Secure · Tax and accounting offices
WISP for tax preparers: the security plan your office is required to have.
Every firm that prepares tax returns is required by law to have a written security plan. I review your office, write the plan around what you actually have, and help you put the missing controls in place, on-site or remote.
WISP stands for Written Information Security Plan.
It is required. The IRS requires one by law of every tax professional, and the FTC Safeguards Rule sets what it must cover. When you renew your PTIN, you check a box confirming you know this obligation.
What is a WISP?
It is a document that explains how your firm protects client information: who is responsible for security, what data you keep and where, which vendors have access, how old files are disposed of, and what to do if there is a breach. The IRS explains how to prepare one in Publication 5708.
Who needs a WISP?
Tax preparers, accounting firms and bookkeepers, of any size. A one- or two-person office is covered too. Size changes the scope of some requirements, not the obligation to have the plan.
Why isn't a template enough?
Templates are everywhere, and the IRS offers one for free. The problem is that a template describes an office that isn't yours. If your plan says you use multi-factor authentication and you don't, the document doesn't protect you. It exposes you. A useful WISP describes what actually happens in your office.
How it works
How it works
Assessment
I review your office on-site or remotely, and I check the evidence, not just the description. In about a week you get a readiness score and a list of gaps ranked by risk.
A plan written for your firm
I write your WISP following IRS Publication 5708 and the FTC Safeguards Rule, with an incident response appendix, a staff acknowledgment form, and a one-page summary for the owner.
Controls
If you need it, I fix the gaps: multi-factor authentication on email and tax software, account cleanup, domain email protection, disk encryption, and tested backups.
Upkeep
I review and update the plan every year, or include it in your office's monthly support.
Pricing
WISP pricing
Argus Digital Works provides cybersecurity, IT, documentation and implementation services. They are not legal or regulatory advice, a certification, or a guarantee of compliance. Prices are for offices with up to five computers; larger environments are quoted separately. Sales tax not included.
When
The best time is now
October through December, before tax season and PTIN renewal. In January your office has no time for this.
Questions
Questions about the WISP
Yes. I compare it with how your office works today and tell you whether it needs an update or a rewrite.
The first draft is usually ready within 10 business days after the assessment and once I have the information I need.
Yes. I visit offices in Stamford, Norwalk and across Fairfield County, and work remotely with firms elsewhere.
Yes. The whole process and the plan itself can be in English or Spanish.
No. I provide cybersecurity, IT and documentation services, not legal advice. You get a solid plan and solid controls; keeping them current remains the firm's responsibility.
Related
Start with the assessment.
In about a week you will know where your office stands and what it is missing. Continue within 30 days and the $500 comes off the plan.