Do tax preparers really need a written information security plan?▼
Yes. Tax return preparers are considered financial institutions under the FTC Safeguards Rule, which requires a written information security program. The IRS reinforces this in Publication 4557 and provides a WISP template in Publication 5708, and preparers are asked to confirm they have a data security plan when they renew a PTIN. A WISP isn’t just paperwork; it should describe your real controls, your Qualified Individual and your incident plan. We help you write one that matches your office and update it each year.
What is the IRS Security Six?▼
It’s the IRS’s shorthand for six basic protections every tax professional should have: antivirus or endpoint protection, a firewall, multi-factor authentication, backup software, drive encryption, and a virtual private network for remote access. They’re a floor, not a ceiling. We deploy modern versions of each, such as EDR instead of basic antivirus and MFA-protected remote access instead of an open RDP port, and document them in your WISP so you can show they’re in place.
How should we handle seasonal preparers?▼
Treat them like any other staff member, with an expiration date. Each seasonal preparer gets an individual login to your tax software, email and portal with MFA, never a shared account. We prepare their accounts and devices before their start date, enforce the same security training, and disable everything on their last day or when extensions wrap up. Keeping a simple onboarding and offboarding checklist also gives you a record of who had access to which client files during the season.
What should we do if we think returns were filed under our EFIN?▼
Act quickly. Contact your IRS Stakeholder Liaison, who coordinates with IRS teams on data theft, and notify the state tax agencies where you file. On the technical side, we contain the incident: lock down accounts, isolate affected machines, preserve logs and identify how the attacker got in. We document what was accessed so you and your counsel can decide on client notification and any FTC reporting. The sooner the IRS knows, the better chance they have of stopping fraudulent refunds.
Is our tax software vendor responsible for security?▼
Partly. Cloud and hosted tax platforms secure their own infrastructure, and most now require MFA. But your office is responsible for who has logins, the workstations those logins are used on, the client documents you download and store, your email, and your backups of anything outside the vendor’s platform. Most tax office breaches start with a phished preparer or an infected workstation, not the software vendor. We cover the parts that are yours.
Can you support a small or single-preparer office?▼
Yes. A solo preparer or small seasonal office has the same obligations as a larger firm, just fewer machines. We scale the program to your size: a handful of managed workstations, a secure portal, MFA everywhere, backups and a WISP that fits on a few pages. Most of the work is remote by U.S.-based engineers, and hands-on visits happen near our offices or through a vetted local technician directed by our team.
Do you provide Tax Preparation Firms IT Services in Houston and nearby areas?▼
Yes. LayerLogix is based in the Greater Houston area and delivers tax preparation firms IT services to businesses across Houston and the surrounding communities, including The Woodlands, Spring, Katy, Sugar Land, Conroe, Cypress, and Pearland. For most Houston-area clients we can be on-site the same day when something needs hands-on attention, and our help desk is available during business hours, with after-hours emergency support. Call 713-571-2390 to check coverage for your specific address.
What does Tax Preparation Firms IT Services cost for a Houston business?▼
Pricing depends on your size and what you need, so we do not publish a one-size-fits-all number — but Houston businesses generally pay a flat, predictable monthly fee rather than surprise hourly bills. We start with a free, no-obligation assessment of your current setup, then give you a clear quote in plain English with no hidden costs. That way you know exactly what you are getting and what it costs before you commit.