Thomson Reuters ends updates and support for FileCabinet CS on December 31, 2027. On that date, the system that holds your clients’ returns stops getting security fixes. That affects your cyber insurance, your written information security plan (WISP), and your clients’ trust. Thousands of firms still use FileCabinet CS. If most of them wait, they will all need migration help in the final months before the deadline. This article explains each risk and what your firm can do now. Liscio’s FileCabinet CS migration service can get your files out well before the deadline.
Key takeaways
- Thomson Reuters ends updates and support for FileCabinet CS on December 31, 2027.
- Thomson Reuters says it cannot guarantee access to FileCabinet CS after that date, because of future operating system, security, or authentication updates.
- IRS Publication 4557 tells tax professionals to install vendor security patches. FileCabinet CS will get none after December 31, 2027.
- The FTC Safeguards Rule requires your WISP to identify risks to client data and decide how to handle them. An unsupported system holding client returns is one of those risks.
- Many cyber insurance policies limit or exclude claims tied to end-of-life software. Check yours.
- Firms that wait will compete for the same migration help in the last months of 2027.
When does FileCabinet CS support end?
FileCabinet CS support ends on December 31, 2027. Thomson Reuters says that after that date it will “no longer provide updates or support for FileCabinet CS.” Its support team will help with issues until then. Thomson Reuters recommends that firms move their data to another document management system before the deadline. (Thomson Reuters)
Thomson Reuters says firms may still be able to view, print, back up, and email existing documents after that date. It also says it cannot guarantee continued access, because operating system updates, security updates, or authentication updates could change how the software runs. (Thomson Reuters)
Your license matters before 2027, too. If your firm does not renew its FileCabinet CS license, you can still view and back up documents. You cannot add new documents, update the application, or open FileCabinet CS from more than one workstation at a time. (Thomson Reuters)
For a full overview of your options, see FileCabinet CS Is End-of-Life: Your Migration Guide.
What happens if I keep using FileCabinet CS after support ends?
FileCabinet CS may still open, but it will stop receiving security fixes, and Thomson Reuters will not help if it breaks. That creates four risks for your firm: open security gaps, weaker cyber insurance coverage, a new risk your WISP must address, and a larger client trust problem if a breach happens.
No more security patches
IRS Publication 4557 tells tax professionals to check with software vendors regularly and install patches that fix security gaps. (IRS Publication 4557) After December 31, 2027, no patches will come for FileCabinet CS. Any new weakness found in the software stays open.
That matters because of what FileCabinet CS holds: returns, source documents, and client records. The same IRS publication warns that data thefts at tax professionals’ offices are on the rise, and that thieves have placed tax practitioners firmly in their sights. (IRS Publication 4557)
Your cyber insurance may not cover it
Cyber insurer Coalition reported that its policyholders running end-of-life software were three times more likely to have a cyber insurance claim. (Coalition)
Insurers have noticed. A 2023 analysis by the law firm Allens found that many standard cyber policies now limit cover when an attack exploits software that had reached end-of-life or end-of-support status. Those limits can be full exclusions or lower payout caps. They can apply whether or not your firm knew the software was unsupported. (Allens)
Not every policy has this language. Allens also notes a second risk: if your firm knows about a weakness and does not disclose it at renewal, coverage can be at risk for that reason alone. (Allens) Read your policy for terms like “end-of-life,” “end-of-support,” or “known vulnerability,” and ask your broker how they apply to FileCabinet CS.
Your WISP has to account for it
Under the FTC Safeguards Rule, tax and accounting professionals count as financial institutions, regardless of size, and must create and maintain a WISP. (IRS) Every preparer who renews a PTIN on Form W-12 confirms they know paid preparers must keep a written plan that protects all taxpayer information. (IRS Form W-12)
Running FileCabinet CS after support ends does not, by itself, put your firm out of compliance. The Safeguards Rule does not name end-of-life software. It is a risk-based rule. It requires your firm to identify foreseeable risks to client data, decide how each risk will be reduced or accepted, and put safeguards in place to control those risks. It also requires regular checks for publicly known security weaknesses in your systems. (16 CFR 314.4)
An unsupported system that holds client returns is one of those risks. Your WISP needs to name it and say what your firm is doing about it. IRS Publication 4557 points the same way: inventory the software you use for tax data, install vendor patches, and adjust your security program as your circumstances change. (IRS Publication 4557) For FileCabinet CS, the patch path closes on December 31, 2027. That leaves replacement as the clearest way to close the risk.
A breach becomes a client trust and reporting problem
A breach in an unsupported system brings reporting duties. Under the Safeguards Rule, a firm must notify the FTC when unencrypted customer information for 500 or more consumers is taken without authorization. The notice is due as soon as possible and no later than 30 days after discovery. (Federal Register)
The IRS also asks tax professionals to report data theft immediately to their IRS Stakeholder Liaison and to the states where they prepare returns. State law may require you to notify clients directly. (IRS Publication 4557)
The IRS is direct about the business cost: a data theft can mean a loss of reputation, a loss of clients, or a loss of money. (IRS Publication 4557) Clients rarely ask what software you run. They will ask after a breach.
| Risk | What happens after support ends | What to do now |
|---|---|---|
| Security | No security patches for FileCabinet CS (Thomson Reuters) | Plan your migration before December 31, 2027 |
| Cyber insurance | Many policies limit cover for end-of-life software (Allens) | Read your policy and ask your broker |
| WISP | Your plan must address a system that can no longer be patched (16 CFR 314.4) | Name FileCabinet CS as a risk in your WISP, with your plan and date to replace it |
| Breach reporting | FTC notice within 30 days for 500 or more consumers (Federal Register) | Confirm your incident response steps in your WISP |
| Access | Thomson Reuters cannot guarantee access after future system updates (Thomson Reuters) | Move files to a supported destination |
This article is not legal or insurance advice. Confirm your coverage with your broker and your compliance obligations with your advisor.
Could a Windows update break FileCabinet CS?
It could, and Thomson Reuters names the risk itself. It says it cannot guarantee access to FileCabinet CS after December 31, 2027, because of possible operating system, security, or authentication updates. No one can say when or if that will happen. If it does, no fix will come from Thomson Reuters. (Thomson Reuters)
Windows updates have broken business software before. In November 2021, Microsoft confirmed that a monthly Windows update could stop some apps from opening after a repair or update. Microsoft’s fix was to uninstall the app and install its latest version. (BetaNews)
That fix depends on the software vendor still shipping new versions. After December 31, 2027, Thomson Reuters will not ship new versions of FileCabinet CS. If an update breaks it during filing season, your firm would be looking for a migration partner with no warning and no access to its own files.
Why will there be a last-minute rush to leave FileCabinet CS?
Thousands of firms use FileCabinet CS, and every one of them faces the same deadline: December 31, 2027. Most will wait until the deadline is close. Busy season then pushes their migrations into the last few months of 2027, when every firm that waited will be asking the same small group of providers for help.
The rush follows from four facts:
- The deadline is fixed. Every FileCabinet CS firm faces December 31, 2027. (Thomson Reuters)
- Firms delay. FileCabinet CS still works today, so it stays on the “later” list until the deadline forces a decision.
- Busy season squeezes the end of the calendar. Few firms will change their document system during filing season or extension season. For a firm that waits through 2027, the real window opens after the fall extension deadline. That leaves about 11 weeks before December 31.
- Late triggers push firms in a wave. A cyber insurance renewal question about unsupported software, a Windows update that breaks FileCabinet CS, or news of a peer firm’s breach can push many firms to act in the same month.
Put those together and thousands of firms will want migration help in the same short window. Migration work is done by specialists, and every provider has a limited number of them. Providers will not be able to take on that much demand at once, and wait times will grow. Firms that move last will compete for the fewest open dates, and some will not get a slot before the deadline.
“We see this with every deadline in our profession. Most people wait, and then everyone shows up in the same few weeks. I would much rather help a firm move on a quiet week in spring than in a crowded December.” Chris Farrell, CEO, Liscio
How long does a FileCabinet CS migration take?
Most Liscio FileCabinet CS migrations take 1 to 2 weeks. The exact time depends on the size of your database and on seasonal demand. As the deadline gets closer, demand will rise, so book your migration early to get the window you want.
Your firm controls the timing of the decisions that come first: picking a destination and confirming your folder structure. Liscio’s process maps and validates your folders, transfers your files, and runs a final audit before you go live. (Liscio)
For a side-by-side look at every path, see How Long Does FileCabinet CS Migration Take? If you plan to export on your own, read How to Export Files from FileCabinet CS first.
Where can I move my FileCabinet CS files?
You can move FileCabinet CS files to almost any storage system. Liscio delivers files ready to move into SharePoint, OneDrive, Google Drive, Box, Dropbox, Egnyte, SmartVault, ShareFile, a network drive, or Liscio. You do not need a Liscio subscription to use the migration service. (Liscio)
US-based Liscio specialists handle every migration, and Liscio is SOC 2 certified. Pricing is a flat fee, published on the FileCabinet CS migration page. For a full cost comparison, see How Much Does FileCabinet CS Migration Actually Cost? (Liscio)
If your firm chooses Liscio as the destination, files arrive read, named to your firm’s standard, and sorted by client, year, and form type. (Liscio) To compare every destination, see Where Can You Migrate FileCabinet CS Files? and The Best FileCabinet CS Alternatives for Accounting Firms (2026).
What should my firm do now?
Your firm should size its FileCabinet CS data, check its cyber policy, update its WISP, choose a destination, and book a migration window outside busy season. Each step takes little time now and removes a risk before it becomes urgent.
- Size your data. Find out how much data FileCabinet CS holds and which machines it runs on.
- Read your cyber policy. Look for end-of-life or unsupported software terms and ask your broker how they apply.
- Update your WISP. Name FileCabinet CS as a risk, note its December 31, 2027 end date, and record your plan and date to replace it.
- Choose a destination. Decide where your files should live next.
- Book a window. Pick a migration date outside filing season and extension season.
- Keep a verified copy. Thomson Reuters recommends storing documents in formats that stay accessible after future system updates. (Thomson Reuters)
“Nobody gets into this profession to manage a file migration. The firms that handle it early get it off their list and get back to client work.” Chris Farrell, CEO, Liscio
Get ahead of the FileCabinet CS deadline
Book a free migration assessment. We will size your data, help you choose a destination, and give you a clear plan and date.