Can tax preparer send returns to clients by email?

[curiousgeorge]

Throwing a simple question to the experts because oftentimes, simple questions may have not-so-simple answers.
Other than an in-person discussion, what is the acceptable and customary mechanism that a tax preparer sends returns to clients for review prior to e-filing? He mentioned email.  Even if password-protected pdfs are sent via email, would email be secure with the current issues concerning the heartbleed bug? Would fax. mail, FedEx be better?
Thanks!

[Deleted]

Sorry, I don't know, I pick mine up... But honestly it's a sizable folder, so I'm not sure it would be efficient to send it through email anyway...

[taz157]

Our firm sends it through ShareFile. It seems to work.

[TheOtherMe]

I do not know what system the firm where I work uses, but the tax return is sent by PDF, with a unique password.

[taxref]

My clients are widely scattered, and I have always been one to go over the return with the client before considering it final.

I have been using email to send out preliminary returns.  My software has an option to print to an encrypted email, and that works well for most of my clients.  We can then go over any questions by phone and/or email.  I can also send out the 8879s for the client to print, sign, scan, and email back to me.  

That procedure does not work as well for those clients who need a good deal of comfort and hand-holding during the tax return process.  All accountants seem to have a few clients like that.

After everything is done, I mail an original signature copy of the return to him, along with the client's source documents.  I also haven't made paper copies of source docs in a few years; I scan them all instead.

[mwcpa]

Many states have rules regarding the sharing of confidential data through the internet, including e-mail.  

Some states require an extremely high level of encryption.

I have seen over the years some send tax filings to clients with password that include their social security number.... ouch.... in many states that is illegal....

My firm's policy is to make use of a client portal (the only one with the password is the client as they set it, we have no ability to see it or change it), an encrypted email (some really high level with a random complex password) or paper (fed ex, messenger, express mail, etc is at the cost of the client). 

[curiousgeorge]

Thank you everyone!

[Deleted]

My tax guy just tells me my payment/refund and then files electronically.  He then mails me the return through US mail and I get it the next day.  One time when I really needed them for a refinance, he emailed them to me with a password but that's not SOP.

[andreawick]

I've seen all kinds of different things:

email pdf

email pdf with password (last 4 of SS)

sharefile portal

the portal has become more common in recent years, but back in the day, we'd just email them and no-one seemed to care.

[rangerj]

The bill from the I. T. person is ever increasing to keep the electronic systems safe and secure. It gets added to the cost of research, continuing education, and ever increasing license fees. The review copy I send clients does not include last names, SSNs, or address. The final copy goes by U.S. mail if we do not sit down and go over it in person, which for me and my clients is 90+% of the time. Note: I'm retired and have small list of select clients.

[TheOtherMe]

We have many clients who write on their organizer (mostly older) that we do not have a computer.  

I work for a top 100 firm.  The firm encourages the client receiving the return by pdf.  There is a cost reduction for both the firm and the client for going pdf for the client copy.  S Corps and Partnerships with larger numbers of K-1s almost all use PDFs.  We've had business returns with 250 K-1s.  Big time savings for client to go PDF.