From a Living Room Startup to a National Tax Software Leader | My Member Story

Young dreamers come up with all sorts of business ideas. But when two longtime friends share a vision, it can be something special. Having a shared vision helps, but sharing the journey with someone you trust? That’s the real advantage. That’s exactly how Dane Kimber and Scott Rasmussen created TaxHawk, Inc.

Friendship turns to business partnership

The journey began with Dane and Scott meeting and making their way at American Fork High School. After graduation, both attended Brigham Young University, where their friendship deepened. Dane became a computer engineer and Scott became an accountant at a large firm in Portland, Oregon. Different paths, but their complimentary skills were bound to collide.

That moment came in 2001, when Scott reached out with an idea—what if they built online tax preparation software that made filing easier and more affordable for everyday Americans? Dane agreed, and the two started making plans.

Built from the ground up

When it came to naming the website, Scott focused on a hawk as the company’s mascot. He thought it was a fierce, watchful protector which was an image they agreed would be representative of the company they had started—an advocate for the American taxpayer. That mission has stayed front and center as the company has grown over the past two decades.

In the early days, TaxHawk was run out of Dane’s living room. Dane and Scott kept their day jobs while pouring nights and weekends into writing the software, debugging code and preparing to launch the website. It was the kind of grind that most people never see—the unglamorous, determined work that happens long before anyone is paying attention.

In January 2002, TaxHawk was launched. It took off faster than either of them had imagined.

Growth that speaks for itself

TaxHawk’s growth has been steady—from Dane’s living room to a small office building and beyond. At the end of 2025, the TaxHawk team moved into a brand-new, state-of-the-art 70,000 square foot building. The space supports their current staff, seasonal scaling during tax season and the company’s continued growth.

A financial partnership built on trust

TaxHawk has been a Mountain America Credit Union business member since 2006. As the company scaled and revenue grew, they needed a financial partner to help guide their next steps.

“We were collecting all this revenue,” Dane shared. “What can we do with it? How can we earn a better rate of return on our money?” Mountain America had seen this before—a fast-growing business sitting on revenue with nowhere optimal to put it—and they knew exactly what to do. “They provided the products to do that,” he said. “They put together that solution for us as we grew, and that was extremely helpful.”

Local roots, national reach

There’s something quietly remarkable about TaxHawk’s story. Two friends from American Fork, late nights in a living room, a scrappy product launch—today millions of Americans file their taxes using their software.

We love celebrating members like TaxHawk—businesses built by real people, doing work that genuinely helps others and growing in ways that give back to the community. Here’s to many more returns—and milestones—ahead!