AI Can Help—But It’s Not Your Accountant

Jeremy Springer
Nov 3
3 min read

Artificial intelligence is a fantastic assistant. It can draft checklists, surface IRS publications in a pinch, and even summarize complex topics. But when it comes to your taxes and the financial decisions behind them, AI is a tool — not a trusted advisor. For individuals and business owners, the difference matters.

Here’s why a knowledgeable tax or accounting professional still earns their seat at the table — and how to use AI wisely alongside one.

What AI Does Well

Summarization & first drafts: Quick overviews of topics like depreciation, HSA rules, or S-Corp basics.
Organization: Turning messy notes into task lists, meeting recaps, or document requests.
Math & models: Running simple projections and “what-ifs” once assumptions are correct.
Education: Translating jargon into plain English so you can ask better questions.

These strengths make AI a helpful starting point. But tax advice rarely ends where a summary begins.

Where AI Falls Short (and Why It Matters)

Context is everything. Tax treatment changes with details: ownership structure, state nexus, payroll mix, spouse income, entity elections, timing, industry norms, and more. AI won’t reliably ask the right follow-ups or know which answer hinges on which nuance.
Rules change and so do interpretations. Federal, state, and local guidance evolves through legislation, revenue rulings, court cases, and agency FAQs. AI often reflects past information or blends sources without weighing authority.
Edge cases are the norm in real life. Examples: reasonable compensation for S-Corp owners, passive vs. non-passive activities, multi-state sales tax, home-office capitalization vs. repair, QBI phaseouts, stock option timing, NOL carrybacks — each is fact-dependent and penalty-sensitive.
No professional judgment or representation. If you’re audited, AI can’t stand behind the return, correspond with a revenue agent, or defend your position. A professional weighs risk, builds documentation, and represents you when it counts.
Data privacy & liability. Uploading sensitive financials to generic tools can create exposure. Accountants and tax preparers operate with professional ethics, engagement letters, and secure workflows.

Real-World Scenarios Where Pros Save You

Entity selection & payroll: Choosing between LLC, S-Corp, or C-Corp isn’t just about today’s tax bill. It affects owner wages, distributions, state filings, retirement plan design, and exit strategy.
Multi-state operations: Expanding online? Hiring remote employees? A pro maps registration, withholding, unemployment insurance, and sales/use tax obligations across jurisdictions.
Depreciation & capitalization: Safe harbors, bonus vs. §179, building improvements vs. repairs — tiny differences swing thousands of dollars and future recapture.
Year-round planning: Timing income and deductions, harvesting gains/losses, estimated tax strategy, retirement plan funding, and cash-flow smoothing.

In each case, the right answer depends on your goals and facts, not a generic template.

The Human Advantage: How Professionals Think

Discovery: We ask questions AI doesn’t know to ask about your long-term plans, risk tolerance, and operational realities.
Materiality & risk: Not every technically optimal move is worth the complexity or audit risk. Pros prioritize what moves the needle for you.
Documentation strategy: Good positions need good paper trails. We build contemporaneous records that survive scrutiny.
Coordination: Your taxes touch legal, payroll, bookkeeping, banking, and wealth planning. Professionals connect the dots so one decision doesn’t break another.

Using AI the Right Way (and Avoiding Pitfalls)

Great for prep, not sign-off. Use AI to gather questions, summarize options, and organize documents—then review with your accountant before acting.
Verify against authoritative sources. IRS publications, official state guidance, and professional standards beat anonymous blog posts or confident-sounding summaries.
Don’t overshare sensitive data. Keep PII (personally identifiable information), account numbers, and full returns off open tools. Use secure client portals.
Beware of “average” advice. If your situation is anything but plain vanilla (and most aren’t), get tailored guidance.

Our Approach: Humans First, Tech-Enabled

At The Springer Company, we pair professional judgment with modern tools:

Structured discovery to understand your goals
Proactive planning modeled around your cash flow and risk profile
Secure document collection and automated checklists to save you time
Plain-English recommendations, with trade-offs and next steps
Representation and support if the tax authorities come knocking

AI helps us all work faster. It doesn’t replace the experience, ethics, or accountability you deserve.

Bottom Line

AI is a powerful flashlight—it helps you see the room. A knowledgeable tax or accounting professional knows which door to open, what’s behind it, and how to keep you safe while you walk through.

If you’d like a human review of your situation or want a second opinion before making a move, let’s talk. Bring your AI-generated notes; we’ll turn them into a plan you can trust.

For those who want to talk:

(405) 753-0729

For those who want to type:

info@thespringercompany.com

Fun Fact: We wrote this article with AI's help.