Built around IRS Publication 5708 guidance

Know Your WISP Score in 10 Minutes

Free security assessment for tax professionals. See your compliance score, identify gaps, and get a personalized remediation plan.

No credit card • No account required • Built for tax professionals

Why TaxScout WISP

A practical WISP workflow for tax professionals

10 Minutes

Answer 44 questions about your firm’s security posture. Our wizard covers every section required by IRS Publication 5708.

Instant Results

See your security score immediately — no waiting, no email required. Detailed gap analysis with severity levels and specific recommendations.

Full WISP Available

TaxScout clients get the complete WISP document with e-signatures, employee acknowledgements, and a Certificate of WISP Completion.

How It Works

Your WISP in Three Simple Steps

No IT expertise required. Our wizard walks you through every section of the IRS Publication 5708 template.

01

Complete the Assessment

Answer 44 security questions across 9 sections — firm basics, data inventory, current security measures, employee policies, and more. Takes about 10 minutes.

02

Get Your Security Score

See your score out of 100 instantly. Critical, high, and moderate gaps identified with specific recommendations. Score summary sent to your email.

03

Upgrade for Full WISP

Subscribe to TaxScout Platform or Support to unlock your complete WISP document, digital signatures, employee acknowledgement tracking, and Certificate of WISP Completion.

What You Get

Everything Your Firm Needs for WISP Compliance

A complete IRS Publication 5708 compliant package \u2014 not a template, but a fully customized document for your firm.

Complete WISP Document

7 IRS-required sections covering Objective, Purpose, Scope, Responsible Officials, Inside/Outside Risk Mitigation, and Implementation.

Security Scorecard

0–100 compliance score with color-coded severity breakdown. Track your progress as you close gaps.

Gap Analysis Report

Every security gap identified with severity level and specific remediation recommendations.

Hardware Inventory

Pre-filled Attachment E with your computers, servers, and mobile devices. Ready for annual review.

Employee Acknowledgement

Attachment D template for staff to sign, confirming they understand their security responsibilities.

Breach Procedures

State-specific breach notification requirements included. Attachment C with your incident response plan.

Access Control List

Attachment F documenting who has access to what data systems in your firm.

Record Retention Policy

Attachment A covering how long you keep client data and how you destroy it.

E-Signature & Certificate

Sign your WISP digitally. Get employee acknowledgements. Earn a Certificate of WISP Completion.

WISP Compliance

Why Every Tax Preparer Must Have a WISP

The IRS requires all tax return preparers to maintain a Written Information Security Plan under Publication 4557. The FTC Safeguards Rule (16 CFR 314) makes it a federal requirement. Non-compliance can result in penalties, increased liability, and denial of e-filing privileges.

Required by IRS Publication 4557 for all tax preparers
FTC Safeguards Rule (16 CFR 314) federal mandate
PTIN renewal (Form W-12) asks if you have a WISP
Reduces liability exposure in data breach events
Cyber insurance carriers increasingly require a WISP
Annual review and update is mandatory
10 min
Average Completion
vs. 5–7 days manual
44
Simple Questions
9 sections covered
$0
Score Cost
full WISP with plan
9
Sections Covered
matching IRS Pub 5708
After Your WISP

What Happens After Your Assessment

See Your Score

Your security score and gap analysis appear instantly on screen.

Get Score Email

A detailed score summary with recommendations is sent to your email.

Choose Your Path

Subscribe to TaxScout Platform ($149/mo) or Support ($99/user/mo) to generate your full WISP.

Stay Compliant

Annual review reminders, version history, and ongoing compliance tracking in your dashboard.

Compare

How We Stack Up

See how TaxScout WISP compares to the alternatives CPA firms typically use.

FeatureRightworksWISPBuilderTaxScout
Price$999$844/yrScore: Free / Full WISP: With plan
Time to Complete5–7 days30–60 min~10 min
Security Scorecard✓ Free
Gap Analysis✓ Free
Remediation Recommendations✓ Free
AI-Generated WISP Document✓ With plan
E-Signatures✓ With plan
Employee Acknowledgements✓ With plan
Certificate of WISP Completion✓ With plan
Annual Review Reminders✓ Free

Disclaimer

TaxScout WISP tools are not legal advice, not a formal audit, and not a guarantee of compliance. They are designed to help tax professionals document and implement security practices based on IRS and FTC guidance.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

A Written Information Security Plan (WISP) is required by the IRS under Publication 4557 for all tax return preparers. It documents how your firm protects taxpayer data. The FTC Safeguards Rule (16 CFR 314) makes it a federal requirement. Non-compliance can result in penalties, increased liability, and potential denial of e-filing privileges.

Get Your Free WISP Score Today

44 questions. 10 minutes. See your compliance score and gaps instantly.

Full WISP document + certificate included with TaxScout Platform ($149/mo) or Support ($99/user/mo).

Start Free AssessmentNo credit card • No account required