Getting started

Most solo firms are ready to invite their first clients within an hour. Here is the order that works best.

1. Create your firm and turn on two-step sign-in

  1. Go to Start free trial and enter your name, firm name and email. No card is needed for the 30-day trial.
  2. Scan the QR code with an authenticator app (Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, 1Password, Authy or similar) and enter the 6-digit code.
  3. Save your recovery codes somewhere safe, outside Taxporch. They are the only way back in if you lose your phone.

Two-step sign-in is required for everyone on the firm side. That is one of the FTC Safeguards Rule requirements, and it protects you if a password leaks.

2. Set up your firm profile

In Settings → Firm & branding:

  • Add your logo and brand colour. Clients see them in the portal and in emails.
  • Check your firm's phone number, website and reply-to email address.
  • Pick your country (US or Canada) so retention defaults and forms match.

3. Invite your team (Team plan)

In Settings → Team, invite staff by email. Each person sets a password and two-step sign-in. Give staff access to all clients or only to the clients they work on; give admin to people who manage settings and billing.

4. Bring in your clients

  • Coming from TaxDome? Follow the TaxDome import guide. Nothing is sent to your clients during import.
  • Coming from a spreadsheet or another tool? Use Import → CSV and map your columns. A dry run shows what will happen before anything is saved.
  • Starting fresh? Add clients one by one in Clients → New client. A household is one client account with several contacts (for example both spouses on a joint return).

5. Connect payments

In Settings → Payments, connect your own Stripe account (or create one). Clients pay your invoices by card or ACH on Stripe's hosted pages, and the money goes straight to you at Stripe's standard rates. We add no markup.

  • Bank payments without a bank login. Clients can log in to their bank, or type their routing and account numbers instead. Typed numbers are confirmed with two small deposits in 1 to 2 business days; meanwhile the invoice shows "Bank payment pending verification".
  • Pay to unlock. On a document's page, choose Lock until paid and pick an open invoice. The client sees the file with a lock and a pay button, and can open it as soon as the invoice is paid (online, by a payment you record, or with credit). Voiding the invoice unlocks it too. When you Deliver a return, tick "Client must pay the invoice before opening the return copy", and optionally "…and before signing the 8879" (only portal signing waits; in-person and paper signing don't).
  • Card processing fee (optional, off by default). You can add a card fee of up to 3%. Read the warning in Settings first: card networks need 30 days' notice, some states forbid surcharges, and debit and prepaid cards can never be surcharged. Clients then choose "Pay by bank account (no fee)" or "Pay by card" with the fee shown before they pay. Most firms are better off offering free bank payment instead.

6. Set retention and your WISP details

In Settings → Data & retention:

  • Check the retention periods: signed Forms 8879 and 8878 are kept at least 3 years, Form T183 at least 6 years, and other documents for the firm default you choose.
  • Enter your WISP number if you use one.

Then open Settings → Security & audit → WISP vendor annex. Copy the text into your Written Information Security Plan (IRS Publication 5708). The security overview explains each control.

7. Pick your pipeline and organizer

  • Pipelines: start from the 1040, business return or bookkeeping preset and rename stages to match how you work. Automations can send a request when a job enters a stage and move the job on when the client is done.
  • Organizers: start from the 1040 organizer and switch off sections you don't need.

8. Invite clients and send your first request

  1. Open a client and click Invite to portal. The client gets a short email with a sign-in link. No password to remember, and it works on any phone.
  2. Send a request ("Please upload your W-2s and 1099s"). The client sees it as a to-do and gets a reminder every 3 days until it's done. You can change the interval.
  3. When the return is ready, send the 8879 for signature. See the Form 8879 sheet to choose between remote KBA, in person and wet signature.

Need a hand?

Email support@taxporch.com. If you'd rather we did the set-up, the done-for-you migration ($299 one-time) includes the import, up to 3 pipelines and 3 organizers, and a 45-minute go-live call.