Discussion:Tax return on CD
From TaxAlmanac
Discussion Forum Index --> Basic Tax Questions --> Tax return on CD
Discussion Forum Index --> Tax Questions --> Tax return on CD
| 21 December 2007 | |
| I'm planning to give my clients their copy of the tax returns on CD.
Any suggestions as how to do it? Should I use CD-R or CD-RW? Should I give them a CD every year, which is costly or have them bring back the same CD the following year in order to add the next year's tax returns? Any input would be appreciated. | |
| 21 December 2007 | |
| ??. Why not put it into a password protected zip file and email it to them. It will be quicker and less costly than burning to a CD. I can GUARANTEE your clients won't be returning each year with the archival CD so that you can add the new file to it. | |
Tonymontana (talk|edits) said: | 21 December 2007 |
| "have them bring back the same CD the following year" - Good Luck.
CD's are so cheap these days that it's probably cheaper than ordering tax folders. Remember that it has to be in a format that is universally readable. I don't know what constitutes universally readable. PDF maybe? | |
Death&Taxes (talk|edits) said: | 21 December 2007 |
| Think about this: years ago it would have been on a 3.5" floppy! Who knows what new technology will render your effort obsolete. I like JD's idea. | |
Southparkcpa (talk|edits) said: | 21 December 2007 |
| In my practice, for about 3 years we have been sending them a full password protected PDF.
They can send it to their banker etc..... we also give them a full paper copy. When they need a new copy (if they lost theirs) we have a $12 fee which we rarely enforce but we have. | |
| 22 December 2007 | |
| My office went paperless 4 years ago. I thought having the client return with the CD was the answer. Probably 3 people had their CD. I found it much easier to create a new CD each year- CD's are cheap. However, this year I have Client Portals where all their tax returns are. Now when and if they want a copy of any prior year tax return - or current year - they sign and at their convenience to retrieve and download. This should save significant time from burning CD's. | |
| 23 December 2007 | |
| How did you set up Client Portal? Did you purchase software? | |
Donniecastleman (talk|edits) said: | 23 December 2007 |
| I've been doing this for three or four years now, what I do is save it in PDF format and burn that along with an organizer and invoice to a CD and tape it inside their folder, I hadn't been charging for it but now I'm charging $5 for the convenience. I'll be looking at Client Portal myself, had never heard of it till now. | |
| 23 December 2007 | |
| We offer tax return CDs, but haven;t had much interest. I agree that clients would probably lose the CD even faster than their paper return. For CDs, we use the Mini-CDs because they're just unusual enough for clients to actually be able to find amongst their other CDs. | |
| 24 December 2007 | |
| Have you guys tried the minid CDs? That have 150-200 MB storage / business card size / and you can have your business name on top of it? Alittle more than a average CDR but clients love it. | |
Donniecastleman (talk|edits) said: | 24 December 2007 |
| I'm considering going over the Mini CD's as soon as I deplete my regular CD-r's, I might have to wait until next year to do so. | |
Tonymontana (talk|edits) said: | 26 December 2007 |
| Do you also scan and save thier workpapers to CD or do you just make copies and return it to them? | |
| 26 December 2007 | |
| We scan their workpapers and source documents, more to cover myself in the numbers and information used in their tax return, and put this on their CD also. I haven't used the mini CD's but that's simply a cost issue. The regular CD's, on sale, are so inexpensive.
When we went paperless we didn't give clients a choice. We simply told them the new design and surprisingly all but two people loved the idea! They really don't want paper either. We don't charge additional. It actually saves time with office help my going paperless vs. all the photocoping etc. The client portals are the best in the world! Simply save everything PDF - I use a simple filing system called PaperPort. Then move the file from Paperport to their portal. They sign on, at their convience,to download what they want. We're notified each time someone downloads or uploads information. | |
