COVID-19 Update | MSW CPAs Procedures

As you know, this is one of the busiest times of the year for accounting firms with tax filings and financial statement regulatory deadlines rapidly approaching. Disaster preparedness is an integral part of our firm’s risk management program and includes a viable pandemic response plan.

You’ve already received similar emails from other parties with whom you do business, so we’ll be brief.

The COVID-19 safety orders from government agencies are changing quickly and frequently every day – we are trying our best to be in compliance with all safety orders for our offices and employees in both Jacksonville, Florida and Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.   

We have made it possible and allowable for each and every employee of MSW to work safely from home. 

Our firm is prepared in the event we need to operate from outside of our offices with the necessary equipment, as well as backup systems and technical support, that will allow our workforce to work remotely in compliance with our Disaster Recovery Plan and other policies. We remain committed to maintaining our firm’s quality control standards.

When not working from home, some of us may be at either office receiving documents and payments or giving our work product to you.  It is advised that you call ahead of time to determine availability of any employee.

In the meantime, please consider the following:

• To mitigate potential exposure to any client, guest or MSW professional, we are requesting that client meetings be conducted via phone or through a video application such as Zoom or through FaceTime.
• Our clients can get their documents to us several ways:
  • Secure email (preferred).  Call us and we can explain how to do this.
  • Drop off at the front desk of our Jacksonville office or our Ponte Vedra Beach office
  • Send to us by US Postal Service, UPS, FedEx, other carriers or private courier.
• For most clients, completed tax returns and payment instructions can be emailed and/or mailed to you as hardcopy.  If you prefer or need to pick up your tax returns or financial statements at one of our offices, please call to alert us and make an appointment.
• MSW also offers a secure portal to exchange documents back and forth.  Our portal is web based and can be accessed from anywhere.  Please contact our office to have your portal set up.
• If or when you visit our offices, you will notice that we are maintaining social distancing, which means that we will not be shaking hands or touching anyone.  While we are not pleased that we must implement these policies, we feel it is best for everyone.
• Hand sanitizer is available at our front desks and we strongly urge everyone to apply some upon entry to our offices.  Please rest assured that high-touch areas (door handles, etc.) are being disinfected multiple times a day.

Finally, as a reminder, we will need your signed Form 8879 in order to electronically file your tax return(s). Please be sure to sign and return to us when you are notified that your tax return is completed.  You can print the Form 8879, sign, scan and email it back to us.  Any delay in our receipt of the Form 8879 will delay the submittal of your tax return.

Our top priorities are the health and safety of our employees and clients. We will continue to monitor guidance from health experts and government recommendations and will do our very best to maintain the quality and timeliness of our services to you. We appreciate your flexibility and support during this time, and our thoughts remain with everyone affected by the COVID-19 crisis.