Tax planning for business owners

The tax year, modeled before it happens.

Most planning starts after the return is already filed. We build the strategy in advance — entity structure, compensation, retirement, and real estate — then review it every quarter so it actually gets used, not just written once and forgotten.

Book a Planning Call From $13,000/yr · flat fee, quoted in writing before we start
CredentialEnrolled Agent — licensed to practice before the IRS in all 50 states
FellowshipNTPI Fellow, National Tax Practice Institute
Experience30+ years in tax controversy & planning work
ReachBusiness owner clients nationally, not just locally
What this actually is

Planning is not filing, and it isn't triage.

Not your CPA's job
Your CPA files what already happened. This is where we decide what happens next — before the year closes, not after. We work alongside your existing CPA; we don't replace them.
Not resolution work
If you're dealing with back taxes, a notice, or an audit, that's the resolution side of the practice — a separate engagement, priced and run on its own. Planning is for owners who are current with the IRS and profitable, and want to stay that way on purpose.
What's included

Four things, run on a real schedule.

Entity structure review
S-corp, partnership, or holding-company positioning, plus a reasonable-compensation analysis that holds up if the IRS ever asks about it.
Retirement & deferred comp strategy
Solo 401(k), defined benefit, and cash balance plans — sized to what the business can actually support, not a generic maximum.
Real estate & depreciation strategy
Cost segregation, Section 179, bonus depreciation, and basis planning for property the business or its owners hold.
Quarterly execution reviews
The plan gets checked against your actual numbers four times a year — the difference between a strategy and a document that sits in a drawer.
Fit

Who this is for — and who it isn't.

This is for you if

Your business has real, recurring profit — typically $500K+ in revenue — and you want a plan built around your actual numbers, not a template pulled off a shelf.

You're current with the IRS and thinking ahead, not trying to solve a problem that already landed.

Look elsewhere if

You need this year's return filed — that's prep work, not planning. Ask about our filing service instead.

You have an open IRS matter. Start with resolution; we'll fold planning in once that's closed.

Pricing

One fee. Fixed, in writing, before anything starts.

Standard engagementSingle entity, one core strategy $13,000/yr
Typical, layered strategyMost business-owner clients land here $15,000/yr
Multi-entity or complexMultiple entities, states, or owners — no fixed ceiling $25,000/yr +

Priced by strategy complexity, not by the hour. Highly complex, multi-entity situations are quoted above $25,000 based on actual scope. You get an exact number in writing before we start — no surprise add-ons. Paid annually, in advance.

Process

How it actually starts.

01

Fit call

15 minutes. We talk about your business and figure out honestly whether this is the right engagement.

02

Transcript & return review

We pull your real numbers before proposing anything — no strategy built on guesses.

03

Written plan & quote

A specific plan for your situation, priced in writing before you commit to anything.

04

Quarterly execution

We meet four times a year to make sure the plan is actually happening, not just filed away.

Questions

What owners usually ask first.

How is this different from what my CPA already does?

Most CPAs are built around filing accurately, not restructuring your situation in advance. We work alongside your CPA — building the strategy — while they keep handling your filings.

Do I still need a CPA?

Yes. We don't file your return. We design the plan; your CPA — or ours, if you'd rather consolidate — carries out the filing.

Are you a CPA?

James McIntosh is an Enrolled Agent and NTPI Fellow — federally licensed to represent taxpayers before the IRS in all 50 states, with 30+ years in tax controversy and planning work. EA is a different credential from CPA, not a lesser one, and it's the one that matters for IRS representation.

How is my fee actually determined?

By how many entities, states, and strategies are genuinely in play — not by the hour. Engagements start at $13,000/yr, and highly complex, multi-entity situations are quoted above $25,000 based on actual scope. You get an exact number in writing before anything starts.

Is this available outside my state?

Yes. Enrolled Agent status is a federal credential, so we work with business owners nationally, not only locally.

What if I already have an IRS problem?

Start with the resolution side of the practice. Planning is for owners who are current with the IRS and want to stay ahead of next year, not resolve this year's notice.

How do I start?

Book a 15-minute fit call. No pitch — just an honest read on whether this is the right engagement for where your business is right now.

Ready to see if this fits?

Book a Planning Call