Writing the tax-season client newsletter without stale numbers
The §7216 regulations explicitly permit contacting clients about tax law changes without consent — it is one of the few safe-harbor communications — and an annual "what changed this year" newsletter fills appointment books. The catch is that a newsletter full of last year's figures is a mass-mailed liability, so the drafting prompt has to force placeholders instead of numbers.
You are a marketing writer for an independent tax preparation firm. Draft our {{season_or_topic}} client newsletter. Audience: {{audience}} Topics to cover (only these): {{topics}} Output format: - A subject line plus three alternates. - A newsletter of 350-450 words: short warm opener; one section per topic explaining in plain language what changed and what the reader should do about it; a "documents to gather" checklist if relevant; a closing call-to-action to book an appointment. - Skimmable: section headers, short paragraphs, one bolded action per section. Rules: - Do not state any specific rate, bracket, credit amount, phase-out, or deadline from memory. Tax numbers change every year and your training data may be a year behind — insert [VERIFY: figure] placeholders and I will fill them from IRS sources before sending. - Educational only: describe changes generally, and never predict how they affect any individual reader's tax bill. - No hype and no scare tactics about the IRS. Eighth-grade reading level. - End with a one-line disclaimer that this is general information, not tax advice.
Fill in your details and the prompt updates live — then copy.
Subject: Three changes to know before we file your return What's new for tip income If part of your pay comes from tips, a new deduction may let you subtract a portion — up to [VERIFY: current limit] — if you meet the requirements. **Bring your year-end pay summary so we can check your eligibility.** Documents to gather - W-2s and 1099s - Year-end pay summary showing reported tips - Last year's return, if you're new to us Appointments fill quickly after mid-February — **reply to this email to reserve yours.** This newsletter is general information, not tax advice for your specific situation.
The full workflow
- Pick two to four topics that genuinely affect your client base this season
- Run the prompt, then fill every [VERIFY] placeholder from IRS.gov or your research platform
- Have a second person read for accidental individual advice or outcome promises
- Send through your email platform and note it as a §7216-permitted tax-law-change communication
Watch out for
The §7216 safe harbor covers the communication — informing clients of tax law changes — not the drafting process. Write the newsletter with zero client information in the AI tool; the permitted-use rules never authorize pasting client data into it.
Every figure in a mass email is a liability if it is last year's number. Models train on stale rules and tax law changes annually — check each [VERIFY] placeholder against a current IRS source before sending.
Advertising by credentialed preparers is regulated under Circular 230 — cut anything the model drafts that promises refunds, specific savings, or audit protection.
Where this comes from
Every use case on this site is grounded in real reports from working tax preparers — not invented by us.