To start a tax preparation business you need three things first: a PTIN (about $20/year from the IRS), an EFIN to e-file (free, but a 4–6 week application with a background check), and professional tax software. From there it's pricing your returns, getting your first clients, and being findable when "tax preparer near me" searches spike from January through April. A solo, home-based preparer can be up and running for roughly $500 to $2,000 in year one.
We run our own service companies and build the websites that bring small businesses their first customers. The website-and-marketing part is where we help. The rest of this guide is the honest groundwork you can do yourself.
Get your PTIN. Apply online at the IRS — about $20 and a few minutes. Every paid preparer needs one, renewed yearly.
Apply for an EFIN. Free, but the IRS runs a background check that takes 4–6 weeks, so start early — well before tax season opens.
Form the business and check your state. An LLC, EIN, business bank account, and E&O insurance. California, Oregon, and a few others require extra registration or testing.
Choose tax software. Professional packages run $500–$1,500 a season depending on volume and forms. Pick by the returns you'll actually file.
Set up your website and Google Business Profile so clients can find and book you before season.
A lean year-one budget for a solo preparer:
On pricing: a simple 1040 commonly runs $150–$300, an itemized return with a Schedule C $300–$600, and small-business returns more. Price by the forms and the time, not by the hour, and put it in writing up front.
We build websites and run SEO, but we'll tell you straight: you don't need to hire us on day one.
Tax search is brutally seasonal. The preparers who win season after season are the ones who are findable in January and book appointments online. Our Start Getting Leads plan is $249/mo for a hand-built site plus AI lead capture that answers "do you do small business returns" and books appointments after hours. Add the monthly SEO engine at $597/mo to climb the local results before next season.
Useful next reads: tax preparer software, SEO for accountants, and how to start a CPA business.
We don't post stock testimonials. On a 15-minute call we screen-share the real dashboards behind our own businesses — live leads, rankings, and the exact page that produced each one. See the proof →
A PTIN (~$20/year) to prepare and an EFIN (free, 4–6 week application) to e-file. Some states require extra registration. No CPA or EA license is required to start.
A solo home-based preparer can start for roughly $500–$2,000: PTIN, software, insurance, a laptop, and a basic site.
People you know first, then a simple site with a booking page, a claimed Business Profile, and a review from every early client before season peaks.
Send your business name and city — we'll confirm your market is open and build a working demo within 48 hours. Free, no card, no commitment.
Prefer email? [email protected]