CCH Small Firm Services

What CCH Small Firm Services does

CCH Small Firm Services, doing business as TaxWise, is a US-focused tax preparation software product line operating as a subsidiary within Wolters Kluwer N.V.'s Tax & Accounting division. The company builds and sells cloud-based and desktop tax preparation software targeted at independent tax preparers, enrolled agents, and small-to-mid-size tax offices preparing individual 1040 returns and business returns (1065, 1120, 1120S, 1041, 706, 709, 990). Its flagship product, TaxWise Online, is a cloud platform that combines an AI-augmented 'Expert AI' workflow with a dual-mode data entry interface (interview-based for novices, forms-based for experts), hyperlinked e-filing diagnostics, and bundled access to the CCH AnswerConnect tax-research library. TaxWise Desktop is included free with every online package, and the portfolio extends to TaxWise Mobile (client-side document upload), Return Retrieval backup, TaxWise Expert Services white-glove implementation, Textellent SMS integration, refund-transfer bank products, and e-signature.

The business model is a four-tier annual subscription (Limited $429, 100 Package $1,849, 400 Package $3,899, UltraPro $4,249) with unlimited users per license, supplemented by usage-based per-return overage fees ($39 per 1040, $61 per business return), add-on module subscriptions, $5 e-signature envelope fees, and refund-transfer transaction revenue. Distribution is hybrid: self-serve e-commerce via the Wolters Kluwer Shop, inside sales support via dedicated 800-number lines, and partner channels including TheTaxBook and Textellent, with the annual GetWise conference serving as a retention and upsell event. The company was founded in 2006, is headquartered in Rome, United States, has 251–500 employees, and serves exclusively the US domestic SMB tax-preparation market. CCH Small Firm Services was itself acquired by Wolters Kluwer and operates alongside sibling brands CCH Axcess, CCH ProSystem fx, and ATX; an earlier CCH Small Firm Services M&A transaction was the October 2008 acquisition of IntelliTax.

Name

CCH Small Firm Services

Legal name

Wolters Kluwer N.V.

Website

https://cchsfs.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

CCH Small Firm Services (TaxWise) provides cloud-based and desktop tax preparation software, tax research tools, and implementation services to US independent tax preparers and small-to-mid-size tax offices preparing individual and business returns.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tax Preparation Software

NAICS

Tax Preparation Services (541213)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Tax Planning & Personal Tax Optimization Tools (FSAGADAJ)

Keywords

• Tax preparation software
• E-filing solutions
• Tax research platform
• Electronic return originator
• Refund transfer products

Headquarters

HQ city

Rome

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Subscription-based Software Licensing: Annual subscription packages with tiered pricing based on return volume. Packages include TaxWise Online cloud platform plus TaxWise Desktop at no additional cost. Additional per-return fees apply when exceeding package limits.
2. Per-Return Fees: Usage-based revenue from per-return charges when preparers exceed their package allocation: $39 per Individual 1040 return and $61 per Business Tax Return (1120, 1120S, 1065, 1041, 706, 709, 990).
3. Add-on Modules: Supplementary revenue from optional add-ons including Return Retrieval, TaxWise Mobile, Textellent, and TaxWise Expert Services.
4. Electronic Signature Services: $5 fee assessed per envelope when sending documents for eSignature via the electronic signature functionality.
5. Refund Transfer Products: Fee payment options allowing clients to deduct tax preparation fees from their refund, including traditional refund transfer products (bank products) and low-cost options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CCH Small Firm Services develops and sells TaxWise, a cloud-based and desktop tax preparation software suite used by U.S. tax preparers and Electronic Return Originators to prepare individual 1040 and business tax returns (1065, 1120, 1120S, 1041, 706, 709, 990), e-file returns, and run tax office operations. The offering is delivered via tiered annual subscriptions (Limited, 100, 400, UltraPro) and supplemented by add-on modules including mobile client intake, return retrieval backup, electronic signature, refund transfer bank products, and integrated CCH AnswerConnect tax research.

Product overview

TaxWise is a tax preparation software product line from Wolters Kluwer's CCH Small Firm Services division. The core offering consists of TaxWise Online (cloud-based) with TaxWise Desktop included free in all packages. The product family operates on a tiered pricing model with four packages (Limited, 100, 400, UltraPro) differentiated by return volume and feature access. Add-on modules include TaxWise Mobile for client data collection, Return Retrieval for backup, Textellent for SMS communication, TaxWise Expert Services for implementation, and CCH AnswerConnect for integrated tax research. The platform supports 1040-focused preparers with both interview-based and forms-based data entry modes, electronic signatures, and refund transfer payment options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TaxWise Online: Cloud-based tax preparation software powered by Expert AI for tax preparers and EROs
• TaxWise Desktop
• TaxWise Mobile
• TaxWise Expert Services

Products and services

• TaxWise Online Cloud-based tax preparation software for tax preparers and Electronic Return Originators (EROs), combining interview and forms data entry modes with AI-powered Expert AI tools, e-filing, electronic signature, and integrated CCH AnswerConnect research for individual 1040 and business tax returns.
• TaxWise Desktop Desktop tax preparation software included free with TaxWise Online packages, providing local storage of tax return data and the ability to prepare Individual 1040 and business tax returns (1065, 1120, 1120S, 1041, 706, 709, 990).
• TaxWise Mobile Add-on mobile client portal that allows taxpayer clients to upload tax documents and enter basic return data from a smartphone, computer, or tablet, with the data flowing directly into the preparer's TaxWise Online return.
• TaxWise Return Retrieval Add-on secure backup service that allows tax preparers to restore the current tax year and two prior years of client tax returns, protecting against lost or damaged client files.
• TaxWise Expert Services White-glove professional services offering covering TaxWise installation, prior-year tax return conversion, and implementation support to help preparers transition to and operate TaxWise.
• Textellent Add-on automated texting integration that lets tax preparers send text messages from their current office phone number to manage clients, reduce phone calls and missed emails, and drive referrals and reviews.
• CCH AnswerConnect Tax and accounting research platform (bundled with TaxWise packages) providing expertly-authored answers, the Master Tax Guide, Primary Sources, Federal Basic Topic Pages, 360° View, Federal & State News, and Tax Briefings accessible from within the TaxWise workflow.
• TaxWise Refund Transfer Solutions Add-on refund transfer (bank product) solutions that allow taxpayer clients to deduct tax preparation fees from their tax refund, including traditional refund transfer products and low-cost options provided at no cost to the taxpayer.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduce tax preparation time by 20% through optimized tax form defaults

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability3 records

Feature8 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Intuit ProConnect Tax Online: Intuit's cloud-based professional tax preparation suite directly competes with TaxWise Online for the same SMB tax preparer and accounting-firm segment, offering integrated e-filing, client management, and QuickBooks connectivity.
• Drake Software (Drake Tax): Drake Tax is one of the most established direct competitors to TaxWise in the 1040-focused small/mid-size preparer market, with comparable per-return pricing and federal/state coverage.
• TaxAct Professional: TaxAct Professional targets the same small-firm and independent preparer segment as TaxWise with tiered subscription pricing and 1040/business return coverage.
• ATX (Wolters Kluwer): ATX is a sister product within Wolters Kluwer's TAA division serving tax preparers, creating internal portfolio overlap and direct feature/bundling competition with TaxWise.
• CCH Axcess Tax (Wolters Kluwer): CCH Axcess is Wolters Kluwer's flagship cloud tax suite for firms; it competes for the same customer wallet as TaxWise and represents the parent's strategic cloud platform.
• Thomson Reuters UltraTax CS: UltraTax CS is a long-established professional tax preparation suite from Thomson Reuters serving accounting firms and tax practitioners with comparable 1040/business return workflows.
• ProSeries (Intuit): Intuit ProSeries is a desktop and cloud professional tax product targeting the same small/mid-size preparer base as TaxWise, with premium federal/state research integration.
• Lacerte (Intuit): Lacerte is Intuit's high-end professional tax software for larger practices, competing for the upper end of the small-firm segment that TaxWise UltraPro addresses.

Emerging players

• Canopy Practice Management: Canopy provides cloud practice management and workflow tools for tax and accounting firms, increasingly overlapping with TaxWise's Smart Tax Office collaboration and document workflows.

Broad incumbents

• H&R Block: H&R Block is a broad incumbent in tax preparation operating DIY software, assisted preparation, and professional products — providing competitive context for the SMB preparer customer base that TaxWise serves.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cchsfs
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCE60kNwW4romvsmlN284tzA
• Facebookfacebook.com/pg/WoltersKluwerTAAUS/about
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/575256
• Instagraminstagram.com/wolterskluwertaaus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CCH Small Firm Services