Frequently Asked Questions

Visit our New Client page to request a free consultation. Most consultations are scheduled within 24–48 hours and can cover tax advisory, tax preparation, or bookkeeping needs. There’s no obligation to become a client.

You’ll need prior year tax returns, income statements (W-2s, 1099s, K-1s), expense receipts, and bank or investment statements. We use a secure portal for uploads. Most clients gather everything in 1–2 hours. See our checklist at sdocpa.com/new/.

From first contact to engagement, onboarding typically takes 3–5 business days. We’ll send an engagement letter and secure portal access. Once you sign the agreement and upload your documents, we’ll schedule your first planning meeting or tax prep kickoff call to review your situation and timeline.

Yes. We work with clients in all 50 states and serve clients nationwide. Our CPAs are licensed in Texas and handle federal tax work for S-corporations, partnerships, and individual returns across the country. Multi-state returns are handled as needed.

We use QuickBooks Online for most bookkeeping and accounting clients, with real-time sync for bank feeds. We can work with Xero or other platforms in some cases. For tax-only clients, we accept exports from any major software, PDFs, or spreadsheets.

We prepare individual (1040), S-corp (1120-S), partnership (1065), sole proprietor (Schedule C), trust, and estate returns. We also handle international forms such as FBAR and Form 5472. See tax preparation services for the full list.

Business return pricing depends on entity type and complexity. S-corp and partnership returns typically start in the $1,200–$2,500 range. We give an upfront estimate after reviewing your prior return and current-year activity. See pricing for tiers and ranges.

File an extension if you need more time to gather documents or if we’re still working on your return by the deadline. Extensions give you until September 15 (business) or October 15 (individual) to file. You still need to pay any tax due by the original deadline to avoid interest and penalties.

Yes. We prepare amended returns (1040-X, 1120-X, 1065-X) when you need to correct a prior filing. We’ll quote the fee based on the scope of changes. Amended returns are generally due within three years of the original filing date.

CPAs are licensed by the state, must meet education and exam requirements, and follow continuing education and ethics rules. They can represent you in IRS audits and provide attest and advisory services. Unenrolled preparers can file returns but have fewer regulatory requirements and representation rights. See our full guide: CPA vs Tax Preparer.

We use a secure client portal for document uploads. After you’re set up, you’ll receive a link to log in and upload files. We don’t accept sensitive documents by email. The portal is encrypted and access is limited to your engagement team.

We categorize transactions monthly, reconcile accounts, and prepare financial reports. You submit receipts and bank feeds (or statements) through our portal. We handle QuickBooks setup and ongoing maintenance. Most clients spend under 30 minutes per month on bookkeeping tasks.

We use QuickBooks Online for most bookkeeping engagements. It integrates with many banks and gives you real-time access. If you’re on Xero or another platform, we can discuss compatibility. For tax-only clients we don’t require any specific software.

Monthly bookkeeping includes transaction categorization, bank and credit card reconciliation, and a monthly financial summary. Pricing is tiered by transaction volume. See pricing for tiers. We can add payroll support, bill pay, or catch-up work for an additional fee.

Yes. We offer catch-up bookkeeping to bring your books current before tax season or audit deadlines. We’ll quote a fixed fee based on how many months are behind and transaction complexity. Once caught up, we can switch you to ongoing monthly bookkeeping to stay current year-round.

Most clients receive month-end reports within 10–12 business days after the month closes. If you need faster turnaround for a specific month, we can often accommodate with advance notice. You’ll get financial statements and a reconciliation summary when the close is complete.

Tax preparation is annual compliance: filing returns for the prior year. Tax advisory is year-round tax planning to reduce future taxes through entity optimization, retirement strategies, and proactive moves. Preparation looks backward; advisory looks forward and saves you money.

For many S-corp and partnership owners earning $150,000+, yes. Advisory typically starts at $270/month. Strategies like reasonable compensation, QBI optimization, and retirement timing often deliver 3–10x the advisory fee in tax savings. We outline potential savings in the initial consultation.

Tax advisory usually makes sense for S-corp, partnership, or sole prop owners with about $150,000 or more in annual business income. At that level, planning around S-corp compensation, QBI, and retirement can yield savings that exceed the advisory investment.

It depends on your advisory tier. Tax Strategy Essentials includes annual planning sessions; Plus includes quarterly calls for proactive moves; Strategic Tax Partner includes monthly calls and same-day response for urgent questions. We’ll recommend a meeting cadence based on your business complexity and tax goals.

A reasonable compensation study documents the appropriate W-2 salary for S-corp owners who perform services. The IRS requires a reasonable salary before distributions. Our study uses market data, job duties, and a defensible range. It’s included in Tax Strategy Plus and Strategic Tax Partner.

Tax preparation is quoted per return after we review your situation. Bookkeeping is tiered by transaction volume (see pricing). Tax advisory starts at $270/month. Use our S-Corp tax calculator to estimate savings. We give upfront estimates; scope changes are communicated before additional charges.

Yes. For larger engagements we can split fees into two or more payments. Payment plans are agreed in advance and may include a deposit. Monthly advisory is billed monthly; bookkeeping is typically billed monthly or quarterly.

Yes. Tax advisory paid annually receives a 10% discount off the monthly rate. Bookkeeping and tax prep are quoted per period; we can structure annual arrangements where it makes sense for recurring clients. Ask when we provide your upfront estimate.

Our quotes cover the scope we discussed: return prep, bookkeeping tier, or advisory tier. We don’t charge hourly for routine work within that scope. Out-of-scope work (e.g., extra entities, one-off projects) is quoted separately before we start.

Generally no. We provide upfront estimates for tax returns, bookkeeping, and advisory services so you know costs before we start. If scope changes or new issues arise that weren’t disclosed initially, we’ll quote additional work before proceeding. Hourly consulting is available upon request for specialized projects.

We use email and the client portal for most communication. Advisory clients have scheduled calls; you can also message through the portal. For urgent matters we respond within one business day; advisory tiers may include same-day response.

We aim to respond within one business day for general questions via email or portal. Tax season (Jan–April) may be 24–48 hours due to volume. Advisory clients on Strategic Tax Partner tier get same-day response. We’ll set clear expectations during onboarding.

Yes. We’ll request your prior year returns and any workpapers from your previous preparer. You sign a release so they can send records to us. We’ll get you set up in our portal and schedule a kickoff call. Most transitions complete within 1–2 weeks.

We’re available year-round for all service lines. Tax prep is busiest Jan–April; bookkeeping and advisory run all year. You can reach us for estimates, planning, and questions anytime. Advisory clients have scheduled touchpoints throughout the year.

After you request a consultation, we’ll send an engagement letter and portal invite. You sign the letter and upload documents. We’ll confirm receipt and schedule your first meeting or prep kickoff. Onboarding usually takes 3–5 business days.

You can cancel with 30 days’ written notice. We’ll complete work already in progress and provide your records. There’s no long-term contract for tax prep or bookkeeping. Advisory is month-to-month after the initial term; we’ll outline terms in your engagement letter.

Yes. We prepare and file FBAR (FinCEN 114) for U.S. persons with foreign financial accounts over the reporting threshold. We also handle related international tax compliance. FBAR is due April 15 with an automatic extension to October 15.

Form 5472 is an information return required for certain foreign-owned U.S. entities and U.S. persons with reportable transactions with foreign related parties. We prepare Form 5472 and the related return (1120 or 1065). Missing or incorrect 5472 can result in significant penalties.

Yes. A U.S. LLC with a foreign owner is often a disregarded entity that must file a pro forma 1120 with Form 5472. We handle foreign-owned LLC compliance and can advise on structure and reporting requirements.

We prepare FBAR (FinCEN 114), Form 5471, Form 5472, Form 8858, Form 8865, and Form 3520 when required. We also work with Form 1040-NR for nonresident aliens. See our international tax services and form-specific guides for details.

Foreign income is generally reported on your U.S. return. Wages may be on a W-2; other income goes on the appropriate schedules. You may have FBAR and FATCA reporting if you have foreign accounts. We’ll identify required forms based on your situation and prior filings.

You’ll get a secure client portal link after onboarding. Log in to view and download prior returns, letters, and reports. We’ll notify you when new documents are available. You can also request copies by email if you’ve lost access.

We use a dedicated, encrypted client portal that’s access-controlled and secure. You upload documents like receipts and statements; we upload completed returns, reports, and correspondence. The portal link is unique to you and password-protected; we don’t send sensitive files by email.

All documents are exchanged through our encrypted client portal. We don’t send or receive tax returns, K-1s, or financial statements over email. The portal is password-protected with access controls, and all data is encrypted in transit and at rest. Our tools (including our tax software and cloud accounting platforms) maintain industry-standard security protocols. We maintain a Written Information Security Plan (WISP) that documents our data protection policies and procedures. Staff follow strict confidentiality protocols for data handling and access.

We use professional-grade tools across every service. For client communication and document exchange: TaxDome (encrypted portal with e-signatures). For bookkeeping: QuickBooks Online with automated bank feeds and real-time sync. For tax preparation: CCH Axcess (same platform used by large firms). For tax research: current IRS guidance, Treasury regulations, and professional research databases. We chose these tools for accuracy, security, and speed.

Yes. Every document exchange happens through our encrypted portal. We don’t email sensitive files. Client data is encrypted in transit and at rest, with role-based access controls so only your assigned team sees your information. We don’t share data with third parties except as required for filing (e.g., IRS e-file, state agencies). Our staff follow strict confidentiality training and data handling protocols.

Yes. Bookkeeping and advisory clients can log into the portal or QuickBooks (where applicable) to view financials anytime. We update the books on a set schedule; you’ll see the latest once each month’s close is complete.