Our Purpose

“Make people’s lives better through better management of their taxes and finances.”

Everything we do is centered on this goal. We want to help you establish order, reduce stress, and gain peace of mind with respect to your taxes and finances.

Why a CPA Isn’t Always Enough

While hiring a CPA to handle your annual tax return is a great start, many people discover they also need ongoing, proactive guidance. They might want regular check-ins, tax planning, help responding to IRS notices, or advice on major financial decisions throughout the year.

The key point:

• Tax preparation (the yearly filing of your returns) is distinct from
• Tax planning and advisory (guidance throughout the year).

Our service plans make these distinctions explicit and give you options for year-round assistance beyond the typical tax return preparation.

Overview of Service Plans

We offer three levels of tax-focused service plans, each designed to meet different needs:

1. On Request
2. Clarity
3. Elevate

Each plan builds on the previous one in terms of frequency of communication, complexity covered, and level of proactive support.

1. On Request (Business-as-Usual)

• How It Works:
  • You pay for the annual tax return separately, as always.
  • Any additional help during the year (e.g., a phone call, an email request, or an IRS notice) is billed at standard hourly rates.
• Who It’s For:
  • Individuals or businesses that only require an annual return and occasional, ad-hoc advice or assistance.
• Key Points:
  • No scheduled check-ins.
  • You reach out as needed and pay for extra services beyond tax prep at standard rates.
  • Flexible but potentially less predictable if you end up needing more support during the year.

2. Clarity

• What It Includes:
  • One scheduled check-in per year (often mid-year or near year-end) for tax planning.
  • A set number of consulting hours to use for phone calls, emails, and other tax-related questions.
  • A 15% discount on hourly rates for any overage beyond your plan’s included hours.
• Who It’s For:
  • Individuals or businesses with moderate complexity who want at least one strategic tax review during the year without worrying about large, unpredictable invoices.
• Key Points:
  • Provides a reliable mid-year or year-end tax check-in to minimize surprises.
  • Ensures you have dedicated hours for advice and support.

3. Elevate

• What It Includes:
  • Three scheduled check-ins per year (e.g., quarterly or triannually).
  • More allotted hours (e.g., 12 hours) for tax-related discussions and planning.
  • A 15% discount on any hours beyond the base amount.
• Who It’s For:
  • Clients with multiple businesses, complex financial structures, or those whose income and tax situations fluctuate significantly.
• Key Points:
  • Designed to handle more frequent updates and changes to your financial or business situation.
  • Reduces the risk of surprise bills or unexpected tax liabilities.

What’s Included in Tax Preparation vs. What’s Not

Included in Standard Tax Preparation

• Gathering necessary information and preparing the return.
• Basic error checks and routine clarifications.
• Finalizing and filing your tax return.

Not Included in Standard Tax Preparation

• Year-Round Tax Planning: Quarterly or mid-year estimates and advice.
• IRS Notices and Representation: Handling detailed IRS correspondence or audits.
• Amended Returns or Complex Foreign Reporting: Quoted as separate fees.
• Bookkeeping, Payroll, or Financial Consulting: Any significant bookkeeping cleanup or financial advisory work is separate.
• Catch-Up/Cleanup Work: Extensive reconciliation when books are not in order.

Key Takeaway: Standard tax preparation covers the act of filing the current year’s return. Anything else requires either a service plan or is billed separately as needed.

Additional Plan Details

1. Overages
   • Each plan provides a set number of hours for the year.
   • If you exceed your plan’s hours, additional time is billed at a discounted rate (15% off standard rates).
2. “Got a Minute?” Calls
   • Under a service plan, these quick phone calls or emails count against your allocated hours.
   • Without a plan, you’ll be billed at standard rates for all additional support.
3. IRS Notices
   • Responding to IRS notices is not part of standard tax preparation.
   • Under a service plan, this work will use your allocated hours or be discounted if you exceed those hours.
4. Tax Preparation Fees Remain Separate
   • All plans treat the annual tax return prep as its own engagement and fee.
   • The service plan is an additional agreement that you can opt in or out of at any time.
5. Upgrading Your Plan
   • If you find you need more frequent assistance or hours, you can upgrade from one plan to another at any point in the year.
6. Mid-Year Enrollment
   • If you join a plan mid-year, our first check-in includes a review of what has already happened during the year.
   • This review counts toward your plan hours but ensures you’re caught up quickly.

Handling Estimates and Safe Harbor

• Estimates Are Estimates: Income can change, and that may affect accuracy.
• Minimizing Surprises: Timely estimates help reduce the chance of large tax bills or penalties.
• Safe Harbor: If you cannot or do not provide updated financial information, we may rely on the prior year’s numbers to calculate quarterly estimates. This approach meets the basic legal requirements but may lead to over- or under-payments.

Pay-as-You-Go vs. Having a Plan

If you opt out of a service plan, you can still request advice or estimates on demand. However, each request will be billed separately at standard hourly rates. A plan simplifies billing by bundling some level of support and check-ins throughout the year.

Benefits of a Plan:

• Predictable check-ins and billing.
• Priority communications and dedicated hours.
• Less risk of missing critical tax deadlines or updates.

How This Differs from Bookkeeping Services

Our tax-focused service plans do not include bookkeeping or accounting. These are separate engagements because:

• Different Cadences: Tax deadlines follow specific statutory schedules, while bookkeeping may be done monthly, quarterly, or biannually.
• Different Skill Sets: Bookkeeping focuses on daily financial tracking, while tax services center on compliance and strategy.
• No Overlap in Fees: You only pay for what you need. If you need both bookkeeping and tax support, we can structure separate agreements.

Example of Tax Service Plan Deliverables

• Scheduled Check-Ins: Depending on your plan, we’ll meet once to three times per year.
• Estimated Tax Calculations: Mid-year, quarterly, or year-end.
• IRS Notice Assistance: If notices arrive, we help you respond.
• Priority Communication: Your questions and calls will be routed for faster responses.

Final Thoughts

Our tax service plans are designed to bring clarity and structure to your financial life. By choosing a plan that fits your needs—whether it’s on-demand support or proactive scheduling—you’ll enjoy:

• Fewer surprises when tax season arrives.
• Better financial decisions year-round.
• Peace of mind knowing there’s a plan in place to address your tax concerns.

If you have any questions or would like to enroll in a plan, feel free to reach out. We look forward to helping you manage your taxes more effectively and, ultimately, make your life better through better financial management.