How to market your tax firm during the 2026 refund surge

The 2026 tax refund season is shaping up to be the largest in recent history. With the One Big Beautiful Bill Act delivering retroactive tax cuts on tips, overtime, auto loan interest, and an enhanced seniors deduction, the IRS expects to process approximately 164 million individual returns this filing season. JPMorgan projects the average refund could reach $3,743, up significantly from prior years. For tax firms ready to capitalize on this unprecedented wave of financial awareness, refund season represents the single greatest marketing window to grow your tax advisory services practice.

Most firms treat refund season as a compliance sprint, racing to file returns while ignoring the marketing opportunity sitting in front of them. The firms that separate themselves from the pack recognize that every Individuals client who walks through the door during tax season is a prospect for an ongoing advisory engagement. By shifting your approach from reactive filing to proactive outreach, you can transform the refund season from a stressful deadline into a powerful client acquisition engine that drives year-round revenue.

Strategic refund season marketing goes beyond running ads during filing deadlines. It involves crafting messaging that speaks to taxpayer pain points, positioning your firm as a trusted advisor rather than a commodity preparer, and building systems that nurture leads into long-term tax advisory services clients. Firms implementing these strategies command advisory fees of $2,000 to $5,000 per quarter, while competitors charge $300 or less.

What makes the 2026 refund season the best time to grow your firm

Tax refund season always creates a natural surge in consumer interest around financial topics, but 2026 is an exceptional year. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduced several retroactive provisions that are driving significantly larger refunds for millions of taxpayers, including expanded SALT deductions, no tax on tips and overtime for eligible workers, and new auto loan interest deductions. This means more taxpayers than ever are actively thinking about their finances and questioning whether their current tax situation is truly optimized for tax advisory services.

Search volume for tax-related terms increases dramatically from January to April, and the 2026 season has further amplified this trend. Taxpayers are actively searching for guidance on strategies like Health savings account contributions, Traditional 401k optimization, and whether they should restructure their business entity. This organic demand means your marketing dollars work harder during refund season than at any other point in the year, particularly when you target advisory-intent keywords around the 2026 tax brackets and new deduction categories.

The emotional dynamic works powerfully in your favor during this period. Taxpayers receiving large refunds often realize they have been overpaying throughout the year and want professional guidance to optimize their planning going forward. Those who owe money are highly motivated to reduce their future tax burden through strategies like Home office deductions, Depreciation and amortization planning. Both scenarios create ideal entry points for tax advisory services conversations that convert seasonal interest into quarterly advisory relationships.

How to build a refund season content marketing strategy that ranks

Content marketing during refund season should focus on educational material that demonstrates your firm's expertise while addressing the specific questions taxpayers are currently searching for. The goal is to establish your authority and create enough value that prospects want to learn more through a paid advisory engagement. Each piece of content should connect back to your firm's tax advisory services and include clear calls to action inviting readers to schedule a strategy session.

Focus your content around the strategies your firm delivers, including Meals deductions, Travel expenses, and entity optimization for S Corporations and C Corporations. With the new legislation creating fresh search demand around topics like no tax on overtime and expanded deductions, your content calendar should lean into these trending topics while connecting them back to your broader advisory offerings.

A strong refund season content calendar should include these core topics:

• Explainer articles on 2026 tax law changes and how they affect business owners and high-income earners
• Strategy-specific posts covering Augusta rule benefits, Vehicle expenses optimization, and retirement plan contributions
• Entity structure comparison posts explaining the tax advantages of Partnerships, S Corporations, and C Corporations
• Client success stories that demonstrate measurable savings achieved through advisory relationships
• Timely posts about updated 2026 tax brackets, State Tax Deadlines, and filing deadline reminders

Consistency matters more than volume. Publishing two to three high-quality articles per week throughout refund season builds momentum and establishes your firm as the go-to resource for tax advisory guidance.

How to use email campaigns to convert existing clients during refund season

Your existing client base represents the most valuable marketing audience during refund season. These people already trust your firm, have shared their financial information, and are actively engaged in the filing process. Email campaigns targeted at current clients can generate significant advisory revenue by introducing them to tax advisory services they may not know you offer.

The most effective approach is to review each client's return to identify advisory upsell opportunities before reaching out. When you can tell a client that your review identified $15,000 in potential savings through strategies like Hiring kids for family business owners or Roth 401k conversions, that specific dollar amount creates urgency and demonstrates clear value that generic marketing cannot replicate, given that refunds are larger in 2026 due to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, your clients are especially receptive to conversations about keeping more money through proactive planning.

Structure your email sequences around these key touchpoints:

1. A pre-season email reminding clients to gather documents and highlighting new 2026 strategies available under the latest legislation
2. A mid-season check-in that shares a relevant tax tip and invites clients to discuss their advisory options, referencing specific strategies like Child traditional IRA contributions or Tax loss harvesting for investors
3. A post-filing follow-up that presents specific findings from their return and offers a complimentary strategy session
4. A quarterly planning invitation that transitions the relationship from annual filing to ongoing tax advisory services engagement

Each email should feel personal and specific. Reference relevant strategies based on the client's profile, whether that involves Late S Corporation elections for business owners or Late C Corporation elections for companies ready to optimize their tax treatment. According to IRS Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax, taxpayers who adjust their withholding based on advisory guidance can redirect thousands in overpayments toward wealth-building strategies.

Which digital advertising channels drive the best advisory leads

Paid digital advertising during refund season can deliver exceptional results when campaigns target advisory prospects rather than commodity tax preparation clients. The key distinction is reaching taxpayers with higher incomes and more complex situations who are searching for professional guidance, not bargain filing services. These prospects are your ideal candidates for tax advisory services.

Google Ads campaigns should target keywords that signal advisory intent. Instead of bidding on generic terms like "file taxes online," focus on phrases such as "tax planning for business owners," "S corp tax strategies 2026," and "reduce my tax bill" that indicate a prospect is looking for strategic guidance. With the 2026 filing season driving higher search volume for terms like "new IRS tax deductions" and "2026 tax brackets married filing jointly," your campaigns should incorporate these trending queries to capture demand at a lower cost per click.

Facebook and LinkedIn advertising allow you to target prospects based on demographics and professional attributes that correlate with advisory readiness. Business owners, high-income professionals, and real estate investors respond well to educational content about strategies like Employee achievement awards, Qualified education assistance program, and Health reimbursement arrangement planning. Build your ad creatives around specific savings scenarios that resonate with these prospects.

Effective ad campaign elements include:

• Landing pages designed specifically for refund season prospects with clear advisory positioning and refund-related messaging
• Lead magnets offering 2026 tax savings checklists or strategy guides in exchange for contact information
• Retargeting campaigns that follow website visitors with educational content about tax advisory services
• Budget allocation that front-loads spending during peak search weeks between late January and mid-April
• Ad creatives referencing specific legislative changes to demonstrate your firm's current expertise

How to convert refund season leads into advisory clients through strategy sessions

The strategy session is where your refund season marketing efforts translate into revenue. Every lead generated through content, email, or advertising should be funneled toward a structured conversation where you demonstrate the value of ongoing tax advisory services rather than one-time filing. This consultative approach separates advisory-focused firms from compliance-only practices and commands significantly higher engagement fees.

Effective strategy sessions during refund season follow a specific structure that builds trust and urgency. Begin by reviewing the prospect's current tax situation and identifying savings opportunities using strategies like Oil and gas deduction for investors, Sell your home exclusion planning for homeowners, or Child & dependent tax credits optimization for families. When prospects see concrete dollar amounts they are leaving on the table, the decision to engage becomes straightforward.

Your strategy session conversion framework should address these elements:

1. A discovery phase uncovering the prospect's financial goals, pain points, and current advisory gaps
2. A presentation of estimated savings with specific strategies tailored to their entity type and income level
3. A clear explanation of your advisory service packages and what ongoing quarterly engagement includes
4. A defined next step that moves the relationship forward immediately

Firms that book 20 or more strategy sessions per week during refund season and convert at 30-40% can add significant recurring advisory revenue each year. The investment in marketing to fill those sessions pays for itself many times over when clients commit to ongoing advisory relationships.

How to measure and optimize your refund season marketing ROI

Tracking the right metrics ensures your refund season marketing delivers measurable returns and provides data for improving future campaigns. Many firms spend aggressively during tax season but fail to connect spending to actual client acquisition and tax advisory services revenue, making it impossible to determine what is working.

Essential metrics to track throughout the refund season include the cost per lead from each marketing channel, the strategy session booking rate from generated leads, the conversion rate from sessions to paid advisory clients, and the average first-year revenue per acquired client. These numbers tell you exactly which channels and campaigns are driving profitable growth versus simply generating activity. Use Instead's reports feature to track client savings and demonstrate advisory value throughout the engagement.

Build your measurement dashboard around these key performance indicators:

• Website traffic from organic search, paid ads, and social media compared to the prior year
• Email open rates and click-through rates on advisory-focused campaigns targeting existing clients
• Number of strategy sessions booked per week throughout the January through April refund season window
• Advisory client conversion rate and average engagement value per new client
• Return on ad spend broken down by platform, campaign type, and keyword theme

Reviewing these metrics weekly lets you reallocate budget to your highest-performing channels in real time. If LinkedIn ads generate higher-quality leads than Facebook, shift spend accordingly. If a particular blog topic about 2026 tax law changes is driving significant organic traffic, create additional content on related themes. This data-driven approach ensures every marketing dollar contributes to firm growth through expanded tax advisory services.

Turn the 2026 refund season into your firm's growth engine

Tax refund season does not have to be a chaotic sprint through compliance deadlines. With the right marketing strategy, it becomes the launchpad for sustainable firm growth through high-value tax advisory services relationships. The Instead Pro partner program gives your firm the tools, strategies, and support to turn refund-season leads into year-round advisory clients. Instead's intelligent system helps you identify savings opportunities across your client base, while the Instead platform streamlines strategy delivery so you can scale advisory revenue without burning out your team. Discover how the Instead Pro partner program can help you build the advisory practice your clients deserve.

Frequently asked questions

Q: When should I start my refund season marketing campaigns for 2026?

A: Begin your refund season marketing efforts at least four to six weeks before the filing season opens. The IRS began accepting 2025 returns on January 26, 2026, so launching campaigns in mid-December gives your content time to gain traction in search results and allows email sequences to warm up existing clients before they receive offers from competing firms. Early preparation also lets you test ad creative and landing pages before peak traffic arrives.

Q: How much should a tax firm budget for refund season marketing?

A: Marketing budgets vary based on firm size and growth goals, but a general benchmark is allocating 5 to 10 percent of your target advisory revenue toward marketing spend during refund season. If your goal is to add $200,000 in new advisory revenue, plan to invest $10,000 to $20,000 across content creation, digital advertising, and email marketing tools during the January through April window.

Q: What is the best marketing channel for attracting advisory clients during tax season?

A: Email marketing to your existing client base consistently delivers the highest conversion rates and lowest acquisition costs because these prospects already trust your firm. For new client acquisition, Google Ads targeting advisory-intent keywords and LinkedIn campaigns aimed at business owners and high-income professionals tend to produce the most qualified leads for tax advisory services engagements.

Q: How does the One Big Beautiful Bill Act affect my refund season marketing strategy?

A: The legislation creates a significant advantage for your marketing efforts. With retroactive provisions delivering larger refunds through expanded deductions, no tax on tips and overtime, and enhanced credits, more taxpayers are actively engaged with their tax situations. Your messaging should reference these specific changes to demonstrate current expertise and create urgency around proactive planning with your firm.

Q: Can I market advisory services to clients while filing their returns?

A: The return filing process is one of the most effective touchpoints for introducing advisory services. When you identify specific savings opportunities during return preparation, presenting those findings to the client creates a natural transition from compliance work to advisory engagement. This approach feels consultative rather than sales-oriented and typically generates the highest conversion rates of any marketing tactic.

Q: How do I handle the workload of both marketing and filing during tax season?

A: Prepare your marketing assets before filing season begins so execution during the busy period requires minimal effort. Schedule email sequences, pre-write social content, and set up ad campaigns in advance. Many firms designate a team member or assistant to manage campaign execution while tax professionals focus on client work and strategy sessions.