Playbook
The revenue math of one resolution case
Short answer
Net revenue per resolution case equals your fee minus software cost per case and any third-party costs. Effective hourly rate is net revenue divided by hours. Software cost per case falls as caseload rises: a $948 yearly seat costs $94.80 per case at ten cases and $47.40 at twenty.
By the BestTaxSoftware.com editorial team. Updated . Prices checked on vendor sites that day.
What is the formula?
- Software cost per case = yearly software cost ÷ cases per year
- Net per case = fee − software cost per case − other direct costs
- Effective hourly rate = net per case ÷ hours per case
- Yearly net = net per case × cases per year
What does a worked example look like?
Assumptions, all illustrative: $2,500 flat fee; 12 hours per case; 10 cases a year; Brevitax Pro at $948 a year; no other direct costs. None of these figures are survey data.
| Line | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Software cost per case | $948 ÷ 10 | $94.80 |
| Net per case | $2,500 − $94.80 | $2,405.20 |
| Effective hourly rate | $2,405.20 ÷ 12 | $200.43 |
| Yearly net | $2,405.20 × 10 | $24,052 |
Change any assumption in the calculator to see your own numbers.
Which assumption moves the result most?
Hours per case. Software cost is small relative to the fee at almost any caseload. Cutting hours per case raises your effective rate and frees time for more cases, which is why automation depth matters more than subscription price for a resolution tool.
Questions practitioners ask
- How much do tax resolution specialists earn?
- We do not publish income figures because we have no reliable data. Use your own fee, hours, and caseload in the calculator.
- Should I count unbillable intake time?
- Yes. Add it to hours per case, or your effective rate will look better than it is.
Sources
- Brevitax pricing (Brevitax)