Your clients trust you with their most sensitive financial information — tax returns, bank records, Social Security numbers, and business filings. That trust comes with real regulatory obligations, and your IT systems are where most of those obligations actually live.
Coltarus Halo provides managed IT support built around the specific compliance requirements accounting and financial firms in Corpus Christi are already expected to meet — not generic “we take security seriously” language, but IT built to hold up under FTC and IRS scrutiny.
Call (361) 444-2564 or Request a Free IT Assessment
Built Around the Rules You Already Have to Follow
If you’re a paid tax preparer or accounting firm, you’re not choosing whether to have a data security plan — the FTC Safeguards Rule and IRS Publication 4557 already require one. Coltarus Halo helps you meet those requirements with IT infrastructure, not just a checklist.
IRS Publication 4557 — Safeguarding Taxpayer Data
IRS Pub 4557 outlines the security measures paid preparers are expected to have in place to protect taxpayer data — from access controls to incident response. We build your network, backups, and endpoint protection to match what Pub 4557 describes, so your compliance story isn’t just a policy document sitting in a drawer.
FTC Safeguards Rule
The FTC Safeguards Rule requires a written information security program for any business handling consumer financial data — which includes most accounting and tax preparation firms. We help implement the technical controls the Safeguards Rule expects: encryption, access management, monitoring, and a documented incident-response process.
WISP — Written Information Security Plan
A WISP is the document that ties your policies to your actual systems. We don’t just hand you a template — we make sure the IT environment we manage actually reflects what your WISP says it does, so the two aren’t out of sync if you’re ever audited or asked to produce it.
What This Looks Like Day to Day
- Secure client data storage — encrypted storage and access controls for tax records, financial statements, and client PII
- Managed backups — automated, tested backups so a hardware failure or ransomware incident doesn’t mean losing years of client records
- Network security & monitoring — firewalls, endpoint protection, and ongoing monitoring sized for a small accounting practice, not enterprise overkill you’re paying for and not using
- Help desk support — fast, local support during tax season crunch times, when downtime costs you the most
- VoIP phone systems — reliable, secure business phone service that fits how a client-facing accounting office actually operates
Why Local Matters for Compliance-Heavy IT
National IT providers can sell you cybersecurity in general terms. Coltarus Halo is based in Corpus Christi, serving accounting and financial firms across the Coastal Bend — meaning when something breaks during tax season, you’re calling a team that knows your business, not a call center reading from a script.
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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Do I actually need a WISP if I’m a small accounting practice?
Yes — the FTC Safeguards Rule applies to any business handling consumer financial information, regardless of size. Firm size affects how complex your plan needs to be, not whether you need one at all.
Can you help if we already have a WISP but aren’t sure our IT actually matches it?
That’s one of the most common situations we see — a policy document that was written once and never checked against the actual network. We can review what you have and tell you plainly where the gaps are.
Do you work with firms outside Corpus Christi proper?
Yes — we serve accounting and financial firms across Corpus Christi, Kingsville, Portland, Rockport, and San Antonio.
Protect your clients’ data — and your firm’s compliance standing.
Call (361) 444-2564 or request a free IT assessment to see where your current setup stands against IRS Pub 4557 and the FTC Safeguards Rule.
