Managed IT Services for Accounting Firms

Your Firm Runs on Technology. Make Sure It Runs on the Right IT Partner.

Every billable hour at your firm depends on technology working the way it should. Tax preparation software, document management platforms, cloud collaboration tools, client portals, and the network tying it all together. When any of it breaks, your staff stops billing and your clients start worrying.

Most accounting firms do not have the internal IT expertise to manage all of this, and the ones that have tried working with a generalist IT provider already know how that story ends: slow response times during busy season, technicians who have never heard of CCH Axcess or Lacerte, and zero guidance on the compliance obligations that now carry real financial penalties.

Framework IT is a Chicago-based managed services provider that delivers IT support, strategy, and cybersecurity to organizations that need their technology to work every single day. We currently support over 300 clients across a range of industries, with 93 receiving our comprehensive managed services. Our 41 full-time, U.S.-based employees include 30 engineers across multiple tiers and specializations, and we bring an average tenure of 5 years with over 95% employee retention.

We are not a break-fix shop. We are a strategic IT partner built for firms that treat technology as a business investment, not an afterthought.

Schedule A Consultation Call Today

Download "The Accounting Firm Leader's AI Playbook"

Understand how to adopt AI inside your accounting firm with structure, oversight, and measurable business value. This playbook shows you how to protect sensitive financial data, navigate compliance and client confidentiality concerns, and turn AI into a practical advantage across your operations and client services.

Get Instant Access

Three professionals engaged in discussion around a large wooden conference table in a modern office meeting room.

The Compliance Pressure Is Real, and It Is Not Going Away

If your firm prepares tax returns, you already know that the regulatory environment around data security has intensified. The FTC Safeguards Rule, IRS Publication 4557, and the Written Information Security Plan (WISP) requirement are not suggestions. Tax preparers must confirm WISP compliance when renewing their PTIN, and falsely claiming compliance constitutes perjury. Fines under the FTC Safeguards Rule can reach $50,120 per day per violation.

The IRS Security Six baseline controls, mandatory multi-factor authentication on all tax software platforms (as of March 2025), annual risk assessments, incident response planning with 24-hour breach notification to the IRS Stakeholder Liaison, and mandatory security awareness training for all staff all add up to a compliance burden that most small and mid-size firms cannot maintain on their own.

Framework IT's comprehensive cybersecurity stack is included with every managed services agreement at no additional charge. It covers every layer of defense your firm needs:

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) powered by SentinelOne, providing AI-driven threat detection, automated quarantine, and forensic investigation
24/7/365 Managed Detection and Response (MDR) through BlackPoint Cyber, a SOC 2 Type 2 certified Security Operations Center that monitors, detects, and contains threats within minutes
Advanced Email Security through Mimecast, blocking phishing, spoofing, malware, and business email compromise attacks before they reach the inbox
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) enforcement across all systems
Security Awareness Training through KnowBe4, with simulated phishing campaigns and micro-learning episodes to turn your staff into your strongest line of defense
Dark Web Monitoring that scans for compromised credentials tied to your firm
SIEM Logging for security event aggregation, threat intelligence, and compliance auditing
Automated Vulnerability Scanning to identify outdated software, misconfigurations, and security gaps
Managed Application Control to prevent unauthorized or risky software from running on your devices
Enterprise-Grade Backup and Disaster Recovery through Axcient, with AirGap anti-ransomware protection, automated backup verification, and recovery point objectives as low as 15 minutes

Your virtual CIO (vCIO) develops and maintains your firm's security policies, including your Incident Response Plan, Acceptable Use Policy, Password Policy, Data Backup and Recovery Policy, Remote Access Policy, and more. These policies include employee attestation workflows so your firm has documented proof of awareness for insurance and compliance purposes. Policies are reviewed and updated annually to stay aligned with evolving threats and regulatory requirements.

This is not a menu you pick from. It is the baseline for every client.

Book An Initial Consultation

Modern office conference room with glass walls, wooden flooring, and two people discussing inside.

Business team collaborating on charts and graphs with laptop and coffee on table in office meeting.

Man in office using a computer with dual monitors displaying data and invoices in a modern workspace.

Smiling woman working on laptop at desk with documents in modern office with glass walls and blue carpet.

Busy Season Cannot Be a Season of IT Failures

From January through April 15, and again through October for extension filers, your firm operates under intense demand. Temporary staff come on board, hours extend, and your systems bear heavier loads. Downtime during this period is measured directly in lost billable hours and eroded client trust.

Framework IT's managed services model is built around proactive monitoring and maintenance that prevents problems before they disrupt your work.

24/7 Proactive Monitoring across your entire environment, including servers, endpoints, network equipment, and cloud platforms
Automated Patch Management that keeps systems current without disrupting your staff during working hours
Proactive Infrastructure Engineers (PIEs) who perform scheduled health checks on monthly, quarterly, annual, and bi-annual cadences, catching issues before they escalate
Lifecycle Management through our Lifecycle Insights platform, which tracks hardware age, performance degradation, OS supportability, and warranty status so your vCIO can plan replacements before failures occur
Scalable Infrastructure Guidance from your vCIO, including cloud migration planning, hardware refresh cycles, and system architecture that handles demand surges without degradation

Our actual average help desk response time across all priority levels is under 5 minutes. For critical issues, our SLA guarantees a 30-minute response during business hours. And when you call our Service Hotline during standard hours, you will always speak with a live Service Coordinator. If you ever have to leave a voicemail, we credit your account $25.

Your Firm Deserves an IT Partner That Understands Your World

One of the most common frustrations accounting firms report about their IT providers is a fundamental lack of industry knowledge. Generic support teams that do not understand the dependencies between your tax preparation, practice management, audit, document management, and CRM platforms create misconfigurations, missed requirements, and a constant need for your staff to explain and re-explain their environment.

Framework IT assigns every client a dedicated account team that stays with you over time:

Virtual CIO (vCIO): Your strategic technology partner who leads business-technology alignment, budgeting, vendor management, compliance guidance, AI strategy, and your multi-year technology roadmap. vCIO services are included at no additional cost, and our vCIOs do not receive sales commissions, eliminating conflicts of interest.
Service Manager: Your service delivery advocate who monitors ticket trends, response times, resolution quality, and acts as your escalation point for any service concern.
Client Lead Engineer (CLE): A senior engineer who serves as the internal technical authority for your account, ensuring continuity and context across all support activities.
Proactive Infrastructure Engineer (PIE): A dedicated engineer who performs scheduled health checks and proactive maintenance to prevent issues before they occur.
Dedicated Help Desk Team/Pod: A consistent group of engineers assigned to your firm, building familiarity with your environment, configurations, and workflows over time.

This is not a rotating call center. It is a team that knows your firm.

Strategic Technology Planning, Not Reactive Spending

Only 27% of accounting firms align their technology investments with their business goals, even though 93% are increasing IT spending. The result is reactive, break-fix spending that creates budget unpredictability and deferred investments that compound into larger problems.

Your vCIO changes this equation. During Strategic Business Reviews (guaranteed at least twice per year), your vCIO presents:

Lifecycle Insights Reports with prioritized hardware and software replacement recommendations
Annual Technology Budget Forecasts with detailed cost estimates broken down by year
Cybersecurity Threat Reports and security posture assessments
Technology Roadmap Updates aligned with your firm's growth goals
AI and Automation Readiness Assessments to help your firm evaluate and adopt new tools responsibly

Framework IT's pricing model reinforces this strategic approach. Our Business Optimization Framework rewards your firm for adopting IT best practices. As your environment becomes more standardized, secure, and well-managed, your monthly pricing decreases. Think of it as a safe driver discount for IT.

Secure, Friction-Free Remote and Hybrid Work

Most accounting firms now operate in hybrid models, but many moved to remote work during 2020-2021 with temporary solutions that were never properly secured or standardized. VPN configurations set up in a weekend, personal devices accessing client data without endpoint protection, and collaboration tools adopted without governance.

Framework IT supports secure remote and hybrid work through:

Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace administration, including license governance, user provisioning, and access management
MFA enforcement across all platforms and remote access points
Endpoint management for both Windows and Mac devices, including our full cybersecurity stack deployed on every managed endpoint
Cloud migration planning and execution, guided by your vCIO with a phased approach that maintains data integrity and minimizes downtime
Enterprise-grade backup that extends to remote endpoints, Microsoft 365 data, and Google Workspace data

Your staff can work from anywhere without sacrificing security or performance.

Predictable Costs, No Surprises

Accounting professionals understand budgets. Unpredictable IT spending, surprise hardware failures, emergency support calls, and one-off security incident costs conflict with the financial discipline your firm practices for its own clients.

Framework IT operates on a flat-fee managed services model. Your monthly cost is predictable and covers unlimited remote and onsite support for issues, unlimited moves, additions, and changes, your full cybersecurity stack, strategic vCIO services, proactive monitoring and maintenance, and vendor coordination.

Our No Surprise Billing Guarantee ensures you will never pay for any hourly or project work that was not pre-approved by an authorized decision-maker at your firm.

For firms that want even more predictability, our Enhanced Managed Services Plan includes unlimited project work in the monthly fee, eliminating the need to scope and approve individual projects separately.

30%

Improve Resolution Times

15+

Years Of Experience

100%

Satisfaction Guarantee

Our Services

Secure AI & Automation

Accelerate AI adoption with a managed service designed for security, governance, and long-term success. Our Secure AI & Automation solutions provide a dedicated AI advisor, structured implementation, employee training, and ongoing optimization to help your business build AI-powered workflows and automation with confidence. We help you increase productivity, reduce manual work, and deploy AI responsibly without compromising security or compliance.

IT Support

Ensure your business operations run smoothly with our proactive IT support. We provide 24/7 monitoring, issue resolution, and ongoing maintenance to keep your systems operational and secure. Our expert team is always ready to address your IT challenges, minimizing downtime and enhancing productivity.

IT Strategy

Align your technology with your business goals through our IT strategy services. Our vCIO consulting and tailored roadmaps help you plan and implement IT initiatives that support growth, reduce costs, and improve efficiency. We ensure your IT investments deliver maximum value.

Cybersecurity

Protect your business from evolving threats with our advanced cybersecurity solutions. From dark web monitoring to managed detection and response, we provide multi-layered defense strategies that secure your data, systems, and network. Stay compliant and safeguard your reputation with Framework IT.

IT Project Management Services

Ensure the success of your IT initiatives with our project management expertise. From infrastructure upgrades to software implementation, we deliver projects on time, within budget, and aligned with your business objectives. Let us handle the complexities of your IT projects while you focus on growth.

Cloud Services

Leverage the power of the cloud to improve flexibility, scalability, and collaboration. Our cloud solutions include migration, optimization, and ongoing management to ensure your business benefits from secure and efficient cloud infrastructure. Whether hybrid or fully cloud-based, we've got you covered.

Business Communication Solutions

Enhance team collaboration and customer interactions with our business communication solutions. From VoIP systems to unified communication platforms, we provide the tools your business needs to stay connected, productive, and efficient across all communication channels.

Business Internet Services

Optimize your connectivity with reliable, high-speed business internet solutions. We ensure your business stays connected with tailored plans designed for maximum performance and minimal downtime, supporting everything from daily operations to data-intensive applications.

What Our Clients Are Saying

★★★★★

They are always super quick to get back to you (usually less than an hour) while other jobs I've worked have taken literal days if not weeks. Everyone is always super nice super helpful. Every issue I've had has been resolved quickly and correctly. The last 2 times Ethan and Zander helped me out...

Tyler Kraus

Club Colors Buyer, LLC

The biggest benefit of your cloud phone system platform is the seamless communication and efficiency it provides, especially for remote team members who can stay connected and productive through user-friendly desktop and mobile apps. Your hands-on guidance, ethical billing practices, and real-time support distinguish you from other companies, ensuring we feel supported and confident. For anyone considering your services, I would highlight your unmatched combination of reliability, ethics, and support, which simplifies communication and offers invaluable peace of mind.

Shavon Truman

McCready Law Office

Framework IT is the most reliable MSP I have worked with in my 25 years in Office Management. Every staff member I encounter is professional and knowledgeable, and interactions in general are consistently positive. They have completely elevated the level of service we receive, and they are the...

Chelsea Woodmansee

IL Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism

We've been working with Framework for over 4 years now and their services and support are top notch. Our VCIO Arthur has been instrumental in enhancing our IT and security solutions and a big shout out to the entire support team including Matt and Irfaan for their incredible support in finding...

April Lickovitch

Lotus Marketing

I am very grateful for our partnership with Framework and appreciate the team so much! My most recent interaction was with Matt who is always so friendly as well as knowledgeable and efficient with any requests I send their way.

Kelly Yacono

NewRoot Learning Institute

"As a former owner of an MSP, I understand how challenging it can be to price IT services effectively. When I discovered Framework IT, I was blown away by their unique model—it perfectly captures what I tried to achieve for years in my own business. Their approach is transparent, fair, and tailored to fit the needs of businesses of all sizes, making it easy to budget. But what truly sets Framework IT apart is their commitment to partnership. They don't just offer support; they genuinely partner with you to ensure your success and back that up with their business model. Their team is incredibly responsive, knowledgeable, and always willing to go the extra mile to resolve any issues quickly. If you're in the market for an IT provider that combines innovative pricing with top-notch service, look no further than Framework IT."

Mark Kennedy

"Framework IT provides so much more than network support for our organization. We value the insightful advise and long term planning strategies offered to us. Framework IT scales technology solutions to our needs at a budget we can support. Year after year, we receive dependable service from...

Oak Leyden

1. Can You Handle Our Firm's IT Needs Without Us Having an Internal IT Person?

Yes. Approximately 70% of our clients operate without any internal IT staff. Our managed services plan is designed to function as your complete IT department, covering daily help desk support, proactive monitoring, strategic planning through your dedicated vCIO, comprehensive cybersecurity, infrastructure management, vendor coordination, user onboarding and offboarding, and backup and disaster recovery. For the infrastructure, security, and support domains, approximately 95% of day-to-day IT execution is handled by Framework IT, with your involvement limited primarily to business approvals, communicating organizational changes like new hires and departures, and participating in Strategic Business Reviews at least twice per year.

2. How Do You Handle Our WISP and IRS Compliance Requirements?

Your vCIO develops and maintains the security policies your firm needs, including your Written Information Security Plan, Incident Response Plan, Data Backup and Recovery Policy, Remote Access Policy, and others required under the FTC Safeguards Rule and IRS Publication 4557. All policies include employee attestation workflows to create documented proof of awareness for insurance and compliance purposes. Our cybersecurity stack addresses the IRS Security Six baseline controls, MFA enforcement on all platforms including tax software, encrypted backups with AirGap anti-ransomware protection, and security awareness training for all staff. Policies are reviewed and updated annually, and your vCIO can provide documentation and evidence for audits, insurance applications, and IRS inquiries.

3. What Happens If Our Systems Go Down During Tax Season?

Our entire service model is built to prevent that scenario. Every managed device, server, and network component is monitored 24/7/365 with automated alerting. Your Proactive Infrastructure Engineer performs scheduled health checks on a recurring cadence to catch issues before they escalate. Automated patch management, lifecycle tracking, and hardware replacement planning reduce the risk of failures during peak periods. If a server does fail, our backup platform (Axcient) can spin up a virtualized copy of that server in the cloud within minutes through its Virtual Office capability, allowing your staff to continue working while the hardware is replaced or repaired. Our SLA guarantees a 30-minute response to critical issues during business hours, and our actual average response time across all priority levels is under 5 minutes.

4. Do Your Engineers Actually Understand Accounting Software and Workflows?

Our support model is designed to provide deep familiarity with your specific environment. Rather than routing your tickets to a random pool of technicians, we assign your firm a dedicated Help Desk Team/Pod, a Client Lead Engineer who serves as the internal technical authority for your account, and a Proactive Infrastructure Engineer who performs recurring maintenance. These same people support your firm over time, building context around your software dependencies, integrations, and workflows. For line-of-business applications like your tax preparation, practice management, and audit platforms, we support the underlying infrastructure that allows those applications to run, including server health, network connectivity, database management, and authentication. When application-specific issues arise, we coordinate directly with your software vendors to facilitate resolution, so your staff is not stuck in the middle.

5. How Do You Protect Our Clients' Sensitive Financial Data?

Our cybersecurity stack is included with every managed services agreement and provides layered protection across your entire environment. This includes AI-powered Endpoint Detection and Response, 24/7 Security Operations Center monitoring by SOC 2 Type 2 certified specialists, advanced email security that blocks phishing and business email compromise attacks before they reach the inbox, dark web monitoring for compromised credentials, SIEM logging for security event analysis and forensic investigation, managed application control to block unauthorized software, and encrypted backups with immutable AirGap protection. Every action taken by a Framework IT employee in your environment is logged to an individual account, creating a complete audit trail for accountability and forensic capability. We also enforce MFA across all systems and conduct security awareness training with simulated phishing campaigns for your entire staff.

6. What Does Your Service Actually Cost, and Are There Hidden Fees?

Our pricing is based on our Business Optimization Framework, a model that rewards your firm for adopting IT best practices. As your environment becomes more standardized and well-managed, your monthly pricing decreases. Your comprehensive managed services fee covers unlimited support, your full cybersecurity stack, strategic vCIO services, proactive monitoring and maintenance, and vendor coordination. Our No Surprise Billing Guarantee means you will never pay for any hourly or project work that was not pre-approved by an authorized decision-maker. Hardware purchases, non-emergency after-hours support, and project work that meets specific criteria (changes to core infrastructure, requires multiple engineers, and exceeds eight hours) are scoped and approved separately before any charges are incurred.

7. How Do You Help Us Plan and Budget for Technology Investments?

Your vCIO serves as your strategic technology advisor and provides annual technology budget forecasts with detailed cost estimates, phased hardware and software replacement schedules aligned with your budget, a multi-year technology roadmap tied to your firm's growth goals, vendor management and contract negotiation, and AI and automation readiness assessments. These are presented during Strategic Business Reviews, which are guaranteed at least twice per year. Your vCIO uses our Lifecycle Insights platform to track the age, performance, OS supportability, and warranty status of every device in your environment, so replacement recommendations are data-driven rather than reactive. This approach replaces unpredictable break-fix spending with planned, phased investments that align with your fiscal year.

8. What If We Are Not Happy with Your Service in the First Few Months?

Framework IT offers a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee: if your firm is dissatisfied within the first 30 days, we issue a full refund of the onboarding fee and first month's service, and we facilitate the transition to an alternative provider. Beyond that, your first 90 days operate on a month-to-month basis with only a 60-day written notice requirement for termination. This trial period lets you experience our support, strategy, and cybersecurity services firsthand before committing to a standard three-year term. We also measure satisfaction continuously through CSAT surveys after every ticket resolution and annual NPS surveys, with low scores triggering immediate follow-up from your Service Manager.

9. Can You Help Us Migrate to the Cloud and Reduce Our Dependence on On-Premises Servers?

Yes. Cloud migration planning and execution is a core competency of your vCIO. Many of our clients operate in all-cloud environments, which we consider a best practice within our Business Optimization Framework. Your vCIO will assess your current infrastructure, develop a phased migration plan that maintains data integrity and minimizes downtime, coordinate vendor relationships, and manage the project through completion. We have extensive experience with Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, and Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), including migrations from on-premises Active Directory to cloud-based identity management. For firms that are not ready for a full cloud transition, we support hybrid environments and provide strategic guidance on the right timing and approach for your situation.

10. How Quickly Can You Get Us Onboarded and Operational?

Our standard Partnership Transition Process takes 45 to 60 days, though we can expedite to as quickly as 30 days when necessary. The process includes four phases: Preparation (documentation gathering, kick-off call, team introductions), Transition Planning (leadership meeting, staff town hall, software tool transfer), Go-Live (help desk services commence, billing starts), and Post-Onboarding (quality assurance, documentation gap closure, first vCIO meeting scheduling). We take this time deliberately because sacrificing onboarding quality for speed risks a poor partnership start. Your vCIO and Service Manager guide you through every step, with clear timelines and expectations at each milestone.

Get in Touch

Let Framework IT be your trusted partner in managing the complexities of IT for investment banking in Chicago. Contact us today to learn more about how our proactive solutions can safeguard your business.

Phone: (312) 564-5446
Email: [email protected]
Address: 700 N Sacramento Blvd., Suite 101, Chicago, IL 60612

Get In Touch