Straight answers for accounting firm owners
The questions CPA, tax and bookkeeping firms ask us most, answered in plain English by Bryan D. Wall.
What IT services do CPA and accounting firms need?
Every CPA firm needs the IRS Security Six (endpoint protection, a firewall, multi-factor authentication, tested backups, drive encryption and a VPN), plus email security, help desk support and a written security plan. Beyond that, the right services depend on your size, your tax software and whether you run a server.
Read the answer →November 12, 2026How much does managed IT cost for a CPA firm in Spokane or Coeur d'Alene?
Managed IT for an accounting firm in Spokane or Coeur d'Alene typically runs $100 to $250 per user per month. At Help Desk NW, Managed IT Essentials is $150 per user and Managed IT Complete is $210 per user, both with security included, so a 10 person firm pays $1,500 to $2,100 a month.
Read the answer →November 12, 2026How can CPA firms protect sensitive client and taxpayer information?
Start with multi-factor authentication everywhere, endpoint detection and response on every computer, encrypted drives, and backups you have test restored. Then lock down email, share files through a secure portal instead of email, remove access the day someone leaves, train staff, and write it all down in a WISP.
Read the answer →November 12, 2026What should a tax practice do in the first 24 hours after being hacked?
Disconnect affected computers from the network without wiping them, call your IT provider and your cyber insurer, change passwords from a clean device, and report the incident to your IRS Stakeholder Liaison right away. Then work through state and FTC notification with your attorney, because Washington and federal rules have 30 day deadlines.
Read the answer →Start with a conversation, not a contract
A 20 minute call to hear how your firm runs today. If we are not the right fit, we will tell you, and point you to who is.