We know accounting and CPA firms
Tax season means a spike in system load, remote work, and client document exchange, all while handling sensitive financial data. We manage the network and security behind your tax and accounting software so your busiest season isn't also your riskiest.
Compliance
We build access controls, encryption, and secure file exchange practices around IRS Publication 4557 safeguards requirements and the GLBA Safeguards Rule, which apply to firms handling taxpayer financial data. We document exactly what our practices include rather than claiming certifications we don't hold.
Relevant services
Tax season is the stress test
From January to April, an accounting firm's systems run at full load: more staff, more remote work, more client documents moving in and out, and no tolerance for downtime. The same months are when criminals target firms hardest, because the data in a tax return is everything they need for identity theft.
We support CPA and accounting firms across Sarasota, Manatee, and Charlotte counties, and we plan the year around your busiest season.
Systems we support in accounting firms
- Tax preparation and practice management platforms
- Secure client document portals and e-signature
- Hosted or on-premise accounting and payroll software
- Document management with retention policies
- Remote access for seasonal and remote staff
- Email encryption and archiving
- Phone systems that handle the January call volume
Before tax season, every year
- Capacity review: workstations, server, bandwidth, and remote access tested at load
- Seasonal staff accounts created with the right permissions and MFA, ready on day one
- Backup verified with a restore test
- Phishing simulation and a refresher for staff, because tax-season phishing spikes
- Software updated and vendor support confirmed
- An on-call plan for the final two weeks
Common gaps we find
- Client tax documents arriving by plain email
- Seasonal staff sharing a login
- A server backup that hasn't been restored since the firm bought it
- Remote Desktop exposed to the internet
- No written information security plan, which the IRS requires of every preparer
IRS Publication 4557, GLBA, and the WISP
Tax preparers are financial institutions under GLBA and must maintain a written information security plan. Publication 4557 spells out the safeguards: access controls, encryption, MFA, monitoring, backup, training, and incident response. We provide the controls in the managed plan and the assessment, documentation, and evidence through the Compliance add-on, and we help you keep the WISP current.