- Splitting the March run into three lines, black and white return packets at $57.06, color summary pages at $40.25, and letterhead at $66.27, is the single biggest lever on the season’s print budget.
- The color coupon (10% off, capped at $100, one use) saves about $4.03 on the $40.25 color summary run but does not apply to black and white packets or letterhead.
- A full 8-page return packet for 65 clients runs 520 sheets, landing just past the 499-copy black and white key at $57.06.
A small tax preparation office handling roughly 60 to 80 individual returns between February and April 15 does not need one print product, it needs three: black and white return packets for the bulk of each client file, a color summary or cover page that clients actually look at, and letterhead for engagement letters and cover correspondence. Prices below are base print figures from 55printing.com, checked live in July 2026. Shipping is a separate line in the cart.
Splitting the March print job into three lines
Route a tax season print job as three separate line items: black and white for the bulk return pages ($57.06 at 499), color for the one summary sheet clients actually read ($40.25 at 99), and letterhead for engagement letters ($66.27 at 250). Defaulting everything to color out of habit is the biggest overspend on a March print budget.
Treating every page of a tax season print run as one product is where a lot of small offices overspend. A full federal and state return package can run 8 to 15 pages of mostly text and tables, which belongs on black and white pricing. A one-page color summary sheet with a chart of refund versus prior year, or a color logo header, belongs on the color copies form. Engagement letters and any signed correspondence going out on the firm’s branded stationery belong on letterhead. Ordering all three correctly, instead of defaulting everything to color out of habit, is the single biggest lever on the season’s print budget.
Price anchors for a March run
| Product | Quantity | Base price | Approx. per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black and white copies | 499 | $57.06 | $0.11 |
| Color copies | 99 | $40.25 | $0.41 |
| Letterhead | 250 | $66.27 | $0.27 |
These are separate products with separate quantity tables on 55printing.com. A mixed job needs three line items in the cart, not one combined order, since the store prices each by its own paper stock and ink setup.
Scenario: 65 clients, an 8-page return packet, one color summary each
An office preparing 65 individual returns budgets 8 pages per client for the full return package, which is 520 total black and white sheets. That fits just past the 499 key at $57.06, close enough that the office rounds up slightly rather than risk running short mid-batch on a printer that also handles daily office work. Each client also gets one color summary page with a simple refund chart and the firm’s logo, 65 total color sheets, which sits well under the 99-copy color key at $40.25, with room to spare for a handful of reprints if a client’s numbers change after a late 1099 shows up.
For new clients and any client requiring a signed engagement letter before work begins, the office runs those letters on letterhead. A 250-sheet order at $66.27 covers a full season of engagement letters, amended return cover notes, and any formal correspondence that needs to look like it came from the firm and not a plain printer tray.
Black and white return packet
- Correct call for IRS forms and worksheets nobody judges by design
- 499 sheets run $57.06 base, about $0.11 per sheet
- Not eligible for the color copies coupon
Color summary page
- The one page a client actually reads closely to see the bottom line
- 99 sheets run $40.25 base, about $0.41 per sheet
- Eligible for the 10% color copies coupon, about $4.03 off at this quantity
Code hotprintsusa-10-off-for-copies takes 10% off eligible color copies products, capped at $100 off, one use per customer. On the $40.25 color summary run above, that is about $4.03 off. It does not apply to the black and white return packets or to letterhead, so do not expect a discount line on either of those lines at checkout.
Before you submit a mixed tax-season order
- Route the return packet, the color summary, and letterhead as three separate line items, not one combined PDF
- Confirm the sheet count per client before ordering; recalculate if a form set grows after amendments
- Apply the color coupon only to the eligible color copies line and confirm it shows there, not on black and white or letterhead
- Keep the same file set on hand so a mid-season reorder is a repeat, not a rebuild
Fee level has nothing to do with which pages need color. Only pages where color carries real information, like a chart or a highlighted total, benefit from it. The rest of the return packet is text and tables that read the same in black and white, so keeping those pages black and white is the correct call, not a corner cut.
Turnaround before April 15
Standard turnaround works fine in February when the season is just starting and client volume is still light. By late March, print orders start competing with a much fuller schedule, so place reorders for packets and letterhead earlier than the calendar date suggests you need them. A firm that waits until the first week of April to reorder is gambling standard shipping against a deadline that will not move for anyone.
Route black and white, color, and letterhead as three lines, then see the live total with shipping before you check out.
FAQ
Should every page of a return packet be color if the client is paying a premium fee?
No. Fee level has nothing to do with which pages need color. Only pages where color carries real information, like a chart or a highlighted total, benefit from it. The rest is text and tables that read the same in black and white.
Can I combine the black and white and color pages into one PDF upload?
Route them as two separate orders on the correct product forms. A combined PDF sent to the color form prices the whole file as color, even the plain text pages.
Does the coupon apply to letterhead if I order it alongside color copies?
No. The discount only applies to the eligible color copies line item in the cart. A letterhead line will not show a discount even if the color copies line does.
What if a client’s return grows past 8 pages after amendments?
Recalculate total sheets across all clients before reordering, and round up to the next black and white quantity key rather than guessing. A late-season amendment batch is a good candidate for its own small reorder instead of padding the original estimate.
Is letterhead worth it for a small solo practice?
If clients receive formal engagement letters or signed correspondence, letterhead adds a professional touch for a modest per-sheet cost. A practice that only emails everything may not need a physical stock at all.
How early should reorders go in before the filing deadline?
Plan the last reorder for return packets and letterhead by the third week of March. That leaves standard production and shipping time to spare well before the April 15 rush, without paying for rush turnaround.