As a new tax preparer, you most likely have a lot of questions. Fortunately, by choosing a high-quality online tax preparation software, such as an Intuit ProConnect product, you have ready access to intuitive software that offers you plenty of guidance and answers.
The following steps illustrate how easy it is to provide customers with expert tax preparation and filing assistance. Read the steps below to get started.
Choose a tax software
Like many new tax preparers, your best option to get started with online tax preparation is to get a tax preparation software, such as ProConnect Tax Online. You can even try it out for free. ProConnect Tax Online also offers a full working version. What's more, you only pay when you successfully complete client returns and print or e-file them.
Also look for a company that uses cloud-based technology, to help you ensure that client data is always backed up.
Sign up
Signing up online is easy. For ProConnect Tax Online, you simply enter your email address, create a password and answer a security question.
Set up your tax return center
Effective professional tax preparation software guides you to set up a tax center where you manage your client tax returns. Such a center allows you to see the status of client returns, including whether they were accepted after being submitted. From this center, you create, process and access client tax returns. This center also allows you to e-file returns and print forms.
Convert data
Enter or import or enter data from your current software that contains client tax data. This enables you to quickly and easily create current-year tax returns. To make it even easier for new preparers, ProConnect Tax Online features video tutorials that show you how to make the conversion when downloading from another software program.
Collaborate with clients
The most effective tax preparation software allows you to interact with clients. Intuit Link allows you to gather client tax data and send messages back and forth with your client. Create custom questionnaires that answer questions you need answered in order to prepare client returns and request tax documents from prior-year returns with a few clicks. Customers can also view what they've submitted or still need to provide to you.
As you can see, with a high-quality tax preparation software, getting started as a new tax preparer is easy. If along the way you hit a bump in the road, reach out for help. In addition to online videos and written materials, ProConnect Tax Online features a help center, as well as Live Community forums where you can connect with other tax professionals who have been where you are.
