It’s time to file your taxes and right on schedule, your mailbox is filling up with those end-of-year forms we all know too well. What’s your first move? Tax preparation begins by finding a Certified Public Accountant to help you prepare your returns, but how do YOU know which CPA is right for you and your unique situation? Since tax professionals do not come in one-size-fits-all, before committing to your tax professional, ensure they serve you and others like you. Like many other professions, CPAs can specialize in different areas of tax planning and preparation. Be sure the CPA you hire gets to know you and your unique situation. Perhaps you’re an entrepreneur, maybe you own multiple properties, or are close to retirement. These are all things your CPA should know to ensure your taxes are being filed correctly.

Before you commit to a CPA, ask questions such as: What types of clients do you work with? And whether or not they have filed taxes similar to yours. At SGL Financial, we have highly experienced CPAs who bring an abundance of tax knowledge to even the most complex situations. Once you begin to see the benefits, you’ll realize hiring a CPA was a great move for your financial plan and future. And what are some of those benefits? Let’s find out in Chapter 2.

At SGL Financial we often hear, “I am so glad I hired a CPA!”. But why?

CPAs are licensed professionals trained in understanding the latest and greatest laws and procedures set forth by the Internal Revenue Service. Stated more simply,  CPAs keep up on tax news we just do not have time in our daily lives to stay in the know about. This also means CPAs are the best way to ensure you receive your maximum refund, and to protect yourself against IRS audits, back taxes, unnecessary filing delays, or fees from delinquencies. What’s more, unlike DIY and robot tax preparation services, you can call your CPA and ask questions when you need to better understand your filing. Lastly, your CPA will work with your financial professional, such as a Certified Financial Planner, to make sure your taxes are aligned with your overall financial goals.

A Comprehensive Tax Plan at SGL is a holistic approach to taxes that encompasses both tax planning and tax preparation. Our dedicated CPAs and financial advisors work hard to help you understand the difference between the two and how strategically implementing both from the start will identify money-saving solutions that can be implemented into your tax filing and end-of-year tax planning.

Let’s get started by identifying what exactly is the difference between tax planning and tax preparation?

Tax planning is a service that helps you to optimize your tax situation before you file your taxes and tax preparation is the act of having an SGL tax professional file your taxes on your behalf. Comprehensive tax planning is important because it is a compliant way to identify and realize tax savings.

SGL’s Comprehensive Tax Planning Approach allows for ultimate preparedness and identified savings when it comes to topics such as:

• tax-loss harvesting
• managing capital gains
• managing distributions
• transition management
• making tax-smart withdrawals
• Roth conversion opportunities

What specific types of tax services can an SGL CPA help you with? Find out in Chapter 4.

Comprehensive Tax Planning – A combination of tax planning and tax preparation uniquely designed for your situation by a dedicated SGL CPA and financial advisor who have analyzed their clients’ individual financial needs and goals.

SGL Tax Preparation – SGL tax preparation combines expert CPA tax filing with a high-end concierge service aimed to help busy individuals get their returns filed fast and easy, with all the information they need to keep them in the know about their tax filing.

Tax Audit Preparation – Getting Audited by the IRS? Let an SGL CPA help prepare you for your audit review by ensuring the information being requested of you is being reported correctly.

Back Tax Assistance – Back Taxes (or taxes that were not completely paid when due) usually occur in conjunction with missing a deadline, not paying taxes, and even missing a tax filing. We help you understand the documentation and solutions you can implement to get back into good standing with the IRS.

Payment Plan Assistance – Nobody wants a tax lien, so when a payment plan is necessary, let SGL make the process smooth by ensuring making timely and accurate payments is an easy process.

Non-Filings & Amended Tax Returns – While not optimal, at SGL Financial we understand how non-filings and needed amendments can occur. We’ll prepare your filing and get you back on track enjoying the benefits of timely tax filings.

Believe it or not, the art of filing your taxes can go from simple to plain confusing and inaccurate in a matter of pages. We understand this unfortunate characteristic of tax filing and are passionate about helping clients avoid it leading to a stress free tax filing, year after year. We know how impactful being proactive and correctly filing your tax returns can be. At SGL we get excited when our clients save money and gain control over their tax filings.

If you are still on the fence about whether or not you will be bringing on a CPA, contact SGL Financial today and learn more about how our licensed tax professionals can save you time, money and keep you in good standing with the IRS.

Our experts are here to meet in the most comfortable and convenient way for you. Utilize our virtual drop-off, contactless drop-off, or in-person drop-off methods. We look forward to answering your tax questions and helping you maximize your returns.