What you'll accomplish
By the end of this guide, you'll use CPA Pilot (or a comparable AI tax research tool) to research complex tax questions in minutes instead of hours. You'll get cited answers in plain language, then verify them against primary sources — cutting initial research time by 60–70% while maintaining the professional standards your position requires.
What you'll need
- A CPA Pilot account at cpapilot.com (paid subscription, typically $49–$99/month; check for firm pricing)
- Alternatively: Thomson Reuters CoCounsel (if your firm subscribes to Checkpoint) or Bloomberg Tax AI (if your firm subscribes to Bloomberg Tax)
- A specific tax research question to test with
- Time needed: 30 minutes for setup; 15–45 minutes per research question thereafter
- Cost: ~$49/month individual (firm pricing available)
How-To Guide: Use CPA Pilot for AI-Assisted Tax Research
Step 1: Create your account
Go to cpapilot.com and sign up. Select the plan appropriate for your usage (individual vs. firm). During onboarding, you may be asked about your practice areas — select your main areas (corporate tax, individual, partnership, etc.) to get relevant default settings.
What you should see: A research interface with a prompt bar, similar to ChatGPT but focused on tax.