The
tax processing outsourcing business has dramatically changed and expanded. The worth of outsourcing
this service is increasing with the increase in the cost of mainland tax
service.
Outsourcing tax-return preparation offshore involves partnering
with an outsourcing facilitator that provides the Internet interface and
the access to overseas expertise, such as CAs in India, needed for
offshore outsourcing. The trend of outsourcing preparation of income tax
returns overseas, particularly to India, began about five years ago and
shows no signs of abating. Its popularity has grown as tax practitioners
have come to appreciate its advantages.
The basic process of tax outsourcing involves six steps :
- The outsourcer gathers the client's tax information and scans it
into electronic files.
- The outsourcer uploads these files to the facilitator's website.
- The facilitator encrypts the files and makes them available to
the outsourcing partner in India.
- The outsourcing partner prepares and reviews the return, and then
posts the return, workpapers, notes, and reconciliations to the
facilitator's website.
- The outsourcer downloads the completed return and documents from
the facilitator's website.
- The outsourcer reviews and signs the return, and forwards it to
the client for filing.