Tax return outsourcing and systems for protecting data

• US 7,668,763 B1
• Filed: 06/27/2003
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CCH Incorporated (Wolters Kluwer Nv)
• Original Assignee: XCM Development LLC
• Inventors: Albrecht, Mark R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender; F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALMATRAHI, FARIS S
• Application Number:
  US10/608,664
• Time in Patent Office: 2,433 Days
• Field of Search: 705/30
• US Class Current: 705/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission

Abstract

A financial services outsourcing method or system facilitates a direct service provider'"'"'s ability to outsource financial services to numerous ultimate clients. The financial services are outsourced to an outsourcing group abroad. Ultimate client specific financial files and corresponding reference materials are loaded onto a remotely accessible part of a host server located in the United States. The host server provides access to a remote client computer of information concerning the ultimate client specific financial files and corresponding reference materials. The access may be limited to limited screen shot access. Outsourced personnel are retained to perform financial service projects (e.g., prepare individual tax returns) for ultimate clients of direct financial services firms. The outsourced personnel perform the financial service projects while located outside the United States. The status of the financial service project is monitored and reported.

Claims

1. A financial services outsourcing method for facilitating a direct service provider'"'"'s outsourcing of tax preparation services for numerous ultimate clients, the tax preparation services being outsourced to an outsourcing group abroad, the method comprising:

for plural respective direct service providers, loading, onto a remotely accessible part of a common host server located in the United States, ultimate client specific financial files and corresponding reference materials, the host server providing access to a remote client computer of information concerning the ultimate client specific financial files and corresponding reference materials;

retaining outsourced personnel to perform the tax preparation services for ultimate clients of the direct service provider, the outsourced personnel performing the tax preparation services while located outside the United States;

providing the outsourced personnel limited access to a predefined set of data associated with the ultimate client stored on the host server, wherein the outsourced personnel utilize terminals for accessing information on the server, the terminals providing only screenshot image information concerning the ultimate client specific financial files and corresponding reference materials pertaining to a given tax return worked on by a given outsourced individual;

the outsourced personnel performing the tax preparation services through a remote limited access client located outside the United States connected to the host server;

maintaining a web tracking server;

logging statuses associated with the tax preparation services into the web tracking server while the outsourced personnel is performing the tax preparation services;

accessing, by the direct service provider, the web tracking server to obtain a status report produced from logging the statuses associated with tax preparation services; and

sending, by the web tracking server, an unsolicited notification to the direct service provider in response to a status change occurring with the tax preparation services.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tax preparation services comprise tax return preparation services.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the tax return preparation services comprise individual tax return preparation services.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tax preparation services are outsourced through an intermediary firm to the outsourced personnel.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the tax preparation services are outsourced through an intermediary firm to the outsourced personnel.

6. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the intermediary firm interacting with the outsourced personnel through use of a servicing computer system, and interacting with the plural direct service providers through use of the servicing computer system.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the intermediary firm interacting with the outsourced personnel through use of a servicing computer system, and interacting with the plural direct service providers through use of the servicing computer system.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein the direct service providers comprise CPA firms.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the host server comprises a CITRIX server.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the host server comprises an ASP server running tax software for use by plural independent direct service providers provided with access to the ASP server.

11. The method according claim 2, wherein the host server comprises an ASP server running tax software for use by plural independent direct service providers provided with access to the ASP server.

12. The method according to claim 3, wherein the host server comprises an ASP server running tax software for use by plural independent direct service providers provided with access to the ASP server.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the corresponding reference materials comprise image files of physical reference materials.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ultimate client specific financial files and corresponding reference materials comprise tax filer specific tax files and image files.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising loading tax preparation software onto the remotely accessible part of the common host server.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the outsourced personnel perform the financial service projects while located in India.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a given direct service provider interviewing a tax filer and obtaining supporting documentation for the tax filer'"'"'s tax return.

18. The method according claim 17, wherein the given direct service provider is a member of a CPA firm.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the supporting documentation comprises last season tax return as filed, receipts, and summary information regarding finances of the tax filer.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the given direct service provider setting up a tax file compatible with a given tax software package, and rendering the supporting documentation electronically.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein rendering the supporting documentation electronically comprises scanning supporting documents into image files.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the image files comprise TIFF or PDF files.

23. The method according to claim 1, wherein access to the host server is via the Internet.

24. The method according to claim 1, wherein access to the host server is via a connection-oriented end point to end point high bandwidth transmission line.

25. The method according to claim 1, wherein access to the host server is via a DSL/T1 line.

26. The method according to claim 1, wherein the logging and accessing are performed using the web tracking server that is accessible by the outsourced personnel and by the direct service provider.

27. The method according to claim 1, wherein status information that is logged and accessed includes information concerning the status of the tax return preparation services at any given point throughout the preparation.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the status information includes information concerning the status of the tax return preparation through completion of a return and filing of the return with the Internal Revenue Service.

29. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

an outsourcing group computer system logging status information into a monitoring and reporting system accessible by the direct service provider;

providing to the direct services provider a view of a status report produced by the monitoring and reporting system;

sending an unsolicited electronic notification to the direct service provider in response to a given status change monitored by the monitoring and reporting system; and

outsourced personnel posing questions electronically to a reviewer in the United States, and the reviewer providing answers to the questions electronically.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the unsolicited electronic notification comprises an email.

31. The method according to claim 29, wherein the unsolicited electronic notification is sent to the direct service provider computer system.

32. The method according to claim 30, wherein the email is sent to the direct service provider computer system.

33. The method according to claim 30, wherein the given status change comprises completion of in take processing of a tax return.

34. The method according to claim 30, wherein the given status change comprises questions being posted by an outsourced provider regarding a tax return.

35. The method according to claim 30, wherein the given status change comprises completion of a tax return.

36. The method according to claim 29, wherein the outsourced personnel poses questions to the reviewer by sending an email to the reviewer.

37. The method according to claim 29, wherein the outsourced personnel poses questions to the reviewer by posting questions to the web tracking server comprising part of the logging and accessing system, wherein notification is provided that the questions have been posted to the web tracking server.

38. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

each of the outsourced personnel being provided access to a particular terminal within a secure area, the secure area not allowing the outsourced personnel to have access to any paper, or information recordation instruments.

39. The method according to claim 1, wherein the terminals are devoid of any detachable memory devices capable of storing data from either the internal memory or the display of the terminal and capable of being carried outside of a secure area within which the terminals are placed.

40. The method according to claim 1, wherein the terminals provide a viewable user interface of tax processing software.

41. The method according to claim 1, wherein the host server comprises an application for performing tax processing.

42. The method according to claim 1, wherein the host server is controlled by the direct service provider.

43. The method according to claim 41, wherein the host server is controlled by an intermediary firm.

44. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an ASP server comprising tax software and a web server application providing web site access to the remote client computer.

45. The method according to claim 44, wherein the ASP server web server application is interfaced with PC anywhere or Citrix independent computing architecture technology.

46. The method according to claim 1, wherein any data being processed is retained on the host server, and wherein the data is not accessible at the terminals utilized by the outsourced personnel.

47. A financial services outsourcing method for facilitating outsourcing tax preparation services for numerous clients, the tax preparation services being outsourced to an outsourcing group abroad, the method comprising:

loading, onto a host computer system, client specific financial files and corresponding reference materials, the host computer system providing access to information concerning the client specific financial files and corresponding reference materials;

retaining outsourced personnel to perform the tax preparation services for clients, the outsourced personnel performing tax preparation service projects while located outside the United States;

providing the outsourced personnel limited access to a predefined set of data associated with a particular client of the clients stored on the host computer system, wherein the outsourced personnel utilize terminals for accessing information on the host computer system, the terminals providing only screenshot image information concerning the client specific financial files and corresponding reference materials pertaining to a given tax return worked on by a given outsourced individual;

the outsourced personnel performing the tax preparation services;

a web-based and web-accessible tracking system to log status information regarding the tax preparation services while the tax preparation services are being performed, the status information comprising the tax preparation services having been submitted to the outsourced personnel for processing, significant events that have been performed by the outsourced personnel with respect to the tax preparation services, questions regarding the tax preparation services having been posted to the web-based tracking system, and the tax preparation services having been completed;

accessing, by a financial firm that facilitated the outsourcing, the tracking system to obtain a status report produced from logging the status information regarding the tax preparation services; and

sending, by the tracking system, an unsolicited notification to the financial firm in response to a status change occurring with the tax preparation services.

48. The method according to claim 47, wherein the tax preparation services comprise tax return preparation services.

49. The method according to claim 48, wherein the tax return preparation services comprise individual tax return preparation services.

50. The method according to claim 47, wherein the tax preparation services are outsourced through an intermediary firm to the outsourced personnel.

51. The method according to claim 49, wherein the tax preparation services are outsourced through an intermediary firm to the outsourced personnel.

52. The method according to claim 50, further comprising the intermediary firm interacting with the outsourced personnel through use of a servicing computer system, and interacting with the financial firm serving the clients through use of the servicing computer system.

53. The method according to claim 51, further comprising the intermediary firm interacting with the outsourced personnel through use of a servicing computer system, and interacting with the financial firm serving the clients through use of the servicing computer system.

54. The method according to claim 49, wherein direct service providers serving the clients comprise CPA firms.

55. The method according to claim 47, wherein the host computer system is remote from the terminals used by the outsourced personnel.

56. The method according to claim 55, wherein the host computer system comprises a CITRIX server.