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Client Confirmation

When a new client logs into TaxCaddy for the first time, they may require confirmation to confirm they are who they say they are. TaxCaddy uses two-factor authentication(2FA) to ensure a secure login: Email + (Mobile Number or SSN). However, if the client is unable to complete two-factor authentication themselves, a backup authentication method will allow your clients to log in. This allows you to confirm the client on their behalf.
Client Confirmation is only required for new clients if:
  • There's no mobile number or SSN saved to the client's record in
    Client Management
  • Clients fail to verify their identity themselves with either their mobile number or SSN
When this happens, a tax professional must open the connected client's profile and complete the
Client Confirmation
process.
note
Until a client has been confirmed, neither the client nor their tax professional will be able to see either party's activity in the account. After verification, activity/documents from both client and tax professional will be visible for both parties.

What is Client Confirmation?

The client confirmation process keeps your firm's and your client's sensitive information secure. Normally, a client's account is auto-confirmed when they either enter the two-factor authentication code sent to their phone or provide the last four digits of their social security number during the registration process. However, suppose a client is unable to verify their account. In that case, they will be able to access their TaxCaddy account with restricted access until they are verified by their tax professional. Clients with restricted access cannot view requests (Documents, Questionnaires, etc.) from your firm. Conversely, you cannot view any documents uploaded by your client until you confirm their identity.
When is Client Confirmation needed?
Once the client has been invited and accepts the connection request with your firm, the client will undergo the two-factor authentication process in order to verify their own identity. If your client completes their authentication, no confirmation is needed. You and your client will be fully connected and both can view each other's activity within the account. 
However, in the event that this client fails the two-factor authentication, the tax professional will be required to complete
Client Confirmation
within their profile. Until this process is completed, neither the client nor their tax professional will be able to see the documents or requests from either party.
The
Client Confirmation
is only needed if:
Missing mobile phone number AND SSN
A client's mobile phone number and SSN is missing in
Client Management
.
Since TaxCaddy does not have information available to verify the client, client provides their own mobile number. You will need to confirm the client for mutual access to the client's profile.
Incorrect Mobile Phone number and/or SSN
Your client only needs one method to automatically verify themselves (mobile phone 2FA code or SSN number). If they are unable to verify themselves due to incorrect information in Client Management then manual confirmation will be needed.
Incorrect Number
: A client is unable to verify their account with the correct one-time password code sent to their phone. Possible reasons:
  • Incorrect mobile phone number in Client Management
  • Landline number instead of a mobile phone number. 
  • Old number
Incorrect SSN
: A client is unable to verify their account with the correct social security number (SSN is only used for verification if enabled by the firm). Possible reasons:
  • Entered incorrect SSN in Client Management (e.g., Spouse's SSN instead of taxpayer's).
Overview of the Client Confirmation window.
The client's Owner and followers will also receive an email reminder when client confirmation is needed.

Who can confirm a client?

In order to confirm a client, a tax professional must first have the necessary permissions in FileRoom. You must belong to a user group with the
Can Confirm Clients
 permission enabled. Please contact your Firm System Administrator if your user group permissions need to be updated.
Select the Can Confirm Clients permission in FileRoom.
You will see the following message if you do not belong to a user group with the
Can Confirm Clients
 permission enabled: 
Warning text when users do not have permissions to confirm.
note
You do not have the permission required to manually verify clients' identities. If you feel this is a mistake, please contact your Firm System Administrator. LEARN MORE

Confirming a client

Once you have the
Can Confirm Clients
 permission enabled, you are ready to begin confirming your clients' identities:
  1. To begin confirming a client, open their client profile from the
    Overview
     screen.
    note
    A client must have the
    CONNECTED
     status in order for the
    Client Confirmation
    process to take place.
    Select a client profile from Overview.
  2. An unverified client's profile will automatically open the
    Client Confirmation
    dialog box upon opening.
    Client Confirmation window appearing in the client profile.
    If you do not see the
    Client Confirmation
     dialog box, a banner across the top of the selected client profile will indicate that this profile must be confirmed. Click
    Verify Now
     to open the
    Client Confirmation
    dialog box.
    Banner message in client profile.
    note
    If a client profile has the
    CONNECTED
     status but does not have the banner, their profile has already been verified and you can proceed using TaxCaddy.
  3. Your client's
    NAME
    ,
    EMAIL
    ,
    MOBILE NUMBER
    ,
    CONNECTED ON
    , and
    INVITED SPOUSE NAME
     (if applicable) will be listed.
    Client's information to confirm.
    note
    TaxCaddy completed one-factor authentication using the client's e-mail address. How a user is verified is up to your firm. Your firm can decide how to use the above information to manually confirm the client. Whether by contacting the client, or cross referencing the information TaxCaddy collected, or even if the email verification would suffice due to the kind of information currently in the client’s profile. Your firm can decide the best practice.
  4. After reviewing the listed records and confirming their accuracy, click the checkbox indicating that you've confirmed the information.
    Select the checkbox to indicate that you have confirmed this client.
  5. Select
    CONFIRM
     to confirm this client's information, or you can click
    NOT NOW
     if the information listed is not correct.
    note
    You can return to the
    Client Confirmation
    dialog box at any time through the banner at the top of a client's profile, however, any information uploaded by your or this client will not be accessible by either party until verification is complete.
    Select CONFIRM.
Client experience
After your client is invited, they will receive an invitation email inviting them to connect with your firm in TaxCaddy. Your client will need to click
Get Started
 to begin the connection/account creation process.
Your client will be directed to the two-factor authentication screen, where, depending on the information added to their account, they will be asked to confirm their identity either through their mobile phone number or social security number on record in order to sign in.
If done successfully, they will connect with your firm and be logged in to TaxCaddy, avoiding further confirmation on your end.
However, if your client's account was created with no confirmation information to begin with (e.g., Client record missing mobile phone number and SSN), then your client will be asked for their mobile phone number to sign in to their account. From here, their tax professional will be required to complete the
Client Confirmation
 process in TaxCaddy.
If your client's account was created with no confirmation information to begin with (e.g., Client record missing mobile phone number and SSN), they will be asked for their mobile phone number to sign in to their account. From here, their tax professional will be required to complete the
Client Confirmation
process in TaxCaddy.
note
Until a client has been confirmed , neither the client nor their tax professional will be able to see either party's activity in the account. After verification, activity from both client and tax professional will be visible for both parties.

This article applies to:

  • PRODUCT: SurePrep
  • Sub-Product: TaxCaddy
  • Subject: Clients

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