How Tax Torch is transforming personal tax planning for accountants

The challenge: Personal tax planning at scale

Accountants and bookkeepers know the struggle of managing personal tax planning. It’s often slow, manual, and, let’s be honest, a bit of a headache. Many firms still rely on spreadsheets, leading to inefficiencies, errors, and missed opportunities.

Enter Tax Torch—a tool built by accountants, for accountants. After four years of development, countless iterations, and real-world testing, founder Robert Davidson BA FCCA has launched a solution that helps firms deliver bespoke tax planning at scale.

But why was it necessary? And how does it actually work? Let’s dive in.

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Compliance vs planning: Understanding the difference

In accountancy, compliance is mandatory. Planning, however, is optional—but that’s where the real opportunities lie.

As Robert puts it, "A lot of firms don't even offer personal tax planning as a service, or they only provide it for a select few clients." The reason? Traditional tax planning methods are slow, complex, and require a high level of expertise.

But here’s the thing: compliance is a race to the bottom. With automation and software driving costs down, firms need to differentiate their services to stay competitive. Tax planning is one of the best ways to do that.

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The benefits of tax planning

When done right, tax planning moves the needle forward. Instead of scrambling to complete tax returns in January, firms can shift their focus to proactive planning throughout the year. The result? A smoother process, better client relationships, and ultimately, increased revenue.

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Why traditional tax planning methods don’t work

So, why can’t firms simply use spreadsheets and manual processes?

Robert’s seen it all: 200 different versions of the same template floating around, formulas breaking, and incorrect tax calculations slipping through the cracks. "There’s a high risk of error, and clients end up getting the wrong advice," he explains.

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Here’s the problem:

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Spreadsheets aren’t scalable – they get messy and unmanageable.

They lack visibility – tax planning notes sit in emails or meeting notes and never get revisited.

Client goals are overlooked – tax planning should be about the client’s long-term financial aspirations, not just numbers on a sheet.

There’s no collaboration – if a tax advisor and accountant aren’t sharing insights, opportunities are missed.

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The solution: How tax torch transforms tax planning

A tool designed for efficiency

Tax Torch is built to solve these problems. It provides a central location to track goals, monitor income streams, request information, and plan for current and future tax years—all in one place.

The software moves firms away from the last-minute tax return rush and instead enables real-time planning. “Let’s plan in the current year so that compliance becomes a tick-box exercise,” Robert explains.

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Key features accountants love

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Goal tracking – Understand what clients really want. Whether it's buying property, expanding a business, or early retirement, Tax Torch helps identify tax-saving opportunities.

Scenario planning – Compare different tax strategies and find the most efficient solution for clients.

Salary vs. dividend calculator – Quickly calculate the best mix for clients, taking into account pensions, corporation tax rates, and personal allowances.

AI-powered insights – Junior team members can instantly find answers to tax questions, making tax planning accessible to all levels of the firm.

Client collaboration – Clients can input their own data, reducing back-and-forth email requests.

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The numbers speak for themselves

During the webinar, a poll found that 86% of attendees still use spreadsheets or manual processes for tax planning. That’s a huge inefficiency.

With Tax Torch, firms can save clients thousands in tax while creating an additional revenue stream for their own business. Robert explains, "If you can show a client a £4,000 saving and charge them £50 a month for tax planning, it becomes a no-brainer."

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What’s next for firms?

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Firms using Tax Torch can expect to:

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Save time by eliminating repetitive, manual processes.

Improve accuracy with a structured, automated system.

Increase client satisfaction by providing proactive planning rather than reactive compliance.

Generate new revenue streams by offering tax planning as a premium service.

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With integrations on the horizon and continued improvements based on user feedback, Tax Torch is set to become a game-changer for firms looking to modernise their tax planning services.

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Ready to step up your tax planning game?

How is your firm currently handling personal tax planning? Are you still stuck in spreadsheets, or are you ready to explore a smarter, more efficient way? Start your free trial.

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