Do tax preparers need a written information security plan?

Yes. The IRS says tax professionals are required by federal law to have a written information security plan, and the FTC Safeguards Rule lists tax preparation firms as covered. IRS Publication 5708 offers a template. This is not legal advice.

Is it safe to receive tax documents by email?

Regular email is a weak choice for W-2s and ID copies. A secure portal with multi-factor authentication and encryption is safer.

Can I put prices on my CPA firm website?

Yes. Circular 230 allows published fixed fees, hourly rates and fee ranges, but you must honor published rates for at least 30 calendar days after the last publication date.

Can my bookkeeping firm use "CPA" in its name?

Only if your state board allows it, which usually means licensed CPAs and, in many states, a licensed CPA firm. Check your state board of accountancy before using the title.

What should I write about tax-season availability?

Say whether you take new returns, your document deadline, and what you can still offer, such as extensions.

Do FAQ sections still show up in Google results?

Since May 2026, Google no longer shows FAQ rich results for any site. FAQs still help visitors.

Does ITCM build accountant websites with a client portal?

We build the website, installable app, booking, lead management and admin panel in the $150 offer. A portal or other extra work gets a fixed quote before any work begins.

Websites by Industry

Website for Accountants, CPA Firms, Bookkeepers and Tax Preparers: What Your Site Needs in 2026

By ITCM Team · Updated November 2026

People search "CPA for small business near me" or "bookkeeper for contractors", open a few websites, and judge which firm looks clear, safe and easy to work with. Your site must answer fast: what you do, for whom, roughly what it costs, how to book a call, and how tax documents stay safe. This guide covers the pages and features a CPA, accounting, bookkeeping or tax prep website needs in 2026, plus the rules that shape it: the FTC Safeguards Rule, IRS Publications 4557 and 5708, Circular 230 and state board rules on the CPA title. This is general information, not legal advice.

Key takeaways

Build one page per service and per niche (for example, bookkeeping for restaurants), not one long "Services" page.
Show starting prices or packages; it filters out bad-fit leads and builds trust.
Replace email attachments with a secure client portal that uses multi-factor authentication.
Tax preparers are covered by the FTC Safeguards Rule: you need a written information security plan (WISP).
Circular 230 and your state board limit what you can claim in ads, including who may use the "CPA" title.
Say clearly when you are full for tax season, and what clients can still book.

What should an accounting firm website include in 2026?

A good accounting website brings in the right clients and makes onboarding safe. The usual gaps: no prices, a generic contact form, and clients told to "just email your W-2s". The core checklist:

A clear homepage headline that says who you serve and where (for example, "Tax and bookkeeping for small businesses in Austin").
Separate pages for each service and each niche you serve.
Starting prices or packages, with what is included.
Online booking for a free or paid discovery call.
A secure client portal for document upload, with multi-factor authentication.
Credentials shown exactly as issued, with license states.
A short page on how you protect client data, plus tax-season hours and capacity.
Fast, mobile-friendly pages.

Which service and niche pages should a CPA firm have?

One page listing "tax, bookkeeping, payroll, advisory" rarely ranks for any of them. Give each service its own page: who it is for, what is included, starting price and a booking button. Our guide to service page structure that ranks shows the layout.

Niche pages are where small firms win. "Bookkeeping for dental practices" or "Taxes for real estate investors" speaks to that owner's real problems. Only create pages for niches you truly serve, and never invent client stories.

Individual tax preparation and planning
Business tax returns (sole proprietor, LLC, S corp, partnership)
Monthly bookkeeping and cleanup or catch-up bookkeeping
Advisory or fractional CFO
IRS notices and tax resolution
Niche pages: contractors, restaurants, medical practices, e-commerce, nonprofits, real estate

Should accountants show prices on their website?

Most visitors want a ballpark before they book. "Starting at" prices or packages filter out bad-fit calls. Our pricing page guide covers layouts that work.

If you practice before the IRS, note that Circular 230 section 10.30(b) allows you to publish fixed fees, hourly rates, fee ranges and initial consultation fees, but you must stick to the published rates for at least 30 calendar days after the last date the fee schedule was published.

Service	Pricing style that works	What to explain
Individual tax return	Starting price	What raises the price (schedules, states)
Monthly bookkeeping	Tiered monthly packages	Transaction volume, accounts, reports
Business tax return	Starting price by entity	Entity type, books condition
Catch-up bookkeeping	Quote after review	How many months, how messy
Advisory / CFO	Monthly retainer	Meetings, reports, response time

How should clients book a discovery call?

Let people pick a time for a short discovery call directly on your site, with a few qualifying questions: entity type, services needed and current software. A booking form should never ask for Social Security numbers or tax documents.

Our guide to an online booking system for small business explains the setup. Every inquiry should land in one lead list with a status. At ITCM we often replace lead spreadsheets with a simple custom CRM so no inquiry is forgotten in March.

Why a secure client portal beats email attachments

Attachments with W-2s, bank statements and ID copies sit in inboxes for years and are exactly what scammers hunt for in a hacked mailbox. A portal gives clients one safe place to upload documents, see what is missing and sign forms.

Choose a portal with multi-factor authentication, encryption, access logs and scheduled deletion. Add a "Client Login" button to the header and state that you never ask for tax documents by email. Read more in our guide to a customer portal for small business.

Does the FTC Safeguards Rule apply to tax preparers and accountants?

Yes, for many firms. Under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), the FTC Safeguards Rule names "tax preparation firms" as an example of a covered financial institution, and the IRS says tax professionals are required by federal law to have a written information security plan. Whether a specific bookkeeping or advisory-only practice is covered depends on its activities, so check with your own adviser. This is not legal advice.

Firms with customer information on fewer than 5,000 consumers are exempt from some parts, but still need a security program. Main points from the FTC:

Name a "Qualified Individual" to run and supervise your security program (it can be you, or a service provider).
Do a written risk assessment and pick safeguards that answer those risks.
Use multi-factor authentication for anyone accessing customer information.
Encrypt customer information on your systems and when it is sent.
Securely dispose of customer information no later than two years after you last used it to serve the client, unless you have a legal or business reason to keep it.
Oversee your service providers, including your website, portal and IT vendors.
Report a breach involving the unencrypted data of 500 or more consumers to the FTC within 30 days of discovery.

IRS Publication 4557 and 5708: how your website fits into your WISP

IRS Publication 4557, "Safeguarding Taxpayer Data", is the IRS guide to protecting client information. Publication 5708 is a template that helps smaller tax and accounting practices create their written information security plan (WISP).

Your website and portal belong in that plan: who can log in, where uploads are stored, how long they are kept, and what happens if the site is hacked. Turn on two-factor authentication for every admin and portal account. We regularly recover hacked WordPress sites, and the usual cause is an old plugin or a reused password. For a tax firm, a hacked site with an upload form is a data security incident, not just an IT problem.

What advertising rules apply to CPAs, EAs and tax preparers?

Circular 230 section 10.30 bars practitioners from any public communication with a false, fraudulent, coercive, misleading or deceptive statement or claim. Enrolled agents may not describe their designation as "certified" and may not suggest they work for the IRS. If you send email or direct mail campaigns, you must keep a copy and a list of recipients for at least 36 months.

The CPA title is regulated by each state board of accountancy. In general, only individuals with an active CPA license may call themselves a CPA, and a firm may need its own firm license to use "CPA" in its name or to offer attest work. Rules differ by state, so check your board before you write your bio or logo. This is not legal advice.

Avoid "guaranteed biggest refund" claims.
Refund timing claims for e-filing must match what the IRS publishes, and a refund advance loan must be described as a loan, not a refund.
Do not use invented reviews, ratings or client stories; the FTC rule on fake reviews has applied since 21 October 2024.
List the states where you are licensed.

How to handle tax-season capacity on your website

In peak season, say clearly if you are full. Add a simple banner or status line such as "New individual returns: waitlist open" or "Accepting new bookkeeping clients for May starts". Offer what you can still do, such as extensions or bookkeeping onboarding.

Publish your document deadline and an FAQ on extensions. Keep the same information in your Google Business Profile: correct categories such as Accountant or Tax preparation service, special tax-season hours and posts. Ask every happy client for a review, but never offer discounts for reviews or only ask clients you expect to be happy, because Google forbids incentives and review gating.

E-signatures and data retention: what to tell clients

Most clients now expect to sign engagement letters and e-file authorizations online. IRS Publication 1345 says taxpayers may choose electronic signatures on Forms 8878 and 8879, and for remote transactions the identity check must follow NIST SP 800-63 rules, typically through knowledge-based authentication in your tax software. Electronic Return Originators must keep Forms 8878 and 8879 for three years from the return due date or the IRS received date, whichever is later.

On your site, explain how signing works and how long you keep documents. Your retention schedule should match both the IRS rules and the Safeguards Rule disposal requirement. This is not legal advice.

Accounting firm website: template/platform vs custom

Accountant website platforms are quick with ready content, but many firms end up with near-identical text. General builders are cheap but you assemble booking and forms yourself. A custom site fits your niches, portal and lead process.

At ITCM we work demo-first: we build your actual pages before you pay, so you judge real pages with your services and prices, not a mockup.

Option	Good for	Watch out for
CPA website platform	Fast setup, ready tax content	Shared text, monthly fees, lock-in
DIY builder (Wix, Squarespace)	Very small budgets	Your time, plugins for booking
Custom website	Niche pages, booking, lead tracking	Choose a team that shows a demo first

Get your accounting firm website built free, pay only if you like it

ITCM builds your website and an installable app for free. You see it finished, and you pay $150 one time only if you are happy. The $150 covers the website, the installable app, 24/7 online booking, lead management, an admin panel and 3 design options. Anything extra gets a fixed quote before any work begins, and an optional care plan starts from $100/month.

See how the free build works and request yours.

Frequently asked questions

Do tax preparers need a written information security plan?: Yes. The IRS says tax professionals are required by federal law to have a written information security plan, and the FTC Safeguards Rule lists tax preparation firms as covered. IRS Publication 5708 offers a template. This is not legal advice.
Is it safe to receive tax documents by email?: Regular email is a weak choice for W-2s and ID copies. A secure portal with multi-factor authentication and encryption is safer.
Can I put prices on my CPA firm website?: Yes. Circular 230 allows published fixed fees, hourly rates and fee ranges, but you must honor published rates for at least 30 calendar days after the last publication date.
Can my bookkeeping firm use "CPA" in its name?: Only if your state board allows it, which usually means licensed CPAs and, in many states, a licensed CPA firm. Check your state board of accountancy before using the title.
What should I write about tax-season availability?: Say whether you take new returns, your document deadline, and what you can still offer, such as extensions.
Do FAQ sections still show up in Google results?: Since May 2026, Google no longer shows FAQ rich results for any site. FAQs still help visitors.
Does ITCM build accountant websites with a client portal?: We build the website, installable app, booking, lead management and admin panel in the $150 offer. A portal or other extra work gets a fixed quote before any work begins.

Get a website + app built for free

We build your website and mobile app first, and you see it finished. If you’re happy, you pay $150 one-time. If you’re not, you pay nothing.

See the $150 offer Free website audit

← All articles