Tax Preparation and Planning Services

Tax planning plays an important role in your financial health

We are taking on a limited amount of both individual and business tax clients. Please see below for our packages.

Taxes are inevitable. The goal should always be: decrease that amount of taxes as much as possible. That’s where our smart tax strategies come in:

maximize your tax refunds

serve as your professional, responsive guide

become a trusted advisor you can rely on

We have a dedicated team to help you optimize your choice of entity, take advantage of the Research & Development Tax Credit and maximize your QBI deduction. Tax laws are ever-changing and complicated. Can I write this off? Will this get me audited? Am I getting back what I deserve? These are questions we will help you answer.

Tax Planning & Preparation Packages

Yearly Prices

Compliance


We will get your tax return filed and analyze some tax strategies:

$1,500
  • 1 Personal Tax Return
  • Tax Return Review via Loom Recording
  • Quarterly Estimated Tax Calculations — Safe Harbor Only
  • Tax Optimization Checklist — Annual
  • Quarterly Tax Savings Newsletter
  • Tax Strategy Call — Annual
  • Guaranteed Turnaround Times — 6 Weeks
  • Tax Return Extension — Firm's Discretion
  • Point of Contact — Staff Accountant
  • Business Return — $2,000 a la carte add-on

Proactive

Faster turnaround time, and we will help you optimize your tax situation periodically throughout the year:

$5,000
  • 1 Personal Tax Return
  • Tax Return Review via Zoom Meeting
  • Quarterly Estimated Tax Calculations — Safe Harbor Only
  • Tax Optimization Checklist — Quarterly
  • Quarterly Tax Savings Newsletter
  • Tax Strategy Call — Quarterly
  • Guaranteed Turnaround Times — 4 Weeks
  • Tax Return Extension — Client's Discretion
  • Point of Contact — Manager or Above
  • Personalized Tax Plan
  • Government Notice Response
  • Email Support — Basic
  • Business Return — $2,000 a la carte add-on

Advisory

Fastest turnaround time, audit protection and we work closely with you throughout the year:

$15,000
  • 1 Personal Tax Return
  • Tax Return Review via Zoom Meeting
  • Quarterly Estimated Tax Calculations
  • Tax Optimization Checklist — Monthly
  • Quarterly Tax Savings Newsletter
  • Tax Strategy Call — Monthly
  • Guaranteed Turnaround Times — 2 Weeks
  • Tax Return Extension — Client's Discretion
  • Point of Contact — Manager or Above
  • Personalized Tax Plan
  • Government Notice Response
  • Email Support — Premium
  • Tax Audit Support
  • Business Return — $2,000 a la carte add-on
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What tax deadlines and extensions do you need to know?

Many tax deadlines fall in the first quarter. Historically, April has always remained important because it is the month when individual taxes are filed. The last day to file individual 1040 tax form is generally April 15th.

If your business is a C Corporation, tax returns are typically due on April 15th. For S Corporations, the deadline to file the income tax return typically falls on March 15th.

However, recent political events have caused tax deadlines to shift. That's where a CPA firm comes in. Our team can consult on which tax forms are due. We also can help you file for an extension, or calculate estimated tax payments, if required.

Do you know all the taxes you must pay?

(Some of these might surprise you)

For business owners who want to grow, this means dealing with more money. And typically, the more money you make, the more taxes you have to pay.

Income Tax

If you have a source of income, federal income tax is an inevitability for every individual in the United States. Apart from federal tax, 41 states require their residents to pay state income tax. Normally, you can file federal and state tax returns simultaneously.

States like Texas, Nevada, Washington, Alaska, and a few others don't have a state income tax. In comparison, New Hampshire and Tennessee only pose income tax on dividends and interest. Everyone from an individual to a business is liable to pay income tax.

For small businesses, income tax can be surprisingly tricky. For instance, many of the agencies that we work with are taxed as S Corps. S Corps come with a unique set of requirements and considerations, such as reasonable owner's compensation.

Sales Tax

If you are shopping in the United States, you may see sales tax levied on certain items. The sales tax is an important revenue generation source for states and municipalities.

Marketing agencies that offer pay-per-click (PPC) advertising services, such as Google Adwords, may be subject to sales tax. New Mexico, South Dakota and West Virginia, for example, implement taxes on these services, especially if you charge commissions or other fees for placing PPC ads.

Since Google generally does not charge tax on Adwords, some states require agencies to charge their clients sales tax. While some states don’t charge sales taxes on such advertising services, states such as California and New York charge taxes on certain qualified print materials and some finished artwork.

Property Tax

Business owners who own any type of real estate — such as an apartment, house, commercial shop, or a building — must pay property tax. The rate of property tax varies significantly from state to state with a rate dependent on the city, town, or county.

The property rate in different localities may differ because the tax is generally imposed on the value of the property. Property value is typically different from the market-value, which means that property owners may pay higher or lower tax based on the evaluation by authorities.

We take care of the tax forms and paperwork so you don't have to.

One again for all of the people in the back: Personal income and business income are regarded as two separate sources of income. Commingling funds is a common accounting mistake businesses make, and it posits a serious problem with legal implications. For instance, limited liability companies could lose their liability protection — due to “piercing the corporate veil” — because you’re exposing your personal assets.

Like everyone else, business owners and staff may be required to fill out the following employment forms:

Have data? We have answers.

Take a test drive of our agency dashboard today!

Another common tax return form is form 1120 used by C Corporations for income tax. Unlike S Corporation, whose profits are passed through to shareholders, the profits of a C Corporation are taxed separately from its owners under subchapter C of the Internal Revenue Code. C Corporations are owned by shareholders with a board of directors that make decisions and oversee policies. Its profits are taxed separately from its owners under subchapter C of the Internal Revenue Code.

Independent contractors and freelancers are required to submit W-9 forms — which is a record of your name, address, phone number, social security number of tax identification number. Business owners need to hold on to W-9 forms when they hire freelancers, subcontractors or vendors. While the IRS does not require the W-9 form when it comes time to tax filing, agencies need the form on hand when they submit 1099 to record payments of $600 or more.

Why DIY Accounting Can Create Problems Later On

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Yes, do-it-yourself tax preparation options like TurboTax are cheap. However, a trained professional will have attention to detail and expertise with tax laws that will keep your business compliant and help save you money in the long run  — including important tax deadlines, tax forms, tax credits and changes to deductions.

A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) firm has a team with the educational background, the continuing education and the experience to help your business grow smarter. CPAs fulfill basic business accounting functions, and they provide a variety of other financial and business management services.

Did you know many small businesses struggle with understanding reasonable compensation for owners? If owner salaries are considered too low by the IRS, this could trigger an audit or re-characterization of owner's draws. Our goal in working with you is to safeguard as much of your  net income from unnecessary taxes as possible.

Our team of trusted and qualified accountants, bookkeepers, CPAs and automation experts can help guide businesses of all sizes to meet their financial goals while considering tax implications.

The bottom line:

Would you rather be working on your business or in your business?

3 Bad Habits To Avoid

Like many business owners, independent contractors and can develop bad accounting and finance habits.  Here are some common traps that you should avoid.

We keep track of all of your documents for tax preparation and planning

Our virtual accounting firm has a streamlined method for obtaining all of the  financial and personal information  — such as social security numbers and dates of birth of your family members — for tax times. Our virtual client portal allows for drag-and-drop uploads on a secure environment. We also have an online form to gather all of the pertinent information, step-by-step and at your own pace.

We need to know about any sources of income:

freelance gigs,

commissions,

sponsorships,

income from the sale of a property,

profits from investments.

Additionally, we ask that you compile as much information that you can to increase tax refunds, such as IRA contributions, energy credits and student loan interest.

It’s also helpful to organize information about all of the taxes that you've paid, from state and local taxes to real estate tax and personal property tax. Do you have any other tax deductions and credits that could aid in a tax refund? This could include advance child tax credit, child care costs and education costs.

Get organized!

Get your tax documents organized with Chris Hervochon's free tax organizer. Download today!

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Why hire a CPA firm for your accounting?

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By definition, a CPA is a professional who is highly educated and who has passed standardized exams and receives yearly continuing education in order to maintain their status.

It’s common to lump CPAs in the same category as other accounting professionals. However, an accountant cannot legally provide the same services as a CPA. This includes auditing financial statements or representing taxpayers before the IRS.

Accountants do not necessarily have an accounting degree whereas a CPA must have a minimum of 150 semester hours — with a certain percentage of those hours dedicated to business or accounting. The state board of accountancy in each state and territory is responsible for determining who qualifies for the CPA exam — which is in four parts and is unified across all states and territories. At present, the pass rates for each part are around 50%.

CPAs Provide IRS Representation

If the worst case scenario occurs, only CPAs can represent you in the event of an IRS. A qualified CPA is authorized to represent clients at the highest-level, which means that you don't need to worry if you ever get a notice from IRS. A CPA is well-trained to sort out pending issues with the IRS on your behalf.

How can our CPA firm help?

Our clients include small one-person operations and large, robust marketing agencies who often seek guidance  regarding their business’ financial health, such as income statements, balance sheets, and statements of cash flows.

As virtual CFOs, we can help take the load off administrative tasks and help save money in the long run for marketing agencies of all sizes.

Outsourcing accounting and finance functions allows even small agencies to receive top-level help from a team of professionals without paying salaries of a full-time CFO. In this role, our CPA firm performs or oversees:

basic bookkeeping,

account reconciliations,

financial statements,

ad hoc reporting,

cash flow management & forecasting,

payroll,

make sales tax payments and complete other tax compliance duties.

Our virtual CFO firm help your business grow smarter and help meet their goals by working on their agency’s business and financial intelligence with viable proven strategies — including:

cash flow management,

forecasting,

budgeting,

investment guidance.

CLIENT REVIEWS

See what past clients are saying

Heather Bragg

Bragg Media Marketing

When I switched my business finances to Chris Hervochon's CPA firm, I noticed an immediate difference.

In what seemed like no time, Chris compiled an impressive document that examined my business revenue streams and compared it with industry standards. He also helped me develop KPIs and a plan to automate aspects of my business that increases cash flow.

Say what?!

I have a new level of excitement for my business because I have support that I need to meet my business goals.

I was embarrassed to show him what my finances look like under the hood (I’m looking at you, QuickBooks), but Chris was unfazed and actually made me feel really good at what I have already accomplished over the last decade.

I want to grow my business and I can’t think of a better partner to help me than Chris Hervochon.

Emma Tang Rhodes

Website Designer, Birdwell Agency

One thing I've learned about having my own business....stick to your strengths. And hire experts.

I texted my accountant to ask if I should tackle a specific part of my taxes on my own, so I wouldn't bug him so much (he shouldn't have given me his cell phone number, so that was his mistake)....and he sent me back an "LOL". He knows my strengths.

If anyone is looking for an accountant contact Chris Hervochon with A Better Way CPA. Hands down, the best.

Lauren Marcinkoski

Marketing Agency Owner, The Levy Group

I cannot say enough good things about this company! Chris and his team have made a tremendous difference in our efficiency and their tools allow us to make decisions strategically.

Michael Bragg

Bragg Media Marketing

Chris Hervochon is a virtual CFO for my marketing agency. His team has made our business more profitable (by more than 50%), and they have been valuable partners in helping our marketing agency growing smarter. We've increased our business and financial intelligence with regular meetings. Best of all, we can rest knowing our financial foundation is in good hands with Chris Hervochon! Thank you for all that you do for us.

Marcel Petitpas

Agency Profit Podcast

Chris Hervochon is often referred to as the Michael Jordan of accounting. 

Brian Zeiders

Chris was awesome to work with. He crunched some numbers for a business I was looking to buy. Once he ran all of the numbers he then took the time to break down the complex items for me and tell me what each item represented in terms that i could understand easily. I would highly recommend his services.

Christopher Linkimer

Vice President of Finance

Chris is a highly capable accountant, both from the perspective of technical accounting rules and practical, technology-driven solutions. Our company went through several M&A transactions during his tenure as a Senior Accountant and Accounting Manager, and he was a key member of the team evaluating the GAAP implications of these complex arrangements. Subsequently as the Finance Director for my product group, he automated several recurring processes and built financial models for new product development and existing product revenue forecasting.

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