G2R Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 Just curious what everyone's client identity protection method is for remote clients. I'd say 95% of my clients I never see in person. They send all their tax backup, questionnaires, etc via email. I request all SS# be blacked out before sending. Then when I email them the tax return, e-file authorizations and bill, I use a OneDrive link with a 7-day expiration. But I'd love to hear other's methods and see if there's even more security I should do. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion EA Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 I use CCH's FileShare to upload and download. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 We use the bank-level security client file portal that comes with our web site. The vendor is CPA Site Solutions. We also have folks who send us password protected zip files (sometimes sending those through the portal), and of course those who take pix with their cameras and email or text those, with no thought to blanking out ssn's. We tell those clients to delete the attachment (after we've saved it on our drives! - that are encrypted, btw). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion EA Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 PS FileShare is included with CCH's SiteBuilder website. CCH offers a more robust portal at extra cost, but FileShare has been simple for my clients to use. This year, FileShare added a new layer with a code needed to log in (just like my banks). Yeah, love those phone pics and emails and links to Google Drive/Dropbox/etc. and that one client who hangs her sack of stuff on my mailbox -- which is out on the street 100 yards away from my house! My low-tech solution is a large mail slot in my front door of my locked house. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abby Normal Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 One little old lady client sent me 25 huge jpegs of her documents, one document per scan of course. It was so big (30MB) she had to send in two separate emails. Fortunately, I have PDF software that quickly combined it all into one PDF, that I then optimized down to 2 MB. YOU CAN CHANGE THE DEFAULT SETTINGS ON YOUR SCANNER! But I guess I should be glad she knows how to scan at all! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yardley CPA Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 This is my first year using the CCH iPortal. What a great tool and so far my clients seem to be transitioning to it without much difficulty. Instead of receiving emails full of scanned documents, they upload everything to the portal. Based on the information I've read, it's a secure option and is working well for me. After I complete a return, I create a folder "2018 Tax Returns" and upload a copy of the return and instruction sheet to the folder. Once the folder is populated, the iPortal automatically sends an email to notification to the client, informing them there is a new entry for them in the portal. I can see when they open the any documents within the portal. They can then sign the signature forms and upload them. Allows me to efile after that takes place. I'm also going to upload my invoice. This saves me some time in not having to prepare their packet right away and allows me to concentrate on preparing returns versus mailing returns. I assume a pdf version of the return can take the place of a paper copy...we're not required to provide a paper copy, right? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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