Who owns the return status tracker in a CPA firm?
If a return is assigned to a staff preparer, is the preparer the only person responsible for its status, or does the reviewer also have responsibility for monitoring the pool?
The preparer owns timely updates for the work assigned to them, but the reviewer or manager owns the population view. That means the preparer should keep each assigned return current, while the reviewer should monitor whether the whole pool is staffed, reviewed, blocked, or at deadline risk.
A useful split is:
| Role | Status responsibility |
|---|---|
| Preparer | Update progress, blockers, expected completion, and review readiness |
| Reviewer | Clear review notes and identify technical risks |
| Manager | Monitor deadlines, capacity, reassignment, and extension decisions |
The wrong answer is usually the one that treats assignment as full transfer of responsibility. Supervision still matters after work is assigned.
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