Skip to main content

DD-310 · Security setup · Tax & accounting firms

Your security plan, set up for real.

Every paid tax preparer needs a written information security plan (WISP), and PTIN renewal asks you to confirm you have one. Most small firms have the document. We set up the protections behind it, then hand you plain notes to put in your plan.

Scope

What we set up

  • 01Two-step login everywhereMulti-factor authentication on email, tax software, client portal and cloud storage, using an authenticator app rather than text messages.
  • 02Encrypted devices and backupsFull-disk encryption on every laptop and desktop, plus automatic encrypted backups that we test by actually restoring a file.
  • 03A secure way for clients to send documentsClients upload through a secure link or your existing portal, instead of emailing tax documents as attachments.
  • 04Who can see whatAn access review across your systems: old accounts removed, staff given only what they need, admin rights kept to a minimum.
  • 05Email protection for your domainSPF, DKIM and DMARC set up so criminals can’t send convincing emails pretending to be your firm.
  • 06A first-24-hours planA one-page plan for a lost laptop or a hacked mailbox: who to call, what to switch off, and who you need to tell.
  • 07Plain notes for your WISPA short write-up of everything above, in plain English, ready to drop into your WISP or the IRS Publication 5708 template.

How it works

Four steps, one fixed price.

  1. 1.Free 20-minute callWe ask how your office works, which software you use and what you already have in place.
  2. 2.Fixed-price quoteOne price, in writing, before any work starts. No hourly billing surprises.
  3. 3.Remote setupUsually done within a week, scheduled around your busy hours and never in the middle of a deadline.
  4. 4.HandoverYour WISP notes, a one-page summary of what changed, and a short walkthrough for your team.

Straight about it

What we don’t do

We are engineers, not lawyers or auditors, and we don’t certify compliance. We set up and document the technical safeguards, and we work alongside your WISP template, your insurer and your IT provider if you have one.

Questions

Straight answers.

Q.01Do small firms really need a WISP?
Yes. The FTC Safeguards Rule covers paid tax preparers whatever their size, and the IRS asks you to confirm you have a written plan when you renew your PTIN. The size of your firm changes how much paperwork you need, not whether you need the safeguards.
Q.02Will we have to change our tax software or portal?
No. We secure the tools you already use. If something you use can’t support two-step login or encryption, we’ll tell you and suggest options. The choice stays yours.
Q.03Do you need access to client files?
No. We work in admin settings, not in client records. We’re happy to sign a confidentiality agreement before we start.
Q.04How long does it take?
Most small firms are done within a week of remote work. We schedule it outside your busiest hours and away from filing deadlines.
Q.05Where are you, and when do you work?
We work remotely with firms in the US and UK, during your business hours.

Sources: IRS Publication 5708: Creating a Written Information Security Plan · FTC Safeguards Rule: what your business needs to know

Before next tax season

Book a free 20-minute call

Tell us how your office works and we’ll tell you, in plain English, what’s missing and what it would cost to fix.