US 8,301,520 B1 · Tax return signature systems and methods

Abstract

The present invention is integrated tax return preparation systems and methods that provide a taxpayer with options related to review and signing of a tax return by a tax professional. The integrated systems and methods are computer-based and web-based online tax return preparation systems and tax software used by taxpayers to prepare their own electronic tax returns. Communications with a tax professional and various forms of automated electronic communications are supported so that taxpayers that prepare their own tax returns using a self-preparation tax product may have them reviewed and signed by a tax professional. Signature and review service options that are available from a retail tax preparation service and typically available to only customers of the tax preparation service are also provided to taxpayers who prepare their own tax returns using an online tax preparation system or tax software.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A computerized method for filing a signed tax return comprising:

(a) receiving at a server for an online tax preparation system in response to a taxpayer's selection of a signature service option an electronic tax return prepared by said taxpayer using a computerized self-preparation product on a client computer;
(b) storing said electronic tax return at said server for said online tax preparation system;
(c) transferring said electronic tax return from said server for said online tax preparation system to a retail tax preparation system;
(d) providing a tax professional with access to said electronic tax return using said retail tax preparation system to permit said tax professional to review and sign said tax return;
(e) adding to said electronic tax return a signature on said electronic tax return identifying said tax professional as a tax preparer for said electronic tax return;
and
(f) filing said electronic tax return signed by said tax professional as tax preparer.

4 more elements

A computerized method for completing an electronic tax return comprising:

(a) receiving at a server for an online tax preparation system in response to a taxpayer's selection of a tax professional service option an electronic tax return prepared by said taxpayer using a computerized self-preparation product on a client computer;
(b) receiving at said server online account information from said taxpayer for creating an online account for said taxpayer comprising contact information;
(c) storing said electronic tax return at said server in said online account for said taxpayer;
(d) transferring said electronic tax return from said online account at said server to a retail tax preparation system;
(e) determining at said retail tax preparation system whether said taxpayer selected a review service option or a signature service option;
(f) displaying at said retail tax preparation system to a tax professional said electronic tax return;
(g) transmitting from said retail tax preparation system using said contact information in said online account a notification regarding said electronic tax return if said taxpayer selected said review option;
and
(h) providing on said electronic tax return a signature from said tax professional if said taxpayer selected said review option.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Tax return signature systems and methods

Life of this patent

Tax return signature systems and methods

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20