Not Just a Tax Preparer

As we head into the last few weeks of tax season I’m always amazed at the number of tax clients we have who only come to see us once a year in March or April. Despite our best efforts to provide ongoing proactive tax and financial planning for ALL of our clients, we see way too many people put off anything related to their personal finances until the last possible second. Year-round tax planning is very important, especially in light of the added complexity of the new medicare surtaxes and higher tax rates this year. But tax planning is just one small piece of what we do.

We are a full-service financial planning, tax and investment advisory firm. While taxes are our central focus this time of year, we spend much of the rest of the year providing financial planning and investment advice. And who better to help you in all areas of your financial lives than your CPA financial planner? Just think of everything we know about you just from doing your taxes:

How much money you make. (W-2)
What you are saving for retirement. (W-2/IRA Deduction)
How many kids you have and whether you are married. (Page 1/dependents)
How much investment income you have from bonds vs stocks. (Schedule B)
Any side businesses you might have. (Schedule C)
If you own your house. (Real estate taxes - Schedule A)
If you have a mortgage on your house. (Mortgage interest - Schedule A)
How much are you saving for college. (529 plan deduction)
What are you paying in tuition for your kids. (Tuition credit)
What charities are important to you. (Charitable - Schedule A)
How much you pay your investment advisor. (Investment Expense - Schedule A)

These are just a few of the many things we learn about you just from doing your taxes! All of these are important pieces in your financial plan and some of the financial planning issues we often help clients with are directly related to this information, such as:

Are you saving enough for retirement?
How much do you need to retire?
Do you have the proper asset allocation?
Can you afford to buy a house?
Should you finance your purchase or refinance an existing loan?
How much do you need to save for college?
What is the best way to save for college?

I could go on and on. The point is simple - we can help you with more than just your taxes. Think of your tax returns as chapters in your financial biography and let us help you write the ending you deserve. As we wrap up your tax returns, take this opportunity to set up an appointment with us to review your overall financial situation. We can provide an objective look at where you stand and help you plan for your future