month average. Then we averaged 2021 to 2025 and scaled the year so an average month is 100. BLS publishes the job counts, and the index is our own math.
Which months need cash, and for what?
Most tax preparers face two cash gaps: setup costs before the season, and fixed costs through the slow months.
| Window | Months | Common costs | What statements may show |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-season setup | October to December | Seasonal staff, training, tax software, office space, ads | Deposits still low while costs rise |
| Off-season gap | May to October | Rent, core staff pay, software renewals, utilities | Deposits falling after April |
| Filing season | January to April | Pay for seasonal preparers | Most of the year's deposits |
Pre-season setup for tax preparers
An office that adds preparers for the season has to find, hire and train them before January. Software licenses and front-office leases often come due in the same stretch. Funding that covers payroll or expansion is common for this window.
Rent and core staff through the off-season
From May on, most returns are done, yet rent and year-round staff still cost the same. That is a cash flow gap rather than a growth cost, and a funder will read it that way.
Filing deadlines that set the calendar
IRS Publication 509 sets the rhythm. For individuals who file on a calendar year, Form 1040 is due on the 15th day of the 4th month after the tax year ends. Form 4868 gives an automatic 6-month extension.
What the extension rule means for the fall
Extended returns keep some work going into the fall. On our index, October sits a little above the summer low, and the steep climb starts in November.
What do funders read when tax preparers apply?
Funders read recent bank statements first, and statements from tax preparers change a lot by month.
This part is practitioner view, not measured data. One funding firm says underwriters weigh the last three months of statements most. For a tax office that applies in October, those months are July to September, the low point on the index. An office that applies in May has February to April on the statements instead.
Timing before the holidays
Another practitioner source, a broker firm, says funding work slows after Thanksgiving. That is one firm's view, but it is a reason not to leave a pre-season request to December. Each funder sets its own pace, so ask the desk what the funders on your file usually do.
A tax office that already has an advance
A tax office with an open advance can still apply. The fit may be a second position, a consolidation, or waiting until the season's deposits land. The stacking guide explains how funders read more than one open position.
Comparing what comes back
When offers come back for tax preparers, we put them on one comparison sheet with the same lines, so you can see net cash, total payback and the payment side by side.
FAQ
What does funding cost a tax office?
Cost is the gap between the total payback and the cash you receive, plus any fees taken out. Each funder quotes its own terms, and we line them up so you can compare. Applying asks for no payment.
How does credit fit into a tax firm's application?
Ask how any credit review works before you sign. Each funder sets its own process. The desk can put your questions to the funders on your file first.
How long does it take to get offers?
We do not promise a timeline, because each funder works on its own schedule. A file with full statements and a clear list of open advances draws fewer questions. Starting before the holidays leaves room for those questions.
Can a tax office with an open advance apply?
Yes, list every open advance in the application. Funders will see the payments on the statements anyway. Depending on the numbers, the fit may be a second position, a consolidation, or waiting.
Should a tax office apply during the season or after it?
It depends on the funder and on what your statements show. Some practitioners say the latest months carry the most weight, so an application after April shows peak deposits. We read your statements and tell you what the timing means for your file.
Next step
Tax preparers can Call 877-FUND-654Email info@afterfirstmca.com and list every open advance, or ask the desk about timing first. Availability varies by state, so confirm with us before applying. Brokers with a tax office file can use the broker format.A person replies within one business day.
Call 877-FUND-654Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CES time series files, series CEU6054121301 (tax preparation services, not seasonally adjusted): the monthly job counts behind this page's index table, including 145.7 thousand jobs in March 2025 and 70.1 thousand in August 2025.
- IRS Publication 509 (2026), Tax Calendars: the Form 1040 due-date rule and the automatic 6-month extension on Form 4868 cited under filing deadlines.
- Fundnode, article on the time of year to take an MCA (June 2026): practitioner view that underwriters weigh the last three months of statements; opinion, not measured data.
- Total Merchant Resources, What slows MCA brokers down in winter (January 2026): practitioner view that funding work slows after Thanksgiving; one firm's opinion.
Cost, credit, speed and stacking
- Cost
- A tax office should weigh the payback against filing-season fees still to come. Summer months carry costs with little income.
- Credit
- Ask a funder to explain its credit steps before you sign in the fall, whatever the filing calendar says.
- Speed
- We give no timing promise for a tax office file. Starting before the holidays leaves room for funder questions.
- Stacking
- An office that took an advance last season may still be paying it. List it so the desk can say if a second fits before January.
Send one file.
See what fits.
Start a merchant cash advance application, or write to the desk. Afterfirst MCA is not a lender.
Or write to the desk at info@afterfirstmca.com
A person replies within one business day.