As the owner of a tax preparation business, you’ll have the responsibility of cutting through the fog of federal, state, and local tax preparation, filing returns, and often earning tax rebates for individuals and, perhaps, small businesses.
Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? We recommend forming an LLC as it is the most affordable way to protect your personal assets. You can do this yourself or with our trusted partner for a small fee.
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Start a tax preparation business by following these 10 steps:
- Plan your Tax Preparation Business
- Form your Tax Preparation Business into a Legal Entity
- Register your Tax Preparation Business for Taxes
- Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
- Set up Accounting for your Tax Preparation Business
- Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Tax Preparation Business
- Get Tax Preparation Business Insurance
- Define your Tax Preparation Business Brand
- Create your Tax Preparation Business Website
- Set up your Business Phone System
We have put together this simple guide to starting your tax preparation business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.
Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.
STEP 1: Plan your business
A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:
- What will you name your business?
- What are the startup and ongoing costs?
- Who is your target market?
- How much can you charge customers?
Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.
What will you name your business?
Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Tax Preparation Business Name Generator
If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.
When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:
- Your state’s business records
- Federal and state trademark records
- Social media platforms
- Web domain availability
It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.
What are the costs involved in opening a tax preparation business?
You can start your tax prep business relatively modestly, but there are some unavoidable costs to consider:
Office rent—zero to $1,500 or more. This is a business that you can run from your home, but you must consider if that would be a smart move. First check to make sure your neighborhood is zoned for seeing clients (hopefully a lot of them over the course of a few months) from your residence. Also keep in mind that a storefront office in a part of town with good traffic can act as a billboard and encourage walk-in trade. This might be especially important when you start out. As for the cost of office space, that can vary dramatically from region to region and even from one part of town to another. Look for space that has been empty for awhile and a landlord who might be motivated to get some cash flow to the building for a short lease period of perhaps only three or four months rather than watch the space sit idle.
Business cards, logo and signage—$1,000 or less. If you’re operating out of your home, signage might not even be allowed. But anytime you are able to hang a sign, it will serve as a free billboard and encourage impulse walk-ins. Your logo and business cards can be designed inexpensively if you find a talented graphic design student trying to build a portfolio.
Office equipment and automation—$2,000, est. or more. Even if you’re working out of your home, you want your business to look as professional as possible. That means you should have an office desk and a comforable chair for yourself and as many as two for clients. You’ll also need at least one laptop and printer, or a computer for every employee.
Tax preparation software—$400-$500. There are various vendors depending on your needs.
Legal, licensure and insurance—2,000 est. You must first pass a 60-hour tax prep training course that can cost in the $500-$600 range, depending on where it’s taken. There are additional costs from the IRS and for liability insurance. Furthermore, a few states require additional regulatory adherence. Visit here for an explanation of some of the training costs and requirements.
Employee costs—Vary. Some of the leading competitors pay individual tax preparers as little as $10 an hour. Others pay a commission of perhaps 20 percent of the fees generated. You’ll also be responsible for tax withholdings and your FICA and Medicare contribution for each hire.
What are the ongoing expenses for a tax preparation business?
If you have a temporary storefront, rent and utilities will be among your largest fixed costs. Temporary employees will also cost you either an hourly rate or a percentage of the business they handle. Other costs might include advertising if you’re looking for a sudden uptick in business.
Who is the target market?
Who will your typical clients be? You might mostly see lower-income earners filing to receive their earned income tax credit. Or more complicated cases from the self-employed or smaller businesses. Or the middle class, who aim to take advantage of various tax credits. Making this decision will help you determine where you might open a storefront, how and where you might market your business and what specific skills you must master.
How does a tax preparation business make money?
You’ll charge a fee for your services, based on the complexity and time involvement of the filing.
How much can you charge customers?
According to a National Society of Accountants survey released in 2017, the average fee charged by tax preparers for an individual itemized 1040 return with a Schedule A form and state tax return was $273. For small business clients, the average charge was $457.
How much profit can a tax preparation business make?
Error-free speed is of the essence. With a statistic mentioned earlier of the average itemized individual return generating $273 in fees, one of these per hour is possible. However, especially as you start your business and before you attract a significant client base, you’ll face unprofitable downtime.
How can you make your business more profitable?
Some accountants or CPAs offer tax prep as one of a range of accounting services. This business is also compatible with financial services, real estate brokerages, insurance and other fields where the business owner is comfortable discussing financial issues with clients. Also keep in mind that if your client base significantly consists of private contractors and small business owners, they might have additional tax issues throughout the year.
And finally, consider conducting tax prep training classes as a complementary service. You could conduct such a class through The Income Tax School.
Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!
STEP 2: Form a legal entity
One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your tax preparation business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.
This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.
In practice, this means that if your tax preparation business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.
More than 84% of our readers opt to collaborate with a professional LLC formation service to kickstart their venture. We’ve negotiated a tailored discount for our readers, bringing the total down to just $29.
Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).
STEP 3: Register for taxes
You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.
In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!
You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?
There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.
STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card
Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.
When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.
Open a business bank account
Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:
- Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
- Makes accounting and tax filing easier.
Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.
Get a business credit card
Getting a business credit card helps you:
- Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business’ expenses all in one place.
- Build your company’s credit history, which can be useful to raise money later on.
Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.
STEP 5: Set up business accounting
Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.
Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.
STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses
Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.
State & Local Business Licensing Requirements
Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a tax preparation business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.
Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.
Certificate of Occupancy
A tax preparation business can be run out of an office. Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.
- If you plan to lease a location:
- It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
- Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to a tax preparation business.
- After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.
- If you plan to purchase or build a location:
- You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
- Review all building codes and zoning requirements for your business’ location to ensure your tax preparation business will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.
Services Contract
Tax preparation businesses should require clients to sign a services agreement before starting a new project. This agreement should clarify client expectations and minimize risk of legal disputes by setting out payment terms and conditions, service level expectations, and intellectual property ownership. Here is an example of one such services agreement.
STEP 7: Get business insurance
Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.
There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.
Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.
Find out what types of insurance your Tax Preparation Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Tax Preparation Business.
STEP 8: Define your brand
Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.
If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.
How to promote & market a tax preparation business
As mentioned, your storefront might be your most effective marketing tool if opened within sight of your market audience. Also use social media, including LinkedIn and a Facebook group, to spread the word and communicate with your clients. Your marketing efforts might also go as low-tech and “old school” as handing out fliers to passersby and asking to post fliers or business cards in area businesses.
How to keep customers coming back
Excellent customer service—and satisfactory tax returns—will earn you repeat business through the years. These loyal clients are also likely to recommend you to friends, family or business associates.
STEP 9: Create your business website
After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.
While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.
Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:
- All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
- Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
- Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.
Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.
Other popular website builders are: WordPress, WIX, Weebly, Squarespace, and Shopify.
STEP 10: Set up your business phone system
Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.
There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.
Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com
Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.
Is this Business Right For You?
If you are a well-organized, people-oriented person who’s taken professional courses to learn the tax preparation business and are at ease with automation and digital software, you could thrive at this largely seasonal business. You should be able to handle long and probably stressful hours in a contained season of intense activity from January through mid-April. After that, you’ll have plenty of time to recover!
Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?
Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!
What happens during a typical day at a tax preparation business?
Think of your business as falling into two periods—tax season and pre-season—with very different areas of responsibility for each. During tax season, you’ll primarily see clients and prepare and file their taxes. Your goal is to do almost nothing but handle your clients since the tax-filing season is bound by the deadline dictates of the Internal Revenue Service and other taxing agencies.
Off-season, your responsibilities are more diverse. Your pre-season day will probably include some or all of the following activities.
- Interviewing and hiring temporary tax-prep employees, if you have a customer base that justifies seasonal help
- Seeking temporary storefront offices if you plan on working from such a public space rather than from your home
- Ordering and mastering your tax preparation software since software glitches or usage confusion during filing season can result in customer fee losses in the hundreds or thousands of dollars
- Conducting marketing and social media strategies to atttract customers
What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful tax preparation business?
In the beginning, your sales and marketing skills will be critical. That’s because you have a narrow window of opportunity for attracting business and plenty of name-brand competition (H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt, TurboTax, etc.). You must also have the patience to prepare for your business success by taking the 60-hour tax course you’ll need for certification and applying for efiling licensure from the IRS.
Once you’re in business, you’ll have to be able to work fast, efficiently and accurately to see as many clients and submit as many tax filings as you can over your limited calendar time. You must also be able to make your clients feel at ease regarding such topics as income, debt, taxes and penalties.
What is the growth potential for a tax preparation business?
The U.S. tax code contains 73,000 pages. Eighty-two million individuals file annually and the complexity of the process discourages most people from preparing their own taxes. While politicians from both parties promise simplification of the tax code, the reality is that the process only grows more complex. That means you can always feel confident of a customer base eager for your help.
Take the Next Step
Find a business mentor
One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.
Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.
Learn from other business owners
Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.
Resources to Help Women in Business
There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:
- Funding
- Events
- Guides
- Support
If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.
What are some insider tips for jump starting a tax preparation business?
Start slow. In fact, before going on your own you might consider working for a season for one of the large competitors. This is a good way to sharpen your skills at using the software, confronting a variety of taxation challenges and working productively. You might also keep your day job and take on a few clients on nights or weekends at first. If you meet their needs they’re likely to be back for years to come—and be powerful word-of-mouth recruitment tools.
How and when to build a team
You look forward to the day when you’re so busy you need additional help. Remember, you don’t want to turn any client away because you don’t have time for them or you could lose them to a competitor forever. Before that happens, start to post for help on job boards. But be sure you state the requirement that applicants must have passed the 60-hour training course (or additional training if they’re to take on business tax clients).