The questions everyone asks.

No. SealedReturn is an AI-assisted document-preparation tool. We generate IRS-ready PDFs (Form 1040 + Schedule C + Schedule SE + state forms) that you sign and file yourself — through TurboTax, your CPA, or paper-mail. We are not an IRS Authorized e-file Provider. This is intentional ("Path A" by design): keeping you in control of the final signature, avoiding the IRS Pub 1345 regulatory surface, and dramatically lowering the "AI filed wrong return" liability surface.

When you start working on your return, we decrypt your document in transient memory (in your browser, or in a sealed server enclave that drops keys when the session ends). We send the image to Anthropic's Claude vision API with a prompt that includes the official IRS form layout. Claude returns structured JSON with field name + value + confidence. You see a side-by-side view (photo on left, fields on right) and confirm or edit each one.

Inputs we extract from photo: W-2, W-2c, 1099-NEC, 1099-MISC, 1099-K, 1099-INT, 1099-DIV, 1099-B, 1099-R, 1098, 1098-E, 1098-T, K-1, brokerage statements, receipts. Outputs we generate: Form 1040, Schedule 1, Schedule C, Schedule SE, Schedule D (basic), Schedule E (Multi-LLC tier), Form 8829, Form 4562, plus state returns for TX/FL/WA/NV at launch and CA/NY/IL/PA in Q4.

Yes — many users do. You upload your forms, we extract everything, you download the prepared return PDF + workpapers + source-document index, and your CPA reviews and files it. CPAs typically save 4-6 hours of prep time, which lowers your bill. We have a "CPA-handoff package" in the Multi-LLC tier specifically for this workflow.

No. Your documents are encrypted in your browser with libsodium-wrappers using a key derived from your password via Argon2id. Your password never leaves your device. The encryption key never leaves your device. We store ciphertext blobs in Backblaze B2 — even our employees and our cloud provider see only opaque ciphertext. To decrypt during AI extraction, we use a transient session key that drops the moment your session ends.

Your data is gone. We cannot recover it — by design. There is no "reset password and recover your data" link, because if there were, we'd hold a backdoor and the entire encryption story would be theater. We strongly recommend a passphrase manager (1Password, Bitwarden, etc.). When you sign up, we make this trade-off explicit and require you to acknowledge it.

They can compel us to hand over what we have. What we have is: ciphertext blobs (useless without your password), your email address, your subscription status, and 30 days of IP-address logins. We cannot hand over your tax documents, your SSN, your wages, or your refund amount — because we don't have those in any readable form. The court order would receive opaque ciphertext.

Yes — we are publishing the encryption layer on GitHub under the MIT license. Any technically-inclined user can verify "SealedReturn cannot read my data" by reading the code. (We are also publishing a public security audit by Trail of Bits / Cure53 in Year 1, once revenue funds it.)

No. The published price is the only price. State return is always included in every tier. There is no "refund processing fee," no "Live Assist" upsell at checkout, no add-on for additional schedules. Every dollar of cost is shown on /pricing before you start.

Three reasons. (1) The FTC settled $141M with TurboTax in 2024 specifically over the misuse of "free" advertising. We don't want to play that game. (2) "Free" attracts adversarial usage that doesn't convert. (3) Our cheapest tier ($39) is already lower than every paid alternative — we don't need a free funnel to justify it.

If you prepare your return on SealedReturn, then on TurboTax / H&R Block / TaxAct / FreeTaxUSA within 30 days, and the competitor computes a federal refund larger than ours by more than $25, we pay the difference up to $500. Email refund-match@sealedreturn.com with both PDFs + source documents. Federal only (state excluded). Inputs must match. One claim per taxpayer per year. See the full Refund Match Terms page.

No. SealedReturn is a software tool. We are not a CPA, EA, tax attorney, IRS Authorized e-file Provider, or registered tax preparer in any state. We do not provide legal, tax, accounting, or financial advice. We strongly recommend a qualified tax professional review your return before you file it.

Not at launch. Year 2 plan: SOC 2 Type II observation window (Vanta). Year 1 trust posture: open-source encryption layer (free verifiability), WISP (IRS Pub 4557 compliant), tech E&O insurance, founder identity, Refund Match Guarantee. SOC 2 is a nice-to-have for enterprise sales — irrelevant for the first 100-1,000 self-employed contractors who pick us on price + AI + encryption.

Five reasons. (1) Iskra is named publicly + accountable. (2) The encryption layer is open-source — verify it yourself. (3) The Refund Match Guarantee removes the financial risk. (4) Your data is encrypted such that even we can't read it — so even if we go out of business or get acquired, your data is still yours. (5) Path A means we never file your return — we are a prep helper, not a black box that filed something on your behalf.

Our Terms of Service include a data-portability + business-continuity covenant: in the event of shutdown, you get 90 days of read-only access to download all your data (decrypted in your browser using your password). Plus an export of all your generated PDFs in a .zip. We will also publish the encryption library on GitHub MIT (already on the roadmap), so if needed a third party can build a recovery tool from the same primitives.