“…I was doing most of my clients taxes without meeting them face to face, so it naturally occurred to me that people do not need to have an in person meeting to get their taxes done.”

Online Taxman is an online tax preparation firm offering tax services to individuals and small business that choose to deal with a CPA virtually rather than in office. This service is available for any US citizen or resident.

Online Taxman has been used by many expatriates and nonresidents due to the lack of local CPA firms available in foreign countries to handle US tax issues.

MO: Tell us about your background and how you decided to develop Online Taxman?

Vincenzo: I started my career at PricewaterhouseCoopers where I first found my love for the accounting and tax world. After getting my CPA, I decided to jump ship for the greener pastures of finance (or so I thought) and doing deals in private equity.  After a few years, I decided private equity might not be the life for me (the financial meltdown didn’t help either). At that point I decided to go back to accounting and started Online Taxman with several other partners. I had been doing taxes on the side for a while so I decided to try my hand at it full time. At that point, I was doing most of my clients taxes without meeting them face to face so it naturally occurred to me that people do not need to have an in person meeting to get their taxes done. To ease this process for the client and make it more streamlined for our team of CPA’s, we developed a customized platform in OnlineTaxman.com.

MO: Why is a service like Online Taxman important for those who don’t have access to a local CPA?

Vincenzo: Every US citizen must file a tax return, regardless of where they live in the world. Additionally, there are hundreds of thousands of US non residents that come to this country on temporary work visas as consultants, and are taxed on their US wages. Online Taxman offers them a safe and secure way to file these taxes, while also giving them a personal CPA to work with to answer questions and address their unique tax needs. Our team prides itself on being knowledgeable in specific tax areas and assigning clients to CPA’s who specialize in these areas or tax treaties with specific countries.

MO: You have a unique perspective on the US expatriate lifestyle outside of the United States because you have been living in South America. Tell us about this perspective.

Vincenzo: Living abroad has not only been a great source of clients but also a way to connect with clients. I can understand the struggles/inconveniences of living outside of the US and shares stories and insights. Being a US expatriate is a unique and rewarding experience not only for myself, but I think it also brings a renewed sense of trust and understanding with clients that I am in the same position as they are. Speaking Spanish has also brought an influx of Latino clients who may not be comfortable discussing their tax needs and situation in English, so we have gained a strong presence with individuals and companies within the Latin American market.

MO: What is one thing you think everyone should know about doing their taxes with an online service?

Vincenzo: I think people should realize the importance of quality when it comes to purchasing anything online, especially taxes. I think its important to ask the right questions about the service, the firm and get additional references. We offer a free initial consultation because we realize the importance of gaining a clients trust and comfort when dealing with something as personal as tax returns.

MO: How do you ensure people that your service is legitimate and a quality service?

Vincenzo: While a large number of our clients are word of mouth, giving prospective clients a free no hassle consultation allows them to ask any questions they have about our firm and our process while allowing us to demonstrate our knowledge and expertise in advising them on their tax situation. We have many positive reviews online and also offer prospective clients to speak with our current clients to give them additional comfort.

MO: Tell us about your strategic relationships with relocation firms, and multinational companies, and how you were able to form these relationships.

Vincenzo: These relationships were formed mainly via word of mouth and cold calling. Being able to focus on a niche market is helpful because it shows a dedication to expertise that gives comfort to the firms that work with us. By assigning a personal CPA to every client brings an additional level of attention that cannot be offered by the Big 4 and larger accounting firms. I have heard countless stories of clients being shuffled around by associates at these firms, while we offer a personalized service that is unmatched by these firms.