Orchestrating electronic signature, payment, and filing of tax returns

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereupon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a computer, performs a method comprising:

• receiving, at an electronic return originating computer, a financial document from a financial document preparation program;
• receiving, at the electronic return originating computer, a first request from the financial document preparation program to collect an electronic signature from a client on an authorization form authorizing electronic filing of the financial document with an agency on behalf of the client, and to collect electronic payment from the client for electronically filing the financial document with the agency;
• sending, by the electronic return originating computer, a second request to an electronic signature module for an electronic envelope;
• receiving, at the electronic return originating computer, the electronic envelope from the electronic signature module;
• sending, by the electronic return originating computer, the electronic envelope to the financial document preparation program, whereby the financial document preparation program forms a stuffed electronic envelope comprising the authorization form and the electronic envelope;
• sending, by the electronic return originating computer, the stuffed electronic envelope with the authorization form to the electronic signature module, the electronic signature module collecting the electronic signature from the client and facilitating electronic payment from the client to an on-line payment module;
• receiving, at the electronic return originating computer, a first status from the electronic signature module that the electronic signature has been collected from the client;
• receiving, at the electronic return originating computer, a second status that the electronic payment has been collected from the client;
• and
• electronically filing, by the electronic return originating computer, the financial document with the agency based on the received first status and received second status.

A method for electronically filing a financial document with an agency on behalf of a client, comprising:

• receiving, at an electronic return originating computer, a financial document from a first computing device being operated by an electronic filing entity;
• receiving, at the electronic return originating computer, a first request from the first computing device to collect an electronic signature from the client on an authorization form authorizing electronic filing of the financial document with the agency on behalf of the client, and to collect electronic payment from the client for electronically filing the financial document with the agency;
• determining, by the electronic return originating computer, that the electronic signature has been collected from the client;
• determining, by the electronic return originating computer, that the electronic payment has been collected from the client;
• and
• automatically filing, from the electronic return originating computer, the financial document with the agency in response to determining that the electronic signature and electronic payment has been collected from the client without further intervention from the first computing device, wherein a stuffed electronic envelope comprising an authorization form and an electronic envelope is used to obtain the electronic signature.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereupon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a computer, performs a method comprising:

• receiving, at an electronic return originating computer, a financial document from a financial document preparation program;
• receiving, at the electronic return originating computer, a first request from the financial preparation program to collect an electronic signature from the client on an authorization form authorizing electronic filing of the financial document with the agency on behalf of the client, and to collect electronic payment from the client for electronically filing the financial document with the agency;
• determining, by the electronic return originating computer, that the electronic signature has been collected from the client;
• determining, by the electronic return originating computer, that the electronic payment has been collected from the client;
• and
• automatically filing, from the electronic return originating computer, the financial document with the agency in response to determining that the electronic signature and electronic payment has been collected from the client without further intervention from the financial document preparation program, wherein a stuffed electronic envelope comprising an authorization form and an electronic envelope is used to obtain the electronic signature.