What planning looks like in practice
For most clients, planning is a quarterly conversation. We project the year's income, model a specific decision (Roth conversion, equipment purchase, retirement contribution, S-corp salary adjustment), and quantify the federal and state tax impact.
Decisions that move the tax bill
Small-dollar decisions don't meaningfully change a return. These do:
- Retirement contributions (401k, SEP, Solo 401k, IRA, HSA)
- Roth conversion timing in low-income years
- Tax-loss harvesting in taxable brokerage accounts
- Bunching charitable gifts into every other year
- S-corp reasonable salary analysis
- Section 179 and bonus depreciation on equipment
- Timing of installment-sale income recognition
- Multi-state residency planning for retirees and executives
The planning calendar
Mid-year is the projection: where income is landing and which levers are worth pulling. Fall is execution: conversions, contributions, harvesting, and equipment decisions while there is still calendar left to act in. December is the final check, and April is just the scorekeeping.
What you get from a session
Each planning session ends with a short written summary: the projection, the decisions modeled, the dollar impact of each, and who does what by when. No binder, no boilerplate, just the numbers behind the decision and the deadline attached to it.
Common questions
- When should I start working with you on planning?
- Ideally by mid-year. Decisions made in December have limited lever arm; decisions made in June have twelve months to compound.
- How is this different from just preparing my return?
- Preparation is backward-looking: we report what already happened. Planning is forward-looking: we change what happens.
- Do I need to be a high earner to benefit from planning?
- No. The dollars are smaller at lower income levels, but the planning levers (retirement contributions, Saver's Credit, Roth conversion timing) are often proportionally larger.
Related
Personal Income Tax Preparation
Federal and state 1040 preparation with year-round planning. We handle W-2, 1099, K-1, rental, and crypto income for individuals in Florida and all 50 states.
Business Tax Planning
S-corp reasonable salary analysis, entity elections, retirement plan structuring, and Section 179 and bonus depreciation planning for small business owners.
Other services we offer
Estate & Trust Tax Returns
Form 1041 preparation for estates and trusts, with K-1s for each beneficiary. We work with executors, trustees, and attorneys to file accurately and on time.
Amended Tax Returns
File Form 1040-X to correct a prior year return within the three-year window. We handle federal and state amendments for missed income, deductions, or credits.
Corporation & Partnership Tax Returns
Forms 1120, 1120-S, and 1065 preparation for corporations, S-corps, and partnerships, plus owner K-1s, shareholder basis tracking, and multi-state filings.
Sales Tax Planning
Florida sales tax registration and multi-state nexus filings. We handle monthly DR-15 returns and correspondence with the Florida Department of Revenue.