Half the staff, every deadline met
CGC Accountants & Advisors is a San Diego CPA firm that went into the 2026 tax season with about 2.5 staff instead of its usual 5. Using Magnetic, owner Kelli Cox filed every return that was ready by April 15 and estimates about two hours of prep saved per average 1040, with review time cut at least in half.
Firm
CGC Accountants & Advisors
Location
San Diego, CA
Returns
~700 a season
Tax software
UltraTax
At a glance
2.5 of 5
staff for the 2026 season, instead of the usual 5
~2 hrs
prep saved per average 1040; review time cut at least in half
After comparing the two in the same season, Kelli is moving all of her SurePrep Outsource returns to Magnetic.
The challenge
All of the clients, half of the team
Kelli spent nearly 20 years in small business before moving into public accounting, then about 20 more working in small local CPA firms. In 2017 she broke off with a retiring partner and started her firm. It grew fast, to between 5 and 12 staff, many of them new graduates Kelli trained and mentored toward their CPA or EA credentials.
By late 2024 Kelli had about a dozen people and was stretched thin. She explored a merger with a larger firm, but ultimately decided to stay independent. A few longtime team members stayed with her, and nearly all of her clients did too. That left her heading into 2026 with far fewer staff than she'd planned for.
“That's where Magnetic came in. It helped me get through that period where all of a sudden I had all these clients and no staff.”
Kelli CoxFirm Owner, CGC Accountants & AdvisorsThe solution
A side-by-side test in the busiest season
Kelli signed on with Magnetic at the end of 2025. She already had SurePrep Outsource units, so she used both, giving her a direct comparison.
She started carefully, sending Magnetic returns where she knew the documents were complete and the review would be easy. The difference in quality was clear enough that she didn't renew SurePrep Outsource.
“I was able to compare the two, and the quality on Magnetic was so much better. You can really tell the difference.”
What surprised her most was the review notes. Every Magnetic return is reviewed by a licensed EA or CPA, and the notes flagged open questions and documents still owed by the client. With SurePrep, Kelli says missing documents often weren't noted at all.
“It was the review notes. You could tell that someone qualified had put thought into them. They were on the quality of one of my much more experienced staff.”
“The thing that makes the difference to me is the quality of the work.
If it's not done well, it takes more time to fix it than it's worth. Having something I can trust saves me so much time.”
The results
What changed for CGC
With roughly half her usual team, Kelli's firm filed about 500 of its roughly 700 returns by April 15, everything that was ready. After a year with more extensions than usual, that mattered to clients who are particular about filing on time.
By her estimate, an average 1040 used to take a preparer about two hours, plus at least 30 minutes of review. Now her team spends about 15 minutes gathering and uploading documents, and her review time is cut at least in half.
“We filed everything that was ready for us by April 15. That was something I honestly did not think was possible.”
Kelli CoxFirm Owner, CGC Accountants & AdvisorsWhat's next
For the 2027 season, Kelli is moving every return that went to SurePrep Outsource over to Magnetic. Her firm collects organizers and documents through StanfordTax, tracks work in Karbon, and sends returns to Magnetic from Karbon, as an early tester of the Karbon integration. For an owner, she says, tracking return status is one of the hardest parts of the job, and anything that makes it easier helps.
“It's probably one of the products I've tried that I'm most excited about. I'm really excited about this tax season, and having it be easier for me.”
Why Magnetic
Kelli didn't need another tool to run herself, or more units of outsourced prep she'd have to clean up. She needed returns done well enough to trust. Magnetic is an AI-powered tax return completion service with a licensed professional reviewing every return before it reaches the firm. For Kelli, that quality is the whole point: no IRS notices, nothing missed from rushing, and more of her time for the clients who came back.
“I would absolutely tell other firms it changed my life. I would highly recommend it.”
FAQ
Questions about CGC’s results
How did CGC Accountants & Advisors get through tax season with half its staff?
Kelli Cox’s firm ran the 2026 season with about 2.5 staff instead of its usual 5 and sent 1040 preparation to Magnetic. The firm filed about 500 of its roughly 700 returns by April 15: everything that was ready.
How does Magnetic compare with SurePrep Outsource?
Kelli used both in the same season. She found Magnetic’s quality and review notes much stronger, and is moving every return that went to SurePrep Outsource over to Magnetic for 2027.
How much time does Magnetic save per 1040?
Kelli estimates an average 1040 used to take a preparer about two hours, plus at least 30 minutes of review. Now her team spends about 15 minutes gathering and uploading documents, and her review time is cut at least in half.
