How to Choose the Right Lacerte Hosting Provider: 7 Must-Ask Questions

For tax professionals, every busy season feels like a race against the clock. You’re juggling client deadlines, sensitive financial data, and complex workflows—all while needing fast, secure, and reliable access to Lacerte. The last thing you can afford is downtime, data loss, or a provider who doesn’t understand the stakes.

That’s why choosing the right Lacerte hosting provider isn’t just a technical decision, it’s a business-critical one. The right partner ensures your team can work securely from anywhere, collaborate in real time, and meet client expectations without interruption. The wrong one? It could mean costly downtime, security breaches, and frustrated clients.

Before you commit, it’s important to ask the right questions. In this guide, we’ll cover the 7 must-ask questions and show you how providers like Verito’s Lacerte Hosting meet them to keep your firm running smoothly.

1. How Secure is the Hosting Environment?

When you’re dealing with tax returns, social security numbers, and confidential financial details, security can’t be an afterthought. A good Lacerte hosting provider should treat your clients’ data with the same level of protection as a bank.

Here’s what you should ask:

• What type of encryption do you use? Look for providers offering at least 256-bit data encryption, both in transit and at rest.
• Do you provide multi-factor authentication (MFA)? MFA adds a vital extra layer of security beyond just a password.
• Is there 24/7 intrusion monitoring? Proactive monitoring and firewalls reduce the risk of data breaches.
• What certifications do your data centers hold? SOC 2, SSAE-18, and ISO 27001 are gold standards you should expect.

Why it matters: A data breach doesn’t just mean fines or compliance issues, it damages your reputation and can cost you clients. By ensuring your provider meets strict security standards, you’re protecting your practice as much as your clients.

Also read: Cloud Hosting Security Made Simple for Accounting Firms

2. What Uptime and Reliability Do You Guarantee?

Even the most secure hosting solution is useless if it isn’t available when you need it. For CPAs and tax professionals, every minute of downtime during filing season can mean lost productivity, missed deadlines, and unhappy clients.

Here’s what to ask your provider:

• What’s your guaranteed uptime? Look for 99.99% uptime SLAs. Anything less could mean hours of downtime across a tax season.
• Do you have redundant data centers? Redundancy ensures your data and applications remain online even if one server fails.
• What’s your disaster recovery plan? Ask about backup frequency, recovery time objectives (RTOs), and recovery point objectives (RPOs).
• Do you perform routine maintenance without disrupting users? The best providers manage updates and maintenance with minimal interruption.

Why it matters: In the middle of tax season, downtime isn’t just inconvenient, it’s expensive. A reliable hosting provider ensures that your Lacerte software stays available, responsive, and resilient, no matter what happens behind the scenes.

3. How Scalable and Flexible is the Hosting Plan?

Tax season doesn’t look the same in July as it does in April. During peak months, your firm might need to onboard extra staff, handle larger data volumes, and support more concurrent users than usual. The right Lacerte hosting provider should make scaling up (or down) seamless.

Questions to ask:

• Can I add or remove users easily? Seasonal spikes shouldn’t require complicated setup or long delays.
• How flexible is storage and computing power? A good provider allows you to scale resources up during tax season and scale back after.
• Is there downtime when upgrading? Expanding your plan should not disrupt day-to-day work.
• Can different users have different levels of access? Role-based access ensures staff get what they need without compromising sensitive data.

Why it matters: Scalability ensures that your hosting grows with your business needs, without forcing you into oversized (and overpriced) plans year-round. Flexibility saves money in the off-season while guaranteeing peak performance when you need it most.

4. How Easy is the Access and Collaboration?

One of the biggest advantages of hosting Lacerte in the cloud is the ability for your team to work together from anywhere. But not all hosting providers deliver the same level of accessibility and collaboration.

Here’s what to clarify with your provider:

• Can users log in from any device? Check if access works seamlessly across desktops, laptops, tablets, and even smartphones.
• Is remote access fast and reliable? Lag or frequent disconnects can kill productivity.
• Do they support simultaneous multi-user access? Multiple staff should be able to work on the same client files without conflict.
• Are there built-in collaboration features? Real-time updates, file sharing, and version control help teams avoid duplication or errors.

Why it matters: Remote work isn’t a temporary trend, it’s the new standard. Whether your staff is in the office, working from home, or traveling, they should be able to securely log in and collaborate on client files without missing a beat.

5. What Support Do You Provide?

Even the best technology can run into issues. During tax season, waiting hours (or even days) for a fix isn’t an option. That’s why the quality of your provider’s support is just as important as their servers.

Questions to ask your hosting provider:

• Do you offer 24/7 support? Problems don’t keep business hours, and neither should your provider.
• What support channels are available? Phone, chat, and email should all be on the table.
• Is the support team U.S.-based or offshore? Local support can often mean faster, more reliable assistance.
• Do you provide guaranteed response times (SLAs)? Knowing you’ll get help in minutes(not hours) gives peace of mind.

Why it matters: A two-hour outage at 2 AM in April can derail deadlines and client trust. Reliable, round-the-clock support ensures your firm isn’t left stranded when issues arise.

At Verito, our support team is available 24/7, including during peak filing season to make sure your Lacerte hosting never slows you down.

6. How Do You Handle Compliance and Data Regulations?

Tax professionals deal with some of the most sensitive information there is. Beyond keeping data safe, your hosting provider must also ensure strict compliance with industry and government regulations.

Here’s what to ask:

• Are your data centers compliant with IRS Publication 1075? This is essential for protecting federal tax information (FTI).
• Do you maintain SOC 2 or SSAE-18 certifications? These audits verify that the provider follows strict security, availability, and confidentiality standards.
• Do you follow state and international privacy laws (like GDPR, if relevant)? If you serve clients across borders, this matters.
• Do you have data retention and audit trails in place? These ensure you’re covered in case of legal or compliance reviews.

Why it matters: Non-compliance isn’t just a technical risk, it can mean penalties, lost clients, and even legal exposure. Choosing a provider that already aligns with IRS, SOC, and state regulations gives you peace of mind and shields your business from unnecessary risks.

7. What is the Pricing Structure (and Hidden Costs)?

While cost shouldn’t be the only factor in choosing a Lacerte hosting provider, transparency in pricing is non-negotiable. Some providers lure firms with a low base price but tack on unexpected fees for essentials like support, backups, or scaling.

Here’s what to dig into:

• Is pricing per user or flat monthly? Understand whether adding team members will multiply costs.
• Are backups and disaster recovery included? Some providers charge extra for services that should be standard.
• Are there setup or migration fees? Ask if moving your Lacerte software to the cloud comes at an additional cost.
• What happens if you need more storage or computing power? Clarify how scaling up affects your bill.

Why it matters: Transparent pricing protects your budget and ensures you don’t face surprise charges mid-season. The best providers keep their costs predictable, so you can plan ahead with confidence.

---

Bonus: Do You Offer Migration and Integration Support?

Switching from on-premises to cloud hosting shouldn’t disrupt your tax season. A reliable provider will guide you through the migration process, ensuring that your Lacerte setup, client data, and workflows move seamlessly to the cloud.

Questions to ask:

• Do you handle end-to-end migration? This includes installation, setup, and data transfer.
• How do you minimize downtime during migration? Providers should have a clear plan to keep your practice running smoothly.
• Can your hosting integrate with other tools I use? For example, QuickBooks, ProSeries, or other tax/accounting applications.

Why it matters: A smooth transition sets the foundation for long-term success. Providers who support migration and integrations reduce friction and let your firm hit the ground running.

Conclusion

Choosing a Lacerte hosting provider isn’t just about moving your tax software to the cloud—it’s about safeguarding your business, your clients’ trust, and your firm’s productivity.

By asking the seven questions above: covering security, uptime, scalability, accessibility, support, compliance, and pricing; you’ll separate the true professionals from the providers who only look good on paper.

The right choice ensures peace of mind during tax season and beyond. At Verito, we provide secure, compliant, and fully supported Lacerte hosting designed for tax professionals who can’t afford downtime or data risks. See how our hosting works with a free trial today.