Frequently Asked Questions

We aim to file your business tax return by the original due date. Timing depends on receiving complete information by our firm document submission deadline, which we communicate in advance. If an extension is needed, we’ll contact you before the filing deadline, explain why, and obtain your approval before filing the extension.

We provide a clear request list tailored to your business so you know what documents and information to submit. If we don’t handle your bookkeeping, we typically request financial statements, Forms W-2 and W-3, payroll tax filings, and prior-year business tax returns, as applicable. For multistate businesses, we also request a breakdown of revenue, payroll, and rent by state.

Yes. We prepare multistate business tax returns. We request information about your business activities, including a breakdown of revenue, payroll, and rent by state. Based on the information you provide, we analyze the applicable filing requirements to determine which state returns your business needs to file.

Not at all. We will assist you with our tax preparation process remotely—whether you are at home, the office, or even at the beach (with working Wi-Fi, of course)! We offer electronic signatures for eligible documents and store your tax documents, completed returns, engagement letters, and IRS correspondence in your secure client portal, accessible whenever you need them.

Our fees depend on the scope and complexity of your business tax return, including your business structure, income and deductions, number of state filings, and any special circumstances. Visit our Pricing page for an estimate, or request a personalized quote based on your business needs.

We aim to file your personal tax return by the original due date. Timing depends on receiving complete information by our firm’s document submission deadline, which we communicate in advance. If an extension is needed, we’ll contact you before the filing deadline, explain why, and obtain your approval before filing the extension.

Not at all. We will assist you with our tax preparation process remotely—whether you are at home, the office, or even at the beach (with working Wi-Fi, of course)! We offer electronic signatures for eligible documents and store your tax documents, completed returns, engagement letters, and IRS correspondence in your secure client portal, accessible whenever you need them.

Our fees depend on the scope and complexity of your personal tax return, including your income sources, deductions and credits, number of state filings, and any special circumstances. Visit our Pricing page for an estimate, or request a personalized quote based on your tax situation.

Yes. We review your prior-year returns for open tax years and explain whether an amendment is necessary or beneficial. If penalties apply, we can work with the IRS and applicable state tax authorities on your behalf to request any penalty relief available under the law.

This is a common situation. If your Schedule K-1 is unavailable as the filing deadline approaches, we’ll work with you to file an extension so we can prepare an accurate return once the necessary documents arrive. An extension provides additional time to file, but not to pay any taxes due. We’ll help estimate your tax liability and guide you through any payment needed by the original deadline.

Planning ahead helps you understand your expected tax bill and identify opportunities to reduce it before key deadlines pass. We evaluate available strategies, coordinate estimated payments or withholding, and help you make decisions that support your financial goals.

You may be able to manage straightforward tax decisions on your own. Professional guidance becomes more valuable when you own a business, have multiple income sources, or face significant financial changes. We assess your overall tax situation and recommend strategies tailored to your needs.

Many ordinary and necessary business costs may be deductible, including wages, rent, office supplies, advertising, and qualifying business travel. Eligibility, documentation requirements, and deduction limits vary by expense. We review your records and business activities to help identify allowable deductions and separate business costs from personal expenses.

Estimated tax payments let you pay taxes during the year on income that is not fully covered by withholding, such as business, investment, or rental income. Whether payments are required depends on your expected tax, withholding, credits, and applicable payment rules. We help determine what to pay and when, or whether adjusting your withholding is appropriate.

We start by reviewing your business income, expenses, structure, and financial goals. From there, we evaluate applicable deductions, credits, retirement contributions, and tax elections, and compare potential strategies. Your Tax Planning Report explains our recommendations, projected savings, and the steps needed to put your plan into action.

Yes. We review the condition of your records, identify the periods and accounts that need attention, and propose a cleanup or catch-up scope. We confirm the work and fees with you before proceeding, then put a monthly process in place to help keep your books current.

Our monthly bookkeeping includes a Profit and Loss statement and Balance Sheet for the agreed reporting periods. We explain any outstanding bookkeeping items and discuss additional reporting needs during onboarding. For ongoing analysis, cash-flow discussions, estimated tax payments, and tax strategies, explore our Proactive Advisory service.

We can discuss sales tax and 1099 support as part of your service needs. These filings, registrations, and related deadlines are specifically scoped in your engagement rather than automatically included in every monthly bookkeeping arrangement.

Fees depend on your revenue, transaction volume, number of accounts, reporting needs, and the condition of your current books. We quote any historical cleanup separately from recurring work. Talk to a CPA for a proposal tailored to your business.

Yes. We support owner-only S corporations as well as businesses with employees. We help establish payroll and review compensation considerations based on your role and services. S corporation owners who work in the business generally need reasonable compensation for those services before taking non-wage distributions.

Yes. We review your business and employee information, identify the payroll tax accounts needed, and help configure the payroll system and pay schedule. We also explain the information, approvals, and funding you will need to provide before the first pay run.

You provide approved hours, pay rates, bonuses, reimbursements, and employee changes by the agreed cutoff. You also review and approve payroll and ensure sufficient funding. As the employer, you remain responsible for employment decisions, required employee records, and your payroll tax obligations.

Yes. We coordinate the recurring payroll tax filings, deposits, and year-end reporting included in your engagement. We confirm the relevant jurisdictions and responsibilities during onboarding. Prior-period corrections, notices, or additional registrations are assessed separately when needed.

Yes. We can coordinate payroll with your Bookkeeping and Business Taxes services so wages, payroll taxes, and related records are consistent. These services are separately identified in your engagement so you know what is included.

Fees depend on employee count, pay frequency, payroll jurisdictions, setup needs, and the support required. We explain our service fees and any payroll-platform costs in your proposal. Talk to a CPA to discuss your payroll needs.

Bookkeeping organizes transactions and produces financial statements. Proactive Advisory uses those records to analyze performance, forecast taxes, and recommend next steps. The books come first: reliable records give us the foundation for useful advice.

Our Tax Planning service focuses on a defined planning engagement and a personalized Tax Planning Report. Proactive Advisory provides an ongoing relationship that connects monthly financial reviews, business performance, annual tax forecasting, and strategy discussions as your circumstances change.

Yes. We first review the condition of your books and agree on any cleanup or catch-up work needed. We organize and reconcile the records before relying on them for financial analysis or tax forecasts. The scope and fees for that bookkeeping work are confirmed before it begins.

The service includes one 60-minute financial review meeting each month. We review your financial statements and business performance, discuss cash flow and tax planning, and work through questions and next steps. We also discuss how significant changes may affect your forecast and recommended strategies.

We typically review current financial statements, prior business and personal tax returns, expected income and deductions, withholding, estimated payments, and significant upcoming changes. Depending on your situation, we may also request paystubs, investment or property-sale information, and retirement distribution details. We provide a tailored request list and secure upload instructions after onboarding.

We can coordinate these services with Proactive Advisory, but the work included depends on your engagement. Your proposal separately identifies bookkeeping, cleanup, payroll, tax return preparation, and any strategy implementation so you understand the responsibilities and fees. Talk to a CPA to build a service plan around your needs.

The right business structure depends on your business needs. Key factors include compliance, flexibility, and tax savings. Do you need to talk to a CPA to find out more?

Yes. We can review your current business structure and recommend improvements. The wrong structure can cost you thousands of dollars each year in unnecessary registration fees, taxes, and missed savings. Failing to comply with federal or state requirements can also lead to costly penalties.

Yes. We review your intended effective date, eligibility, filing history, and reason for the delay to determine whether late-election relief may be available. When appropriate, we prepare Form 2553 and the supporting explanation. Relief depends on meeting IRS requirements and is not automatic.

An Accountable Plan sets out how a business reimburses you for qualifying out of pocket business expenses. Reimbursements must have a business connection, be properly substantiated, and require the return of excess amounts within a reasonable period. We prepare the Accountable Plan with excel templates, legal documentation, and reimbursement process.

Our New Business Formation service is a one-time $500 fee, regardless of which formation and setup options you select. Any applicable state or federal filing fees are additional and reimbursed by the client. Timing depends on receiving complete information and on state and IRS processing. Talk to a CPA to discuss your setup and timeline.