FTC Safeguards Rule compliance

The FTC didn't make
security training
optional for your firm.

Tax preparers, CPAs, and bookkeepers are covered by the FTC Safeguards Rule. It requires documented employee security training. Your next insurance renewal or audit will ask for proof. Brevora handles the monthly phishing simulations, the annual training curriculum, and the compliance certificate. Setup takes 10 minutes.

No credit card required·Set up in 10 minutes·Certificate included

⚠️  FTC Safeguards Rule enforcement strengthened in June 2024. If your firm prepares taxes, manages books, or handles client financial data and you do not have documented security training on file, you are already out of compliance.

Most accounting firm owners are surprised to find out they're covered.

The FTC's definition of "financial institution" is broader than most people expect. If your firm does any of the following, you're covered:

  • Prepares federal or state tax returns for clients
  • Provides bookkeeping or accounting services
  • Manages payroll for client businesses
  • Gives financial or investment advice to clients
  • Processes financial transactions on behalf of clients

Note: Firms with fewer than 5,000 customer records may qualify for limited exemptions, but not from the employee training requirement. If you are unsure, your attorney can confirm your coverage status in about 10 minutes.

1
Written Information Security Program
A documented policy governing how your firm stores, handles, and protects client financial data.
2
Annual employee security training
Every staff member must complete security awareness training at least once per year. Completion must be documented with employee names and dates.
3
Designated security coordinator
A named person in your firm responsible for overseeing the security program. For most small firms, that's you.

Brevora fully covers requirement #2. Monthly phishing simulations, annual training delivery, completion tracking, dated employee certificates, and a compliance report ready for your auditor. All of it runs automatically after setup.

Generic tests train people to spot obvious fakes.
Your employees face real attacks.

Brevora includes accounting-specific phishing templates plus the ability to generate custom scenarios using AI. Here is the kind of thing your team should be able to recognize.

Tax season favorite

Fake IRS e-Services suspension notice

A spoofed IRS email warns that e-Services access will be suspended unless staff verify credentials within 24 hours. Designed to create panic and bypass skepticism.

High-dollar threat

Fraudulent ACH bank change request

An email from a "longtime client" requests an urgent change to their bank account number before a scheduled refund transfer. Costs firms tens of thousands when it lands.

Credential harvest

Fake client portal login page

A lookalike login page for your document portal (NetClient CS, Canopy, ShareFile) intercepts staff credentials. Often follows a convincing "file shared with you" email.

Business email compromise

Payroll diversion from the "managing partner"

An email that looks exactly like it's from your firm's owner asks someone in payroll or HR to update direct deposit details before Friday's run.

Invoice fraud

Fake software renewal invoice

A convincing invoice for "Intuit ProConnect renewal" or "Thomson Reuters license" with a link that captures payment details or installs malware.

W-2 phishing season

Spoofed request for employee W-2 data

A "new client" or "partner firm" requests a list of employee W-2s or SSNs under a tight deadline. One of the IRS's most-reported tax-season scam patterns.

+ 20 more accounting-specific templates, and AI generation for scenarios specific to your firm.

Set it up before lunch. Let it run all year.

You do not need an IT person. You need 10 minutes and a list of your employees' email addresses. After that, Brevora runs monthly phishing tests and your annual training curriculum without any input from you.

1

Add your team

Upload a CSV or type in names and emails. Takes about 3 minutes for a 10-person firm. No integration, no IT help, no configuration call.

2

Send a phishing test

Pick a template tailored to accounting firms, or let AI generate one using your vendors and team context. Watch the results come in from your dashboard.

3

Training runs automatically

Anyone who clicks a simulation gets immediate targeted training. Everyone gets their annual curriculum on schedule, no manual follow-up required.

4

Download your compliance report

Pull a formatted PDF mapped to FTC Safeguards requirements any time. Hand it to your auditor, attach it to your insurance renewal, or keep it on file.

From accounting firms like yours.

★★★★★

"Our insurance broker sent us a list of requirements for renewal. Brevora's compliance report covered every single one of them. I forwarded it and never heard another word about it."

DL
David L., CPA
Managing Partner, 8-person CPA firm
★★★★★

"Three of my six employees clicked the fake IRS email on the first simulation. I wasn't expecting that. The training that followed was exactly what they needed, practical, not scary."

JR
Janet R., EA
Owner, tax preparation practice
★★★★★

"I had been putting off Safeguards compliance for two years because I assumed it would be expensive and complicated. Setup took 15 minutes and the first certificate was ready the same day."

MK
Maria K.
Owner, bookkeeping firm (14 employees)

Less than your E&O renewal.
Way less than an FTC fine.

All plans include phishing simulations, training courses, FTC Safeguards-mapped compliance reports, and employee certificates.

Starter
$49/month
Up to 10 employees
  • Unlimited phishing simulations
  • Full training course library
  • FTC Safeguards compliance reports
  • Employee certificates
  • Email support
Start free trial
Business
$199/month
Up to 50 employees
  • Everything in Growth
  • Custom training content
  • Multi-location support
  • Dedicated onboarding call
  • Phone & priority support
Start free trial

More than 50 employees? Let's talk.

Questions from accounting firm owners.

Almost certainly yes. The FTC Safeguards Rule covers any business "significantly engaged" in financial activities, which includes tax preparation, bookkeeping, and accounting regardless of firm size. A solo enrolled agent and a 40-person CPA firm are both covered. The employee training requirement has no size exemption.
No, and this is the most common misconception. Technical controls (firewalls, endpoint protection, patch management) satisfy different requirements. The Safeguards Rule specifically requires that your employees receive documented security awareness training. Your MSP protects your systems; Brevora documents that your people know how to recognize threats. Both are required.
It means you can produce evidence, on demand during an audit or insurance review, that specific named employees completed specific training on specific dates. A verbal "yes, we did a training" or a generic PowerPoint slide doesn't satisfy this. Brevora generates a PDF that lists every employee, what they completed, and when, formatted to match what FTC examiners and insurance underwriters ask for.
Brevora's reports are specifically designed to answer the questions insurers ask: who was trained, on what topics, and when, with completion percentages and phishing simulation results. We recommend reviewing the report with your broker before your renewal date to confirm it addresses their specific questionnaire. In our experience, it does.
Each module is 5–8 minutes. The annual curriculum is 4–6 modules, which employees can complete in one sitting or across multiple sessions. We built it this way deliberately, your staff has clients, deadlines, and actual work to do. Brevora doesn't ask them to set aside an afternoon.

Get your firm compliant today.

14-day free trial. No credit card. The compliance certificate your insurer and auditor are asking for.