Frequently Asked Questions

Tangible Values is a supplier of tax and accounting products designed for CPAs, tax preparers, accounting firms and small businesses. The company provides tax folders, tax forms, envelopes, client newsletters, marketing materials, digital services and Written Information Security Plan (WISP) software that help tax professionals, Accountants, Finance firms, Insurance agents and all small businesses run their practices more efficiently.

Tangible Values products are used by:

• CPAs and accounting firms
• Enrolled Agents
• Tax preparation businesses
• Bookkeeping firms
• Insurance Agents
• Human Resource Professionals
• Attorneys
• Auto Finance Firms
• Payroll service providers

These professionals use Tangible Values products to organize tax returns, communicate with clients, and streamline tax season workflows.

Tangible Values has been serving tax and accounting firms for over 45 years, providing affordable and high-quality products designed specifically for tax practices and small businesses.

Tax professionals choose Tangible Values because of:

• Guaranteed lowest prices
• High-quality tax preparation supplies
• Fast order processing
• Customizable products
• Excellent customer service

Many firms rely on Tangible Values for both physical and digital solutions that improve efficiency during tax season.

Tangible Values offers over 1,500 tax and accounting products, including:

• Tax return folders
• W-2 and 1099 forms
• Tax envelopes
• Tax organizers
• Client newsletters
• Marketing materials
• Tax preparation tools
• Digital Marketing Services
• Cybersecurity Products (WISP Builder)

These products are designed to help accounting firms manage tax preparation and client communication more efficiently.

Tax return folders are professional folders used by accounting firms to deliver completed tax returns to clients. They help organize tax documents, protect paperwork, and create a professional presentation for clients.

Yes. Tangible Values offers custom tax return folders and envelopes that can include your firm’s logo, branding, and contact information. Custom folders help accounting firms reinforce their brand and create professional experiences for clients.

Yes. Tangible Values offers folders and supplies compatible with many major tax software platforms used by accounting professionals.

Yes. Tangible Values provides IRS-compatible W-2 and 1099 forms, along with envelopes and filing solutions that work with common tax preparation software systems.

Tangible Values sells several types of envelopes for tax professionals, including:

• Tax return envelopes
• E-file approval envelopes
• Federal and state filing envelopes
• W-2 and 1099 envelopes
• Payment envelopes

These envelopes help streamline tax filing and client communications.

A tax preparation business typically needs:

• Tax return folders
• W-2 and 1099 forms
• Filing envelopes
• Tax organizers
• Client communication materials
• Tax reference guides

These tools help streamline the tax preparation process and improve client service.

The best tax folders for accountants are durable folders designed for tax returns that include pockets, document tabs, and customizable branding. These folders help organize documents and provide professional presentations to clients.

Accountants stay organized during tax season by using tools like:

• Tax organizers
• Client checklists
• Tax return folders
• Filing envelopes
• Digital workflow tools

These resources help you efficiently manage client documents and deadlines.  

By choosing CustomTax folders over generic office supply folders you elevate every document handed to your clients. This 9x12 customizable folder is ideal for tax professionals looking to showcase their firm. Its durable construction includes reinforced edges and 80# cover stock. Imprinting your logo, company information, and business card slits are all customizations that will help highlight your professionalism and attention to detail.

CustomTax slip sheet folders and envelopes are designed to match the window placement of your tax software slip sheet, guaranteed. They work seamlessly with your tax preparation workflow to stay organized and efficient while highlighting your professionalism.

For the best impression, choosing 80# weight folder with a linen finish can create a highly luxurious, memorable and premium client experience. This will ensure the folder is durable and tear-resistant for even large-capacity returns.

We won't be undersold. If you ever find a similar product at a lower price, we'll match that price and give you a $20.00 coupon good on your next order.

Yes! From production to processing, all of our products are proudly made in the USA to support all your tax needs.

For the best pricing and availability, reorder tax folders before the busy tax season begins. Ordering early helps ensure you have the supplies you need on hand, allows more time for customization or imprint approval, and may help you take advantage of seasonal offers or promotional pricing before demand increases.

Yes. Tangible Values provides both printed and digital client newsletters that help accounting firms keep clients informed about tax law updates, financial tips, and planning strategies.

Client newsletters help accounting firms:

• Maintain year-round client engagement
• Demonstrate expertise
• Encourage repeat business
• Promote tax planning services

They are a simple and effective marketing tool for accounting practices.

Yes. Tangible Values offers website and digital services designed specifically for tax and accounting firms, helping them build an online presence and attract new clients.

Yes. Tangible Values offers a lowest price guarantee. If you find a similar product at a lower price, we'll match that price and give you a $20 coupon good on your next order.

Discounts are available only to accounts in good standing. Customers who opt-in to receive emails may receive exclusive offers and promotional pricing. Additional promotions may also be available through TextingClub. Prices may change, and products are subject to availability.

Offer keycodes can be found in the lower section of most emails, on the back cover of your catalog, or in shipping inserts and postcards you may have received.

Yes. Certain products allow customers to request samples or review detailed previews before purchasing to ensure the product meets their needs.

You can order from Tangible Values by:

• Ordering directly on the website
• Calling their customer service team
• Using the quick reorder system
• Paying through E-check or other available payment methods

Yes. Returning customers can view their order history online and easily reorder items they have purchased in the past.

You can call Tangible Values Monday-Friday from 8:00am - 4:30pm CST at: 800-888-5803 or by sending a message through our Support Contact Form.

• Order processing: Orders are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Most in-stock, non-personalized orders ship within two business days.
• Personalized and imprinted items: Orders with imprinting are held until all imprinted items are produced, unless you request separate shipping. Please allow one to two weeks for personalized items, unless the product listing states otherwise. Production time begins after you approve the imprint, so prompt approval helps prevent delays.
• Additional timing notes: Dated or out-of-stock items may occasionally be deferred, and some products may ship separately.

• Standard shipping: Orders shipped within the 48 contiguous states are sent by standard ground unless another method is requested. Delivery typically takes 2 to 5 business days after processing.
• Express shipping: Express shipping is available upon request for an additional fee. Choosing express shipping changes the delivery method, but it does not shorten order processing time.
• Weekend delivery: Weekend delivery is not available.

Shipping rates are calculated automatically at checkout as a percentage of your total order

A WISP (Written Information Security Plan) is a document that outlines how a firm protects sensitive client information. Tax professionals, Accountants and all businesses that have access to client Personally Identifiable Information (PII) must maintain a WISP to comply with IRS and federal data protection requirements.

Yes. Tangible Values offers tools like the WISP Builder, which helps accounting firms create and maintain compliant data security plans.

Every tax season, we answer dozens of questions that all sound a little different:

• “Should I email the return to the mortgage broker?”
• “The banker wants a PDF. Can I send it?”
• “Can the client just authorize the IRS to send it?”
• “The loan officer is asking me to send everything today.”

This is all based on our experience and discussion with the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) on what those best practices should look like in its current guidance.

The OPR specifically recommends that firms have:

• Engagement letters
• Client communication procedures
• File retention policies
• A data security and privacy plan like WISP Builder
• Procedures that ensure compliance throughout the firm

Usually, no. Our preferred practice is to provide the completed return to our client and let the client provide it to the lender or other third party. There are certainly situations where a CPA is authorized to send documents directly, but allowing the client to control distribution creates a clear chain of custody and reduces the risk of sending confidential information to the wrong recipient. When we do send information directly, we always verify both the recipient and the client’s authorization first.

Pro tip: never miss an opportunity to meet a banker in person to build a relationship; referrals can come from long-term relationships with other professionals.  

Not always. Many mortgage companies, banks, and commercial lenders participate in the IRS Income Verification Express Service (IVES). With the taxpayer’s authorization—typically through Form 4506-C—the lender can request an official IRS tax transcript directly from the IRS. That transcript is often more valuable than a PDF because it verifies that the return was filed with the IRS. Ask the lender what they need before sending an entire return. 

Pro tip: if you are asked for an asset list, do not send a depreciation schedule. Although section 179 has been around for years, you’ll end up spending valuable time explaining that an asset's tax value is zero, not its fair market value, resulting in an independent asset appraisal costing more than the tax return.

Avoid standard email whenever possible. If the lender has a secure upload portal, use it. If not, consider using an encrypted document-sharing solution.

A tax return contains some of the most sensitive information your client owns:

• Social Security numbers
• Dates of birth
• Business income
• Banking information
• Dependents
• Investment information

There are many excellent encrypted file-sharing platforms available. We recommend Practice Panda’s Back Office Solutions because it combines several tools into one workflow:

• Encrypted document delivery
• Electronic signatures
• Client authorization and consent
• Secure storage
• An audit trail showing when documents were delivered, viewed, and signed

There are other excellent solutions on the market as well. The important part isn’t the software you choose—it’s having a documented, secure process your entire firm follows consistently.

A signed authorization protects everyone involved by the following:

• Control: Gives individuals legal power to decide who can see their private data.
• Legal Proof: Creates a documented, official record that the client explicitly permitted the release.
• Liability Protection: Protects tax professionals from heavy federal fines, state laws and other penalties by proving a disclosure was authorized.

If you're dealing with a specific situation, also make sure:

• Who is asking for the records
• Why and the purpose of the records, including loans
• What specific information is requested (e.g., general notes, forms, billing, work papers)?

If you receive subpoenas for leaked documents, months or years later, your firm has documentation showing the release was authorized.

Pressure shouldn’t override security. It’s common to hear:

• “We’re trying to close today.”
• “The underwriter needs it within the hour.”

Deadlines are important—but they don’t eliminate your responsibility to protect confidential client information. A five-minute verification is far less expensive than explaining a data breach.

This comes up frequently. Many of us prepare business returns but not the owner’s individual return. If a lender requests information that you don’t prepare or don’t maintain, don’t guess and don’t piece together partial information. Explain your role clearly and direct the lender or client to the appropriate tax professional. Knowing where your responsibility ends is just as important as knowing where it begins. Never give comfort letters without talking to your own.

Every firm should have a WISP and written procedures covering:

• Third-party document requests
• Client authorization requirements in a template
• Approved secure file-sharing methods  
• Email encryption standards and set defaults on all emails
• Identity verification before releasing information
• Staff training for handling confidential documents and acknowledgment

Consistency reduces mistakes and protects both your clients and your firm.

Treating every request as “routine.” The hundredth request deserves the same level of care as the first. Most data breaches don’t happen because someone intended to do something wrong—they happen because someone was trying to be helpful and skipped one verification step. Good security is good habits repeated every day.

As CPAs and tax professionals, clients trust us with some of their most confidential financial information. Protecting that information isn’t just an IT issue—it’s part of our professional responsibility. Whether you’re sending a tax return, financial statements, or supporting documentation, take a moment to verify the request, obtain proper authorization, and use a secure delivery method.

Your clients may never notice the extra five minutes you spent protecting their data. That’s exactly the point.

Tangible Values is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and serves tax and accounting firms across the United States.

Tangible Values provides:

• Phone support
• Order assistance
• Product support
• Catalog requests
• Customer service for shipping and returns

• You can call Tangible Values Monday-Friday from 8:00am - 4:30pm CST at: 800-888-5803 or by sending a message through our Support Contact Form.