How white-label tax software works
Building tax software from scratch means maintaining every federal and state form, passing IRS testing each year and running e-file transmission. White-label distribution skips that. The software developer keeps the product current, a distributor such as Bridgepoint Tax Solutions manages the commercial relationship, and you put your own brand in front of the offices you recruit.
A typical white-label chain has three layers:
- Developer and distributor: build, update and transmit; set the program rules, onboarding and core support.
- Your bureau: your brand, your pricing to offices, your recruiting, and the support you agree to provide.
- Your offices: independent preparers and tax offices that file under your bureau, each with their own PTIN and EFIN.
White-label vs. reseller vs. franchise
These terms get used loosely. The practical differences are whose brand the customer sees and who owns the customer relationship.
| Model | Whose brand | Who owns the offices | Typical revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| White-label service bureau | Yours | You | Software sales to offices, plus eligible bank-product fees under your agreement |
| Software reseller / referral | The developer's | Usually the developer | Commission or referral fee per sale |
| Tax franchise | The franchisor's | The franchisor sets the rules | You keep a share of prep fees after royalties and fees |
| Independent office | Yours | You (one office) | Your own prep fees |
What you can usually customize
Exactly what can be branded depends on the program and your agreement. Commonly:
- Your bureau name and logo in front of your offices, plus your own marketing, website and onboarding materials
- The software and training packages you sell, and their prices
- Your support model: who answers your offices' calls, and when
- Your fee structure on optional bank products, within the bank program's limits and disclosure rules
What stays fixed
The core software, IRS e-file transmission and compliance rules aren't yours to change. Bank products always require the bank's approval of each office and its own program terms. Every preparer still needs a PTIN, and every office that e-files needs its own EFIN. Nobody files under someone else's credentials. Depending on what your bureau does, your IRS e-file application may need more than the Electronic Return Originator (ERO) role; IRS Publication 3112 describes the provider options.
How white-label bureaus make money, and what it costs
Bureau revenue usually comes from two places: software and training packages sold to your offices, and fees on eligible funded bank products (refund transfers) filed by your network, at the amounts set in your partner agreement. Not every return produces a funded bank product, so plan on the share of your network's returns that actually do, not on total returns.
The costs are real too: recruiting offices, supporting them in February when everyone needs help at once, compliance oversight, and season staffing. A bureau with 10 productive offices usually outperforms one with 40 inactive ones. Earnings aren't guaranteed; see our earnings disclaimer.
Questions to ask any white-label tax software provider
- Exactly what can carry my brand, and where does the developer's name still appear?
- Which federal forms, states and business returns are included?
- What will my offices pay, what will I pay, and what is my share of bank-product fees, in writing?
- Which bank programs are available, and what do banks require to approve my offices?
- Who supports my offices during peak season, and what are the hours and channels?
- What reporting will I see on my network's returns, bank products and payouts?
- How are payouts reconciled, and what happens to my offices if I leave the program?
How our white-label bureau program works
Bridgepoint Tax Solutions partners with qualified bureaus that want to distribute professional tax software under their own brand. Apply with the short form on this page, and we'll review your network and plans, walk you through the program, and set partner terms, branding and support duties in a written agreement before you launch. See the service bureau program for the full process, or our step-by-step guide to starting a tax service bureau.
White-label tax software FAQ
Do I need to be a software company to offer white-label tax software?
No. The developer builds, updates and transmits the software. Your job is the brand, recruiting offices, and the support you agree to provide.
Do I need my own EFIN to run a service bureau?
If your business originates returns, it needs its own EFIN, and each office in your network needs its own EFIN too. Your exact IRS e-file roles depend on what your bureau does; we review this during onboarding.
How much does white-label tax software cost?
It depends on the program, the number of offices and the support included. See what white-label tax software costs for every cost to budget for. Our bureau terms are shared individually after a short application. Single offices can see pricing: $0 upfront.
Is a white-label bureau better than a tax franchise?
It's a different model. A franchise gives you the franchisor's brand and rules in exchange for royalties. A white-label bureau keeps your brand and your customers, and you take on recruiting and support yourself.
How do service bureaus earn from refund transfers?
Where the bank program allows, a disclosed fee on each eligible funded refund transfer is shared under the partner agreement. It's paid only on funded products, not on every return. See how bank products work.
Sources
Program rules change; confirm current requirements with the IRS and your providers.