New income tax service lets taxpayers calculate their carbon footprint, plus get CPA advice

Tax season just got a little easier for both consumers and the environment with the launch of EcoTaxFile.com, the world’s first online tax return service that helps clients save money on their taxes while showing them how to reduce their carbon footprint and earn green perks.

Available for tax filers in the U.S. and Canada, EcoTaxFile.com offers real-time, personalized consulting from professional tax accountants and provides individuals and small businesses with tools and specific recommendations for cutting their carbon consumption along with special offers and deals for less carbon-intensive activities.

“It’s simple: When you file your taxes with us, we’ll also calculate your carbon footprint,” says EcoTaxFile.com founder Brad Cran. “We then identify areas where you can reduce your impact to live cleaner and save even more money.”

A social entrepreneur by passion and accountant by training, Cran devised the EcoTaxFile.com concept to help people get the most out of both their tax returns and their lives. “We help our clients understand how, for example, taking a vacation closer to home can be a greener choice than flying the whole family to a tropical resort. And we offer incentives — like discounts to nearby hotels — to make those choices more attractive,” said Cran.

Unlike other online services, EcoTaxFile.com uses professional accountants who consult with clients in the preparation of returns. EcoTaxFile.com provides all the benefits of working with a tax professional without having to visit an accountant’s office. The company’s free Carbon Footprint Calculator measures greenhouse gas emissions, and its Eco Report helps clients discover ways to reduce their personal carbon footprint and live “greener.”

“EcoTaxFile.com gives consumers and small businesses a level of confidence in their tax returns that can only come from working with a full-time accounting professional,” said Jody Padar, CPA, MST, operations director for EcoTaxFile.com. “We provide direct access to full-time CPAs and tax professionals who can help eliminate the stress of tax filing while finding every possible way to maximize your refund or reduce your tax payment.”

EcoTaxFile.com also provides accounting and sustainability services to small businesses. “Being green is as much about operational efficiency as ethics. When a business lowers their carbon footprint they are also reducing their costs,” said Michelle Bonner, EcoTaxFile’s climate advisor. “This is why accounting and sustainability go hand in hand.”

EcoTaxFile.com has established key relationships with industry-leaders like Climate Smart Businesses Inc., which provides the science and emission factors behind EcoTaxFile.com’s Carbon Footprint Calculator and Eco Reports. The company has also teamed up with Offsetters as its official offset provider.

EcoTaxFile.com is a member of 1% for the Planet, meaning the company has pledged to donate 1 percent of their gross revenue directly to environmental organizations. EcoTaxFile.com will also use an additional 5 percent of its net profits to fund its own sustainability initiatives to fight climate change, supporting climate research and offering annual scholarships so that students studying climate change can complete fieldwork. The first scholarship will be announced on March 18, 2013.

EcoTaxFile.com is the world’s first tax return service where clients can take stock of their annual finances and environmental impacts at the same time. Tips, discounts and incentives make it easy for customers to make better choices that will reduce their personal carbon footprints and environmental impacts over the long-term. EcoTaxFile.com services individuals and businesses through secure personalized online service with competitive rates. EcoTaxFile.com helps people save money and live smarter by providing custom sustainability tips and tailored green perks.