Client Engagement Letter
Engagement letter season shouldn't mean a mail merge, a stack of PDFs and weeks of chasing signatures. This template starts from your client list. Each client gets their own link with your firm's details, their name, tax year, services and fee already filled in and locked. They confirm their contact details, and FormSign turns the answers into your engagement letter for them to sign electronically. Open it, adjust the questions, and try it with a sample client before you send anything.
Last reviewed October 9, 2026 by FormSign team.
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Questions in this template
Engagement
- Client legal name (required)As it appears on your tax return.
- Entity type (required)Individual (Form 1040) · Sole proprietor (Schedule C) · Partnership (Form 1065) · S corporation (Form 1120-S) · C corporation (Form 1120) · Trust or estate (Form 1041) · Nonprofit (Form 990) · Other
- Tax year (required)
- Services in scope (required)The services this letter covers. Anything not listed is outside this engagement.
- Fee (required)The fee or fee basis agreed for this engagement.
Your contact details
- Client email (required)
- Client phone
- Client address (required)
- Name of the person signing (required)For a business, an owner or officer who can sign for it.
- Title (for businesses)
Your firm
- Firm name (required)
- Firm address (required)
- Firm contact email (required)
- Preparer or engagement partner
Before you sign
- Are the engagement details above correct? (required)Yes, everything is correct · Something needs to change
- If something needs to change, tell us what
- Send me the engagement letter to review and sign electronically. (required)
What is a client engagement letter?
A client engagement letter is the agreement between your firm and a client for a specific engagement, such as preparing a tax return for a given year. It typically sets out who the client is, the services in scope, what's out of scope, each side's responsibilities, the fee, and how the engagement ends. Many firms send one to every client every year.
When to use it
- At the start of every tax season, for every returning client.
- When a new client signs on, after your intake.
- When the scope or fee changes mid-year, such as adding bookkeeping or an amended return.
- When you want every client's signed letter stored next to their details, not scattered across email.
What to include
Who the engagement is with
Your firm's details and the client's legal name and entity type.
The period
The tax year or engagement period.
Services in scope
What you will do, listed plainly, so anything else is clearly out of scope.
The fee
The amount or basis you agreed. Lock it so clients can't edit it on the form.
Client responsibilities
Usually covered in your letter wording: providing complete and accurate information on time.
Contact details and who signs
Let the client correct these, since they change more often than you'd think.
A way to flag changes
A simple "something needs to change" question saves a round of emails.
What to leave out
Don't collect Social Security numbers or bank details on this form. Keep those in your tax software or client portal. This template is not for IRS e-file authorizations such as Form 8879, which have their own signature rules.
Why FormSign
Import your client list once and FormSign creates a personal link for each client, with your firm's details, their name, tax year, services and fee already filled in. You decide which details are locked and which they can correct. Every confirmation lands as a row on your board, so you can see at a glance who has confirmed, who asked for a change and who hasn't opened it yet. Add your own engagement letter as a document and FormSign fills it from each client's answers and sends it for e-signature, so you don't retype a single name or fee.
This template is a starting point, not legal or tax advice. FormSign doesn't supply engagement letter wording. Have your own attorney or professional advisor review your letter before you use it.
What gets filled in from your client list
| Part | Filled by | Client can change |
|---|---|---|
| Client legal name, tax year, services in scope, fee | You, from your client list | No (locked) |
| Entity type | You, from your client list | Yes (so they can correct it) |
| Email, phone, address, who signs | Pre-filled where you have it | Yes |
| Your firm's name, address, contact email and preparer | You, from your client list | No (locked) |
| Confirmation and change requests | The client | Yes |
| The engagement letter itself | Your firm's own letter, filled from the answers | Signed electronically by the client |
Spreadsheet header
Client legal name,Entity type,Tax year,Services in scope,Fee,Client email,Client phone,Client address,Firm name,Firm address,Firm contact email,Preparer or engagement partner
Questions
Does FormSign provide the engagement letter wording?
No. You use your firm's own letter. FormSign fills in each client's details from their answers and sends it for e-signature. Have your own professional review the wording.
Can clients change the fee or the services?
Not if you lock those fields. Locked fields show the client what you agreed but can't be edited. If something is wrong, they can tell you in the "something needs to change" question.
How do I send a letter to every client at once?
Import your client list as a spreadsheet. FormSign creates one personal link per client with their details already filled in, and each response becomes a row on your board.
Can I use this for bookkeeping or payroll clients, not just tax?
Yes. Change the services and the tax year question to fit the engagement, such as "Engagement period", and use your bookkeeping letter as the document.
Can I use this for IRS e-file authorizations like Form 8879?
No. IRS e-file authorizations have their own signature requirements. Use this template for your engagement letter only.
Do I need an account to try it?
No. Open the template, edit it and try it with a sample client. You'll create an account when you want to import your client list and send it.
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