That dreaded time of the year is upon us…tax season. We all know the pain of trying to track down W2s, account statements, investment transactions…not to mention we have no idea where we “safely stored” last year’s tax return. Parents and spouses especially relate to this struggle since they are faced with the relentless questions of: “What’s our bank account password?” “What’s your social security number?” and “Which bank account should we use to pay for our taxes?”
However, there’s no reason you need to struggle to gather this information each year—this is what technology is for, right? Password managers can help ease some of the pain of tax season through a few simple tools: password sharing, secure storage and secure browsers.
Password Sharing
As you may know, password managers allow you to keep login credentials secured and synchronized across all of your devices. While this eases a lot of hassle, password managers also have the ability to securely share those details with your trusted contacts. Sharing rights can be customized for a fixed time or indefinitely, and those rights can be easily revoked with one click. Family members can easily look through the necessary accounts they need to file their taxes and afterwards you can immediately take back the reigns of having sole access to those accounts.
Secure Storage
Another tax pain point we all experience is trying to hunt down all the necessary documents just to fill in the first page of the return, such as previous addresses, employer information and social security numbers for everyone in your family. This is where “secure item storage” comes into play. You can store all of this information, plus any other personal identification information or notes within your password manager. Passwords and personal info are always encrypted with bank grade security for your peace of mind, and easily accessible at the time you’re ready to do your taxes.
Secure Browsers
Finally, once you start completing the online forms, it’s not unusual to wonder if your personal information is at risk. You can put these fears to rest when using a secure browser, such as the one available on CyberFOX. These browsers will block malware, plugins and phishing scams, ensuring that sensitive information – like the personal information in your online tax form – stays private. Additionally, you can adjust your settings so that specific websites automatically launch within your secure browser, for easier access in the future.
Hopefully these simple and secure tools inspire you to revamp your tax return process this year, and lead to less stress this tax season.