What a white-label bureau pays for
Budget for two groups of costs: what the program charges you, and what it costs to run the bureau itself.
| Cost | What it covers | How it's usually charged |
|---|---|---|
| Program or licensing fee | Access to the software under your brand, your bureau setup and admin tools | Flat per season, sometimes waived or reduced at volume |
| Office software | The software each office in your network uses | Per office per season; often you set the price your offices pay |
| Per-return or transmission fees | E-file transmission or per-return charges on some programs | Per return, or included in an unlimited package |
| Bank-product program terms | Refund transfers and other optional bank products | Fees are disclosed to taxpayers and deducted from funded refunds; the bank must approve each office |
| Branding and marketing | Your logo, website, recruiting materials and ads | Your own budget |
| Season support | The people who answer your offices' calls in January–April | Staff time; the biggest hidden cost for most bureaus |
| Compliance | Your EFIN, written information security plan, office oversight, insurance | Mostly your time; the IRS charges no fee for an EFIN |
How bureau revenue works
Most white-label bureaus earn from two sources: software and training packages sold to the offices in their network, and a disclosed service-bureau fee on eligible funded bank products, at the amount set in the partner agreement. Some programs also share preparation fees from offices filing under the bureau.
A simple way to model it before you talk to any provider:
- Package revenue = number of active offices × what each office pays you for software and training
- Bank-product revenue = funded bank products across your network × your fee per funded product
- Minus your program fees, per-return costs, support staff, recruiting and marketing
Plan on funded products, not total returns
Bank-product revenue comes only from returns where the taxpayer chooses a refund transfer and the refund funds. Returns with balances due, rejected or offset refunds, and clients who pay out of pocket produce no bank-product fee. Model your network's realistic share of funded products, and remember that new offices file fewer returns than established ones. Earnings aren't guaranteed; see our earnings disclaimer.
Hidden costs to ask about
- Per-return charges for business returns, extra states or extra users that aren't in the headline package
- Peak-season support: if the program's support hours don't cover your offices' evenings and weekends, you'll staff the gap
- Office minimums or volume targets that change your pricing if your network misses them
- State bank-product rules: several states restrict charging bank-product clients extra fees or require specific disclosures. Check each state your offices file in (start with our state requirements table)
- Payout timing and reconciliation: when fees are paid, how they're reported, and what happens to unfunded or reversed products
- Exit terms: what happens to your offices, branding and pending payouts if you leave the program
Questions to ask any provider about cost
- What do I pay per season, and what does it include?
- What will my offices pay, and can I set their prices?
- Are there per-return, per-user, per-state or business-return fees?
- What is my fee per funded bank product, and is it in writing?
- Which bank programs are available, and what do they require to approve my offices?
- Who supports my offices at peak season, and is that included?
- When are payouts made, and what reporting do I get?
Getting our bureau terms
Bridgepoint Tax Solutions sets white-label bureau terms individually, based on your network, your plans and the support you'll provide. We don't publish bureau pricing. Apply with the short form on this page or book a call, and we'll walk you through the program and put branding, pricing, fee shares and support duties in a written agreement before you launch. For the full setup process, see how to start a tax service bureau. Running a single office instead? Our office packages are published.
White-label tax software cost FAQ
How much does white-label tax software cost?
It depends on the program, your network size and the support included. Expect a mix of a bureau program fee, what your offices pay for software, any per-return or transmission fees, and bank-product program terms, plus your own costs for support, recruiting and marketing. Our bureau terms are shared individually after a short application or a call.
Why don't providers publish bureau pricing?
Bureau terms depend on how many offices you bring, how many funded bank products they're likely to produce, and how much support you take on yourself. Two bureaus with the same software can have very different terms.
Can I set the price my offices pay?
In most white-label programs, yes, within the program's rules. Confirm it in writing before you recruit.
Does the IRS charge for an EFIN?
No. There's no IRS fee to apply for an EFIN, though the application includes suitability checks and can take up to 45 days. Your bureau and each office in your network need their own EFIN if they originate returns.
How do service bureaus make money from bank products?
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.