For accounting firms, tax season isn't just busy — it's when the majority of annual client payments flow through your system. Hundreds of tax preparation fees, advisory retainers, and quarterly estimated payments — most paid by card — compress into a few months.
A firm processing $30,000/month in card payments during tax season and $15,000/month during off-season is paying **$8,100 to $18,900 per year** in processing fees, depending on the rate.
The Tax Season Spike
| Month | Card Revenue | Processing (3%) |
|---|---|---|
| January | $15,000 | $450 |
| February | $25,000 | $750 |
| March | $40,000 | $1,200 |
| April | $55,000 | $1,650 |
| May–December (avg/mo) | $12,000 | $360 |
| **Annual Total** | **$231,000** | **$6,930** |
High-Value Invoices
Business tax preparation, audit support, and advisory services generate $1,000–$10,000+ invoices. Each card payment carries significant processing costs.
Client Billing Platforms Charge Premium Rates
QuickBooks Payments, Bill.com, and other accounting-integrated platforms charge 2.9%–3.5% for card payments. The integration is convenient, but expensive.
Network Offset Pricing for Accounting Firms
Client invoice example:
| Service | Cash/ACH/Check | Card |
|---|---|---|
| Individual Tax Return | $400.00 | $416.00 |
| Business Tax Return (S-Corp) | $1,200.00 | $1,248.00 |
| Monthly Bookkeeping | $500.00 | $520.00 |
| Advisory Retainer (quarterly) | $3,000.00 | $3,120.00 |
| Audit Preparation | $5,000.00 | $5,200.00 |
Why Accounting Clients Respond Well
- Accountants' clients understand numbers. Your clients are financially literate. They see the math immediately.
- ACH adoption is high. Accounting clients who pay recurring monthly fees often prefer ACH when given a price incentive.
- Tax season payments are expected and planned. Clients paying $400+ for tax preparation aren't going to switch firms over $16.
The Savings
| Annual Card Revenue | Processing (3%) | With NOP | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| $150,000 | $4,500 | ~$0 | ~$4,500 |
| $300,000 | $9,000 | ~$0 | ~$9,000 |
| $500,000 | $15,000 | ~$0 | ~$15,000 |
$231,000
| $6,930 |
Get Started
The first step to reducing your processing costs is understanding exactly what you are paying today. Request a free statement analysis and we will show you a side-by-side comparison of your current costs versus what you could save with Network Offset Pricing.