For tax preparers and accounting firms
"Did you get my W-2?" Answered, without you picking up.
The Answer Box sits in your office and handles the calls that bury you from January to April: status questions, appointment booking, and chasing the documents clients still haven't sent. The AI runs on the box, so client files never go to an outside AI service.
Built around the filing calendar
Busy season, handled in four stages
Engagement
Books returning clients into open slots and sends each one their document list.
Collection
W-2 and 1099 deadline passes. It tracks what's in and texts reminders for what isn't.
Crunch
Answers "where's my return?" and "can I come in Thursday?" so preparers stay on returns.
Extensions
Follows up on extended returns and books the October appointments.
What it does
Front desk for the whole office
Answers every call
First ring, nights and weekends included, in English or Spanish. It says it's the firm's assistant.
Books appointments
Puts clients into your calendar and confirms by text. Clients can also book by texting the office number.
Morning report
Every call and message from the day before, with what was promised and what needs a person.
Never gives tax advice
Questions about deductions or what to file go to a preparer as a callback. It doesn't guess.
Document chase
Checklist per client, with text reminders for anything still missing.
Status answers
"Did you get my 1099?" answered from your own records, on the box.
Where client data goes
The AI is in your office, not a vendor's cloud
Most AI receptionists and email assistants send what they hear and read to an outside AI company. The Answer Box processes calls, messages and documents on hardware you own.
Stays on the box in your office
- Call transcripts and recordings, if you turn recording on
- Client documents and checklists
- The AI that reads and answers them
- An audit log of what the assistant said and did
Passes through outside services
- The phone call itself, carried by the phone company (Twilio) to reach the box
- Text messages to and from clients
- Your email provider, as it already does today
Tax preparers using AI tools may have consent duties under IRC §7216 and security-program duties under the FTC Safeguards Rule. Keeping the AI on your own hardware means client return information isn't handed to an AI vendor, but it doesn't replace your own compliance review. Add the box to your written information security plan, and check your obligations with your own advisor. This page is not legal or tax advice.
Two-year cost
Less than one season of front-desk pay
| Option | Basis | Two years |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time receptionist | U.S. median wage, $38,010/yr (BLS, May 2025), before payroll taxes and benefits | $76,020 |
| Answer Box, leased | $999 down + $249/mo for 24 months, plus about $15/mo in phone minutes | $7,335 |
| Answer Box, bought outright | Founding price, plus about $15/mo in phone minutes | $4,785 |
Phone-minute estimate assumes about 300 three-minute calls a month at Twilio's published US rates. After the lease ends, the box is yours.
Straight answers
Questions firm owners ask
Will clients know they're talking to AI?
Yes. It introduces itself as the firm's assistant, and anyone who wants a person can ask for a callback.
Will it answer tax questions?
No. It handles scheduling, status and documents. Anything that needs professional judgment becomes a callback for a preparer.
Are calls recorded?
Only if you turn recording on. Some states require every party's consent, so when recording is on it tells callers at the start.
What happens if our internet goes down?
Calls forward to a number you choose, such as your cell or the office line, so nobody hears dead air.
What does setup involve?
We load your services, hours, fees and staff schedule, then forward your office number to the box. You keep your number.
Founding pricing
Reserve a box for $1
Your dollar holds the $4,425 price for 90 days. Buy outright, or lease at $999 down and $249 a month and own it after two years.