How much does an AI receptionist cost for a CPA or tax firm?
Tax Season Front Office is $449 a month from January to April, with a 4-month minimum, plus $750 setup. Off-season (May to December) you can keep it running at $349 a month, or pause it and restart next January with no new setup fee. 1,000 voice minutes a month are included; we alert you at 80%, and extra minutes are billed at our cost plus 20%.
Will it give tax advice?
No. It says it's an AI assistant and answers only from the FAQ your firm approves: deadlines, what to bring, office hours, published fees, how to use your portal. Any question about a client's own tax situation (a deduction, a notice, what they owe) goes to a preparer with a summary.
Can it tell a client whether their return is done?
No. It doesn't connect to your tax software, so it never guesses at a status. "Is my return done?" questions go to your staff with the client's name, callback number and question, and the client is told when to expect a reply.
Does it collect Social Security numbers or tax documents?
No. It doesn't ask for SSNs, bank details or tax documents, and if a caller starts reading one out it asks them to stop and use your firm's secure portal. Calls and chats are recorded and stored on AWS for your firm only, for the retention period you choose, and you own the recordings.
Does it work with Drake, Lacerte, UltraTax, ProConnect, TaxDome, Karbon or Canopy?
It doesn't file returns or connect to IRS e-file. Appointments go into the calendar you use, or come to your staff as requests to confirm. Whether intake can go straight into your practice-management software is checked on the audit; otherwise your staff get a complete intake summary by email.
Does it send text messages?
No. Checklists, reminders and the weekly report go by email. Texting isn't part of this offer.
How does it know which documents are still missing?
Your staff tick off what has arrived in a simple shared list (or we read it from your practice-management software, if the audit shows it can). Reminder emails ask only for what is still outstanding, on the schedule you set, and stop when the list is complete.
What about IRS rules on protecting taxpayer data?
Tax professionals need a written information security plan (see IRS Publication 4557), and Section 7216 limits how preparers use and share return information. The AI is set up to stay away from return information, and we give you a one-page description of what it stores and where, for your plan. That's how we set it up, not legal advice; your firm's own review has the final word.
When should we start?
Setup takes about two weeks, plus a shadow week beside your staff before it answers clients. Firms that sign in November or early December are live for January. Billing for the season starts in January; the $750 setup is due at signing.
Can you build something custom instead?
Yes. A fixed-price AI Quick-Win Sprint ($3,500–$5,000, agreed in writing after the free audit) can automate one tax-season workflow your way, such as engagement letters and organizers going out, intake into your systems, or the Monday status report.
