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There are many benefits to starting a virtual tax business. One of the main reasons is that it is much cheaper than opening a brick-and-mortar office. You also have more freedom in terms of where you work from and what hours you work. Also, Tax preparers are in very high demand as the complexity of tax law continues to grow. As a result, many people need help with their taxes.

The downside to running a virtual tax business is that there are some limitations when it comes to the services offered. This is where technology comes in. Our brandable mobile app lets your customers send their tax documents from anywhere.

As we look at what the coronavirus has done, you can’t help thinking about your own tax business. You might have lost money because of the quarantines, and some won’t recover from it. For people who did manage, how do you plan on protecting yourself from something similar happening again? Perhaps it’s a bit extreme, but you should always be prepared for the unexpected.

This article will explore one of the best tools – the” Taxes to go mobile app” that can help launch your virtual tax business or add significant value to your existing brick-and-mortar tax office.

Branded Mobile App For Your Tax Office

Your virtual tax business can be an extension of your tax office. You’ll be able to add any customizations you’d like, including your office name and logo. We’re committed to helping you showcase your brand in an original way, so you can make sure your tax business stands out from the crowd.

Sharing Your App

Any encounter that you have is a potential customer. With our mobile app, you aren’t limited to foot traffic anymore. You can reach any market across the country; there is really no end to the number of customers you can attract.

Simply share the branded custom link to your mobile app with your potential customers, and they will complete a web form with their basic information. Once they complete the web form, they will receive an SMS text with a link to be able to download your branded mobile app.

Driver Lisence & Selfie

We wanted to decrease the amount of work from your customers and make the experience more enjoyable. By scanning their license, they can pre-fill most of the personal data.

On top of the added encryption, we also wanted to add more security so you, as the tax return preparer, can verify that the person submitting the documents is the customer. So we added Selfie to the process. So once your customer uploads their driver’s license, the app will ask them to take a selfie.

Scan Documents & E-signature

Your customers can simply snap a picture of their tax documents and upload them in the app. Once they submit all the information in the app, you will be able to view them in your tax software. From here, you can work on completing their tax return.
Once you are done with the tax return, you can request a signature from your tax software, and your customers will be able to review their tax returns and sign the tax return directly from the app.

How to Video

Click the link below to watch the video on our taxes-to-go mobile app. You can also share the video link with your customers to help them navigate the app. You can also visit taxestogo.com to learn more about the app.

As a tax professional, you understand the importance of marketing to grow your business. But with so many marketing channels and strategies available, it can be difficult to know where to start. To transition from a side gig to a full-time business, you need to market your tax business and grow your practice without spending thousands of dollars marketing. Consider these seven ways to market your tax business to attract clients and increase sales:

Build your brand

Building a great brand can take time, so be patient, but once established, it will last for decades. A strong brand will help you attract clients, negotiate better rates from vendors and charge higher fees. Your brand should be memorable and consistent across all your marketing materials.

As a tax professional, the best way to build your brand is by having a strong focus on your customers and their needs. This means understanding what they want and what they need. It also means ensuring you have the right mix of products or services for them at the right price point so you can compete in the marketplace and dominate the space. The market will come to you if you put yourself in their shoes and meet their needs.

You might also want to consider your unique selling proposition (USP). Your USP is the one thing that makes your business stand out from the crowd. What is it that you do that others don’t do? What is it that makes you different from everyone else? Why would someone choose to work with you over someone else? If you don’t know your USP, it’s time to create one.

Create a marketing plan

A marketing plan is a written document outlining how you’re going to market your business. The best marketing plans are specific, creative, and consistent. A marketing plan should outline how you will market your business, who you will market to, how you will market to them, and how you will measure your results. It should also include a timeline of when you expect to see results. Your marketing plan should be updated on a regular basis to keep up with the current trends in your industry. It’s also important to note that a marketing plan is fluid and can change based on your current situation. You might have a great marketing plan, but if you don’t follow it, you won’t see any results. Marketing is not a one-time thing. You must consistently follow through with your plan if you want results.

Research your competition

Before choosing how you want to market your business, you first need to research your competition, such as other tax businesses and tax professionals in your area. What are they doing to market their business? How are they different from you? What are they doing well? Where could they improve? By researching your competition, you can better understand what your competitors are doing to win the hearts and minds of your potential clients. It will also help you figure out what you should be doing but may not have considered.

There are many different ways you can do this, but some of the best include: visiting your competitors’ websites, attending seminars hosted by your competitors, reading posts written by your competitors, and joining forums related to your industry. By researching your competition, you’ll gain valuable insight into your potential clients’ thinking and how they’re being persuaded. It’ll also help you determine what your weaknesses are compared to your competitors. This will give you valuable insight into how you can improve your marketing strategy moving forward.

Invest in digital marketing

Digital marketing is a great way to market your business without having to spend a lot of money. It’s been proven that the best way to market your business is to focus on your target market, not what you want. Digital marketing can help you accomplish this. You can use digital marketing to market your business in many different ways. As a tax professional, you might consider creating and publishing blog posts related to taxes and accounting. You might also want to consider creating an email marketing campaign. If you want to get even more advanced, you could try creating an influencer marketing campaign and/or a paid social media campaign. Be sure to research which digital marketing tactics are best for your business. You can also hire a digital marketing agency to help you develop a digital marketing strategy.

Utilize word-of-mouth marketing

Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the best ways to market your tax business. This is different than referral marketing because it’s not something you plan; it just happens naturally. You can encourage word-of-mouth marketing by creating an amazing customer experience and providing great customer service. There are many ways you can encourage word-of-mouth marketing. You might want to consider creating a rewards program for your clients. Give them a discount or higher-than-average service on their next tax return. You could also consider creating an ambassador program. This is where you select a few of your most loyal customers and give them a special title. You might also consider hosting an online webinar with giveaways and inviting your clients to attend. This will give your clients a chance to learn more about you and your business and will encourage them to share the webinar with others.

Host events and workshops

Hosting events and workshops is another great way to market your business. They’re great for meeting potential clients and networking with people in your industry. As a tax professional, you can host events like tax workshops or roundtable discussions, attend conferences related to your industry, or speak at events in your local community. Hosting events and workshops can drive traffic to your website and position yourself as an industry leader. Another great thing about hosting events and workshops is that they don’t cost a lot of money to put on. You can host an event or workshop at your office, at a local coffee shop, at a local library, etc. You can also host events online for an even cheaper price. The cost of putting on an event or workshop is usually less than $100, a very small price to pay for new clients and positive public relations.

Give back to your community

Giving back to your local community can be a great way to market your tax business. It will allow you to connect with your local community and positively impact the people living there. Giving back is important because it’s the right thing to do and will help build your brand. It will also make you more memorable to clients and potential clients. You can give back to your local community in a few different ways. You might consider volunteering at a non-profit organization or hosting a charity event. Giving back to your community doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. It’s important to allocate some time to give back to your community, even if it’s just a couple of hours a month.

Conclusion

Marketing your tax business is challenging but necessary if you want to turn your side gig into a full-time business. There are many different ways you can market your business, but you must pick the tactics that best fit your business. You must also consistently follow through with your plan if you want to see results.

Are you currently working as a tax preparer for someone? Or Do you already have experience preparing tax returns? Either way, are you interested in starting your own tax business and wondering how to start and if this decision is right for you? With the ever-changing nature of the U.S. tax code, the demand for professional tax preparers will always be there.

Before your tax preparation business can get off of the ground, there are two important numbers you will need. To provide tax preparation services for compensation, – you must acquire a Preparer’s Tax Identification Number (PTIN). To electronically file tax returns, you must become an ERO and obtain an Electronic Filing Identification Number (EFIN).

Did you know you are not required to have any special training to become a professional tax preparer? According to the IRS, Any tax professional with an IRS Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) can prepare federal tax returns.

What is PTIN?

A PTIN is an identification number all paid tax return preparers must use on U.S. federal tax returns submitted to the Internal Revenue Service. As a tax preparer, you can obtain a PTIN online at irs.gov. You must renew your PTIN each year after October 15.

Don’t have a PTIN and need to obtain one?

Most first-time PTIN applicants can obtain a PTIN online in about 15 minutes. The fee is $35.95, paid directly to the IRS, and is non-refundable.

After you obtain your PTIN, the next step is to obtain your EFIN. Please know everyone who prepares tax returns in your office will need PTIN, whereas the business owner is the only person required to get EFIN.

What is an EFIN?

EFIN stands for Electronic Filing Identification Number. The EFIN gives your permission to submit tax returns to the IRS electronically. According to the IRS, Tax preparers who will file 11 or more tax returns must submit them electronically. Therefore, individuals interested in starting a tax business must become Authorized e-file Providers and obtain an Electronic Filing Identification Number (EFIN).

Who is an ERO?

The Electronic Return Originator (ERO) is the Authorized IRS e-file Provider who originates the electronic submission of a return to the IRS. The ERO is usually the first point of contact for most taxpayers filing a return using the IRS e-file system.

How to become an ERO and Apply for EFIN?

Although there is no cost, the EFIN application process will require you to submit your fingerprints and undergo a suitability check (criminal history, tax debt history, etc.). 

Three steps process:

1. Step 1: Create an IRS e-Services Account 
2. Step 2: Submit Your Application 
3. Step 3: Pass a Suitability Check

Note that the IRS says the process can take up to 45 days. Also, some states may require that a tax preparer complete a separate application for state income tax return e-Filings.

How long it takes to get an EFIN?

The IRS says the process can take up to 45 days. Also, some states may require that a tax preparer complete a separate application for state income tax return e-Filings.

Once you obtain PTIN and EFIN, you are ready to start your tax business. The next step is to purchase professional tax software. Which software solution will be ideal for your business? That will depend on the types of tax returns, the volume of returns, and budget constraints—most companies offer several options. Once you purchase the software, you are ready to start training and filing tax returns.

Now that you have a lot of food for thought contact our team at NTO as you take your next steps towards starting a tax preparation business. Our team can save you time and ensure your tax preparation business is successful from the start.

Buy now, pay later might sound like the makings of a scam – but the truth is that offering customers the ability to access a tax preparer’s services without the need for an upfront cost brings more value to a tax business than it does harm.  Refund Transfer, also known as RT, is a product taxpayers can use to pay for their tax preparation services out of their tax refunds.

Besides the obvious value that clients receive from a refund transfer bank product, this business practice builds brand reputation and allows for a broader marketing approach and larger audience.

Before implementing a refund transfer bank product service, it’s important to understand how they work, how to best package the service for specific target markets, and the many benefits they bring to the tax professional and their clients.

How does the Refund Tranfer work?

Simple Process: Refund transfer bank products is a straightforward process; when a client is to receive a refund, they can choose to pay for the tax preparation services out of their refund instead of paying them upfront. This payment method is usually only available to the customers receiving a refund on their tax refund.

Before the tax professional receives their tax prep fee or the taxpayer receives their refund, the money must pass through a refund transfer bank, such as (Refund-advantage, SBTPG, Republic Bank, or Refundo). These institutions are known as refund transfer banks. They will divide the refund, deduct fees, and distribute the proper amount to the tax preparer and their clients.

While the client needs to be aware of a fee associated with each refund transfer, the pure convenience of paying for the tax service with a portion of the refund carries a higher value than the relatively small fee associated with refund transfers. This makes refund transfer bank products a desirable payment method.

6 reasons you should offer a Refund Transfer program?

1. Allowing your clients access to professional tax preparation with no money out of pocket.
2. Improve the speed of receiving tax refunds for customers that don’t have a traditional bank account.
3. allow your office to expand. Earn revenue, and compete with national chains.
4. Customers without a bank account can take advantage of electronic filing with the IRS.
5. Electronic filing helps speed up the time it takes to receive refund proceeds. Compared to a check mailed by the IRS to the customer, which could take 6-8 weeks from the time of filing.
6. Safety, fewer worries about checks lost in the mail or stolen out of mailboxes.

In conclusion, Tax refund transfer bank products bring an array of benefits to tax professionals and their clients by increasing brand reputation, generating referrals, and ensuring payment – ultimately benefiting both sides.

A Tax Software Service Bureau is a company that provides business services for a fee. You may ask yourself how Service Bureau fits into the Retail Tax Preparation Industry. The service bureau business model is one of the little-known secrets in the Tax Industry. As a result, very few people openly discuss the benefits of being your service bureau and what it is.

Simply put, a service bureau provides tax software, Training, and ongoing support to tax professionals. If you already own a tax office or are in the tax industry, creating your own Service Bureau brand is one of the most lucrative business models in the industry.

3 ways Service Bureaus generate income

There are multiple revenue sources that Service Bureaus can tap into within the tax industry. Typically generate revenue off of each bank product funded within their Service Bureau.

Service Bureau Fee:

You may have software currently through a service bureau or have seen a line item in your software for Service Bureau Fees. In most cases, this is how the service bureau earns money. For example, every time you or your office file a bank product tax return, that fee is debited from your customers’ refund and paid to your service bureau.

The biggest misconception regarding Service Bureau Fees is that the SB Fee is something the tax preparer is charging and earning, which is not true in most cases. Instead, the revenue generated from Service Bureau Fees is getting paid to the Service Bureaus.

Tax Software:

Service Bureaus usually have Co-Branded software, Which means that the software they have is custom to their Tax Business brand. With their Co-Branded software, they can re-sell to tax preparers, tax business owners, and even other tax professionals looking for tax software. They also have the freedom to sell the licenses to use their software for whatever price they want and charge yearly renewal fees for those licenses.

Revenue Splits:

Revenue Splits are a big revenue generator for Service Bureaus who choose to offer them. A Revenue Split is where the Service Bureau makes a percentage of all tax preparation fees charged by the preparer for the services provided to the preparer by the Service Bureau. This Revenue Split is separate from the Service Bureau fee. The most common Revenue Splits are 70/30, 80/20, or 90/10, with the smaller percentage going to the Service Bureau. Usually, with the Revenue Split option, the Service Bureau provides additional services other than software sales. For example, software training for the preparer and staff of the Tax Business, assistance with marketing, and ongoing support.

In short, If you are a seasoned tax professional looking to grow your business and revenue or want to get out of the tax preparation side of the business, then starting your own Service Bureau might be the right move for you.