Tax Planning
Review the tax effect of business decisions before you commit to them.
Online service across all 50 states
What this service is
Tax planning is the work done before the year ends to legally reduce the tax you will owe, as opposed to tax preparation, which reports what already happened. We meet during the year, project your income and tax, and test decisions while they can still change the outcome: how owners are paid, when to buy equipment or recognize income, whether your entity type still fits, how much to put into retirement plans, and how much to pay in estimates. Each meeting ends with a written action list.
Forms & documents involved
What we actually do
Project this year's tax
Build a projection from year-to-date books and expected activity to see where your tax is heading.
Model owner compensation and distributions
Test salary, distribution, and guaranteed-payment mixes for the lowest defensible combined tax.
Time income and deductions
Plan equipment purchases, depreciation elections, prepayments, and billing timing before year-end.
Review entity structure
Check whether LLC, S corporation, or C corporation status still fits your income and goals.
Set estimated payments
Size quarterly estimates using safe-harbor rules so there are no penalties or large April balances.
Deliver the action plan
Write down each recommendation, the deadline, and who acts on it.
Calculate your quarterly estimated tax payments
Find the amount that protects you from the federal underpayment penalty using the safe-harbor rules, and the four dates it is due.
- Safe-harbor target for the year
- $44,000
- Based on
- 110% of last year's tax
- Still to pay after withholding
- $34,000
- Payment 1 due
- Apr 15, 2026
- Payment 2 due
- Jun 15, 2026
- Payment 3 due
- Sep 15, 2026
- Payment 4 due
- Jan 15, 2027
Estimate only. A CPA will confirm what applies to you.
Set my estimates with a CPAYou probably need estimated payments if you have
- Self-employment or partnership income
- S-corp distributions without enough salary withholding
- Rental income or large investment gains
- A big bonus, equity vesting, or a business sale
- Withholding that covers less than last year's tax
- Income that changed sharply from last year
Prices by scope
Compare the work included at each price. Your final scope and fee are confirmed in writing before work begins.
CPA-led planning meeting plus a written action plan each quarter.
- Individual or one businessSession plus written action plan$460 per quarter
- Owner + businessHousehold and one entity planned together$720 per quarter
- Multi-entitySeveral entities, trusts or properties$1,180 per quarter
One-time analysis; revisited if income changes materially.
- One entityOne owner, salary and distribution mix$620
- Several owners2–4 owners or a planned entity change$980
- GroupSeveral entities or holding-company structure$1,580
Per-quarter calculation and payment voucher preparation.
- IndividualW-2 plus investment or side income$220 per quarter
- OwnerBusiness income, federal and one state$320 per quarter
- Multi-stateSeveral states or PTET estimates$460 per quarter
One-time projection run each fourth quarter.
- IndividualOne household return$560
- Owner + businessHousehold and one entity$880
- Multi-entitySeveral entities or a liquidity event this year$1,480
Priced per major equipment or asset purchase modeled.
- Single assetVehicle, equipment or software$320 per decision
- Building or fleetReal property improvements or several assets$580 per decision
What You Get
Quarterly tax strategy meetings with CPA-led action plans
Use current financial results to update the tax outlook and turn the review into actions with owners and deadlines.
Entity and owner compensation strategy (S-Corp/partnership optimization)
Compare compensation and entity choices with payroll costs, distributions, ownership facts, and the owner's wider income picture.
Estimated payment planning and safe-harbor management
Review prior-year and projected current-year tax alongside withholding and payments already made; identify the remaining cash commitment.
Year-end acceleration/deferral playbook for deductions and income timing
Evaluate proposed purchases, income recognition, and deductions before the relevant period closes, including their effect on future years.
Coordination across bookkeeping, payroll, and tax filings
Give the accounting, payroll, and preparation teams a documented set of approved actions so the plan reaches the books and return.
- Quarterly tax strategy memo
- Owner compensation recommendation
- Estimated tax calendar
- Year-end planning checklist
When this service may fit
- Quarterly estimates no longer feel tied to actual performance
- Owner compensation, distributions, or entity elections need to be revisited
- The company is approaching a major spend, restructuring, or expansion decision
- You want tax strategy to happen before deadlines instead of during filing cleanup
Better tax planning starts with better financial records.
Planning moves like owner pay, estimated taxes and equipment timing depend on knowing your profit during the year.
How It Works
Discovery and prior-return review
Establish a current-year baseline using business results, household income, prior returns, and expected changes.
Entity and cash flow diagnostics
Compare feasible alternatives for compensation, investments, entity decisions, and transaction timing using documented assumptions.
Strategy design and scenario modeling
Rank actions by tax impact, cash requirements, deadlines, and implementation effort rather than projected savings alone.
Quarterly execution and updates
Deliver an action plan with responsible parties and revisit the model when income or transaction facts change.
Your Role
Share decisions before they are finalized and keep forecasts current. Coordinate legal documents, payroll changes, and investment execution with the appropriate advisers.
Service Scope
A planning model is an estimate based on stated facts. Implementation, return preparation, legal restructuring, and specialist studies are included only when agreed.
Start Tax Planning online
Choose the closest scope and send your request online. We’ll confirm the final work and fee in writing before anything begins.
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