Table of contents:
What is an Engagement Letter?
An Engagement Letter (EL) is an electronic agreement between you and TFX. It outlines the rights and obligations of both parties and includes:
A detailed description of the services we will provide,
The total cost of preparing your tax return,
Terms and conditions of our engagement.
How to receive an Engagement Letter
To receive the Engagement Letter (EL), follow these steps:
Submit your completed Tax Questionnaire (TQ) and supporting documents, e.g., wage verification documents, IRS forms, or other relevant documents.
⚠ Note: If some numbers or documents are still missing, we can begin preparing your tax return while you wait for them. Simply leave comments inside the questionnaire.
Navigate to the Tax questionnaires page and click the "Send me an engagement letter" button at the top.
⚠ Notes:
You must submit all questionnaires before you can click this button.
If you open a previously submitted questionnaire for a tax year that has already been filed by TFX, it will appear as unsubmitted. Don’t worry, just click Submit again. The system recognizes prior filings and will not include them in your EL.
Our tax team will review your submission to ensure we have enough information. If more data is required, you’ll receive an email with the request to provide answers inside your TFX account.
If sufficient information is provided, we will issue your EL (and a waiver, if applicable) within 3 business days.
⚠ Note: If additional information is requested, the timeline may be extended. To avoid delays, please respond promptly to our tax team.
How to view & sign an Engagement Letter
When your Engagement Letter (EL) is ready, you’ll receive both an email and a WhatsApp message with a direct link to your TFX portal.
To view and sign your pending EL, follow these steps:
Log in to your TFX portal.
Go to the Unsigned EL page and click View & sign.
Review the listed services and read carefully the conditions and terms.
If your EL has forms added that are not included in our basic package, you can click "Why we don't include this form in the package" under the form description.
See the explanation of why a specific form is not included in our basic package.
Scroll down to the payment section.
⚠ Note: Prepayment ensures a commitment to the terms outlined in the agreement and is necessary for commencing the tax return preparation process.
You can choose One payment or select Other options > Partial payment.
⚠ Note: If you have credits, a deposit will be reduced by the credit amount. If credits exceed the deposit amount, the deposit is not required.Click Make payment.
Check the box "I have read and agree to the TFX Terms of service" and click Continue.
Enter card details and click Pay.
After payment, close the pop-up and click Sign engagement letter.
Once you sign the EL, your tax preparer will begin working on your return, and the 15-business-day average preparation timeline will begin.
❗ Important notes:
The EL is not a bill. It won't show your payments like an invoice. Rather, it reflects the scope of work you are asking us to perform and the cost thereof. Example: If the EL shows $500 and you prepaid $200, your final balance will be $300 when the return is complete.
All payments are processed securely. TFX never stores your card details. You can see your payments and balances and create PDF invoices in the Bills & Payments section.
If you cannot pay by card, please contact our Customer Success team for alternative payment options.
You have 12 days to sign and prepay the EL. After 12 days, if the EL remains unsigned and you haven't been logged in, your TFX account will be marked inactive. To continue later, log in to your TFX account and click the Resume project button on the Home page.
How to ask questions or disagree with the Engagement Letter
Please review the entire Engagement Letter (EL) carefully before signing. We are always ready to clarify a point or resolve an issue. You can submit an EL disagreement directly in your TFX account if you:
Disagree with included services or forms,
Have questions about pricing or other aspects,
Or updated your questionnaire and need a revised EL.
To submit an EL disagreement, follow these steps:
Navigate to Engagement Letters > Unsigned EL > View & sign.
Scroll to the bottom and click the "I have questions about the engagement letter" link.
Enter your message in the pop-up box, explaining your question or concern clearly, and click Submit.
Our tax team will respond or issue a revised EL within 24–48 business hours.
Note: Once an EL is signed, the "I have questions about the engagement letter" link disappears. If you need changes after signing, please contact your assigned preparer or Customer Success.
How to download signed Engagement Letters
You can download PDFs of signed ELs for current or completed jobs:
Navigate to Engagement Letters > Signed EL.
Click the link [DATE] (View) under DATE SIGNED.
Scroll to the bottom of the page, then click Download PDF copy of engagement letter.
Choose the folder on your PC where you wish to save the file, then click Save.