The full process
From phone photo to filed PDF — and the encryption flow that makes it possible.
crypto_secretstream_xchacha20poly1305 · key derived from your password via Argon2id · server stores ciphertext only
Snap a photo of every form.
W-2 from your employer, 1099-NEC from your clients, 1099-DIV from your brokerage, 1098 from your mortgage lender, K-1 from your partnerships. Take a phone photo or upload a PDF. Drag, drop, done.
Supported v1: 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.
Encrypted in your browser. Never plaintext on our servers.
The moment you upload, your browser runs libsodium-wrappers (the audited gold standard for cryptography in JavaScript). We derive an encryption key from your password using Argon2id (memory-hard, GPU-resistant). Your photo is encrypted with XChaCha20-Poly1305 — then transmitted as ciphertext.
You can verify this in your browser DevTools — the network request shows opaque ciphertext, not your W-2 image. No backend has the decryption key.
AI vision extracts every box, with confidence scores.
When you start working on your return, we decrypt the document in transient memory (in the browser, or in a sealed server enclave that drops keys when the session ends). Claude vision reads the document and extracts each field — Box 1 wages, Box 2 federal withholding, Box 3 Social Security wages, line by line.
You see a side-by-side view: photo on the left, extracted fields on the right, each one marked high / medium / low confidence. You confirm or edit. Nothing populates your 1040 without your approval.
Schedule C interview — conversational, not 47 menus.
If you're self-employed, our AI guides you through Schedule C in plain English: "Did you drive for work? Roughly how many miles?" "Did you use part of your home for work?" "Did you spend money on tools or software?" Receipts get categorized into the right Schedule C line automatically.
Behind every question is a citation to the actual IRS rule, so you can verify why a deduction is being suggested. No black-box AI.
Multi-state handling.
TX / FL / WA / NV first (no income tax — easy). CA / NY / IL / PA next. We compute state tax owed, fill the appropriate state return PDF, and add it to your download bundle.
Out-of-state freelance income? Multi-state allocation? We handle the common cases and clearly flag edge cases that need a CPA.
Download IRS-ready PDF. Review every line. File yourself.
Form 1040 + Schedule 1 + Schedule C + Schedule SE + Form 8829 + Form 4562 + state. Each line has the source document referenced ("Line 1: $84,000 — sourced from W-2 box 1, employer XYZ Corp"). Print and paper-file. Or upload the PDF into TurboTax's "Continue from prior" flow. Or hand it to your CPA.
We don't e-file. That keeps us out of IRS Pub 1345 compliance, state ERO registration, and the "AI filed wrong return" liability surface — and it keeps you in control of the final signature.
Responsibility matrix
Who does what, and why we don't e-file.
We chose Path A — PDF output, never e-file — for three reasons. (1) It keeps you in control of the final signature. (2) It avoids the IRS Authorized e-file Provider regulatory surface (Pub 1345 + state ERO registration in CA, OR, MD, NV, NY for compensated activity). (3) It dramatically lowers the "AI filed wrong return" class-action risk that the FTC has flagged for AI-assisted services post-DoNotPay.
| Task | SealedReturn |
|---|---|
| Sign the return | No |
| File the return (e-file or paper) | No |
| Verify accuracy of every line | No (we extract; you verify) |
| Provide source documents | No |
| Choose tax positions on edge cases | No (we suggest with citations; you decide) |
| AI extraction with confidence scores | Yes |
| Encrypted storage of your documents | Yes — ciphertext only |
| PDF generation | Yes |
| Multi-state form selection | Yes (TX/FL/WA/NV first; CA/NY/IL/PA next) |
| Refund Match: pay difference up to $500 | Yes (terms apply) |
Forms we generate (v1)
The starter library.
Additional forms (Schedule E, Schedule F, Form 8606, Form 5329, Form 2555 for expats, etc.) on the v1.5 / v2 roadmap based on customer demand.
See it in 60 seconds — no signup.
The /demo page runs a real W-2 photo through real encryption + real Claude vision. No account needed.