Tax returns prepared for your review, when the season peaks
SF Business Solutions prepares individual and business tax returns and their workpapers for US CPA firms, and your reviewers sign off before anything is filed.
It is how firms add capacity for the March, April, September and October deadlines without hiring full-time staff for the whole year.
Returns we prepare
We prepare returns from the source documents and trial balances you share, following your firm's checklists and review notes.
If your clients also need sales tax returns, tell us which states are involved and we will tell you what we can take on.
- Form 1040 individual returns, with supporting schedules
- Form 1065 partnership returns and K-1s
- Form 1120-S S corporation returns and K-1s
- Form 1120 C corporation returns
- Workpapers, tax organizers and extension filings
You keep the review and the signature
We handle the preparation; the judgment stays with you. Your reviewer checks each return, clears our review notes and signs as the paid preparer of record. This split keeps your quality control in your hands and is the most common way US firms use outside preparers.
Anyone who prepares or helps prepare federal returns for pay needs a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) from the IRS, wherever they are located. Ask any provider to confirm this for every person who will touch your returns.
Working in your systems
The safest setup is for outside preparers to work inside your firm's own tax software and document portal, under your licenses and user controls, so returns never leave your systems. Tell us which tax software your firm uses and we will work out the setup with you.
Clearing an extension backlog
Extended partnership and S corporation returns are due September 15 and extended individual returns October 15. If your firm is behind, we can take a batch of extended returns, prepare them in order of deadline, and hand them back for review with the open questions listed.
Consent for offshore preparation
Under Section 7216 of the Internal Revenue Code, disclosing a client's tax return information to a preparer outside the United States needs the taxpayer's signed consent, in the form set out in Revenue Procedure 2013-14. Social Security numbers can only be shared offshore with that consent and with data protection safeguards on both sides. Our team is distributed across the US and internationally, so plan for this consent before tax season. Our data security page explains how it works in practice.
How to start
Three steps. The first one is free.
- 1
Book a free consult
A 1-hour call about your books, your software and what you need.
- 2
Give us access
Invite us to QuickBooks Online or Xero and share your bank and card statements.
- 3
We take it from there
Cleanup first if you are behind. Then we close each month between the 5th and 15th of the following month, depending on your documents.
SF Business Solutions is very diligent and responsive. I can tell they are passionate about their work, which I particularly appreciate about them. My project was rather complex but they managed to get it done according to my needs.
How much does outsourced tax preparation cost per return?
Providers quote either per return or by the hour. For CPA firms our B2B rate is $12–$15 an hour; send us your return types and counts and we will estimate the hours.
Can I outsource preparation and keep the review in-house?
Yes, that is how we work. We prepare, your reviewer checks and signs.
Do offshore tax preparers need a PTIN?
Yes. Anyone who prepares or helps prepare federal returns for pay needs a PTIN, wherever they are located.
Does my firm need client consent to use offshore tax preparers?
Yes. Section 7216 requires the taxpayer's signed consent before tax return information goes to a preparer outside the United States.
Can you help clear our extended returns before October 15?
Yes. We take a batch of extended returns, work them in deadline order, and return them for your review.
What are the risks of outsourcing tax prep offshore?
The main ones are data security, consent under Section 7216 and quality. Firms manage them with signed consents, controlled access to their own systems, and keeping review in-house.
Related
Hand us this month’s books.
Pick a day for a free 1-hour consult.