Efficient work flow system and method for preparing tax returns

• US 20060155618A1
• Filed: 01/07/2005
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SurePrep, LLC
• Original Assignee: SurePrep, LLC
• Inventors: Wyle, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,853,494 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/207 Tax processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/10 Tax strategies
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission

Abstract

A processor-based method for preparing a tax return using multiple service providers. The method includes receiving at a first service provider an image file that includes a plurality of data values and assigning at the first service provider the image file to a form having a plurality of predefined field names, wherein each of the plurality data values belong to one of the plurality of predefined field names. The method also includes receiving at a second service provider the image file and an input form having a plurality of input fields corresponding to the plurality of predefined field names and associating at the second service provider the plurality of data values from the image file with the plurality of input fields.

Claims

1. A processor-based method for preparing a tax return using multiple service providers comprising:

receiving at a first service provider an image file that includes a plurality of data values;

assigning at the first service provider the image file to a form having a plurality of predefined field names, wherein each of the plurality of data values belong to one of the plurality of predefined field names;

receiving at a second service provider the image file and an input form having a plurality of input fields corresponding to the plurality of predefined field names; and

associating at the second service provider the plurality of data values from the image file with the plurality of input fields.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising inputting at the second service provider each of the plurality of data values from the image file into one of the plurality of input fields.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the image file includes a plurality of source documents.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of predefined field names is selected from a group consisting of income, expenses, gains, losses, deductions, taxes refunded, taxes paid, and credits.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the input form is selected from a group consisting of a W-2 form, a 1065 form, a 1098 form, a 1099 form, a K-1 form, a schedule C form, a schedule D form, a deductions form, a credit form, and a taxes paid/received form.

6. A processor-based method for preparing a tax return comprising:

providing an image file that includes a plurality of data values belonging to a plurality of field names;

providing an input form having a plurality of fields corresponding to the plurality of field names; and

associating the plurality of data values from the image file with the plurality of fields.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising inputting each of the plurality of data values from the image file into one of the plurality of fields.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the image file includes a plurality of source documents.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein at least one of the plurality of field names is selected from a group consisting of income, expenses, gains, losses, deductions, taxes refunded, taxes paid, and credits.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the input form is selected from a group consisting of a W-2 form, a 1065 form, a 1098 form, a 1099 form, a K-1 form, a schedule C form, a schedule D form, a deductions form, a credit form, and a taxes paid/received form.

11. A machine-readable medium that provides instructions, which when read by a processor, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving an electronic source document containing a tax document;

receiving a form type corresponding to the tax document;

extracting, based on the form type, a plurality of data values from the tax document; and

populating a tax return with the plurality of data values.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the tax document is selected from a group consisting of a W-2 document, a 1065 document, a 1098 document, a 1099 document, a K-1 document, a schedule C document, a schedule D document, a deductions document, a credit document, and a taxes paid/received document.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the form type is selected from a group consisting of a W-2 form, a 1065 form, a 1098 form, a 1099 form, a K-1 form, a schedule C form, a schedule D form, a deductions form, a credit form, and a taxes paid/received form.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 11 wherein each of the plurality of data values belong to one of a plurality of predefined field names corresponding to the form type.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 14 wherein each of the plurality of predefined field names is selected from a group consisting of income, expenses, gains, losses, deductions, taxes refunded, taxes paid, and credits.

16. A machine-readable medium that provides instructions, which when read by a processor, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving a tax document having a plurality of data values;

placing a reference adjacent to each of the plurality of data values;

extracting the plurality of data values that are adjacent to the references; and

creating a tax return using the plurality of data values.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 16 further comprising selecting a form type corresponding to the tax document.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the placing the reference adjacent to each of the plurality of data values is performed by a first service provider.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the extracting the plurality of data values that are adjacent to the references is performed by a second service provider.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the creating a tax return using the plurality of data values is performed by a third service provider.