Over the last few months, Nevcon Accounting has been reviewing the way it collects documents and gives you a copy of your personal tax returns. Previously, we have been using e-courier to send you any sensitive documents securely, including any documents needing to be signed. Well, this has been a great product over the last six years, but we have outgrown the services it provides. The only way to continue using it would be to introduce other services, which would have meant having everyone perform multiple logins. The service was fine, but we have found it to be a bit lacking in clear navigation and it was getting harder for long-term clients to find information on older returns.
With this in mind, we started looking at different solutions that would let us expand how we share information to you. As a result, we are introducing a new, improved client portal. The new portal is more like what everyone is used to in that it is a folder-based design with different folders for each tax year. Over the next few months, as you do your taxes with Nevcon, we will be sending you an invitation to set up a password to the email address we have on file. You will notice different folders and one will hold all copies for your personal tax returns. Nevcon will be slowly moving over the old return information to the new portal so you only have one place to go for everything.
One particular area of improvement is the upload folder. This will allow you to upload your tax slips or information securely without having to use email. Once you have uploaded a document, we automatically receive an email letting us know.
Another enhanced area is the items requiring signature. This area will have any documents that need a signature by you. An additional benefit is that, where allowed, you will be able to digitally sign the documents and once done, it will automatically notify us of the completion.
Overall, this will let you find historical information much easier and faster. The added benefit of being able to digitally sign documents will greatly improve the turn around times for all transactions and deadlines.
We have decided to make this the year of improvements. Our systems that we used have been static for the last 10 years – still reliable but perhaps lacking in new features and enhancements – and this year our goal is to make your experience with us much more straightforward, efficient and hey, maybe even fun!
I recently took part as moderator for a couple of public events at an industry festival. I was approached to do the job through someone who knows me from my work in the industry. For doing the job, the festival organization gave me an honorarium of $200. Since the connection is work-related, how do I account for this as income?