Tax planning & preparation
Plan for taxes while there is still time to act.
Tax planning starts with current books, not a last-minute guess. We use quarterly checkpoints to keep the tax picture visible, organize documentation, support draft preparation where scoped, and coordinate with a licensed CPA or Enrolled Agent when signing, filing, representation, or another regulated service is required.
The short version
A clearer tax picture before year-end.
Current books
Planning uses the latest reconciled activity, not stale estimates that ignore what has changed.
Quarterly checkpoints
Review income, owner activity, estimated payments, and documentation before the year closes.
Organized records
Deductions, payroll categories, projects, sales-tax questions, and other records are easier to review.
Licensed coordination
The right licensed provider handles signing, filing, representation, or formal opinions when required.
Timing matters
Tax season should be execution, not discovery.
The most useful planning conversations usually happen while the year is still open. A quarterly rhythm gives the books time to catch changes in income, spending, payroll, entity activity, and cash before the final deadline.
- Update the expected tax picture from current books.
- Review estimated payments and tax cash reserves.
- Identify records or questions that still need attention.
- Coordinate planning moves with the appropriate licensed professional.
The planning rhythm
Four checkpoints, each with a job to do.
01 · Baseline
Start with clean records.
Confirm the books, prior returns, entity context, owner activity, and the questions that need licensed review.
02 · Update
Compare plan to reality.
Refresh income, payroll, owner compensation, major purchases, and expected changes from current data.
03 · Act
Use the open year.
Discuss planning moves that may still be available, then coordinate decisions with the appropriate professional.
04 · Prepare
Make tax season easier.
Finish the records, resolve open items, and organize the package for draft preparation and licensed review.
What the client receives
A planning package the right reviewer can use.
- A clearer estimate of the tax picture before year-end.
- Current books and cleaner records for preparation.
- A list of planning questions and moves to review.
- Estimated-payment and tax-cash guidance based on available information.
- Coordination notes for the CPA, Enrolled Agent, or other specialist.
The exact deliverable and licensed responsibility depend on scope. No tax savings, credit eligibility, filing result, or future outcome is guaranteed.
Clear boundaries
What we support—and what requires licensed responsibility.
Slate and Summit may support
- Quarterly tax-planning checkpoints.
- Estimated-tax planning support.
- Deduction and documentation organization.
- Draft return preparation where scoped.
- Sales-tax, nexus, or R&D documentation monitoring where appropriate.
A licensed CPA or EA handles
- Return signing and filing when their credential is required.
- IRS or state-tax representation.
- Formal tax opinions and other licensed conclusions.
- Final eligibility or technical determinations that require licensed judgment.
Slate and Summit is not a CPA firm. We do not represent clients before the IRS or issue formal tax opinions. Clear scope and licensed coordination are part of the service.
Frequently asked
Direct answers about tax planning.
Is tax planning the same as tax preparation?
No. Planning happens during the year so the current books, expected income, payments, and available decisions can be reviewed before deadlines. Preparation turns the final records into the return package.
Do you sign tax returns?
Slate and Summit is not a CPA firm. A licensed CPA or Enrolled Agent signs, files, represents, or performs other regulated work when required under their own authority. Draft preparation may be included where scoped.
Can you guarantee tax savings?
No. Tax outcomes depend on facts, law, timing, documentation, and licensed review. The goal is a clearer picture, organized records, and decisions made while there may still be time to act.
Can you help with R&D credit documentation?
Where appropriate, we may help organize payroll, contractor, project, and expense records for review by a qualified tax professional. We do not guarantee eligibility, credit amount, savings, or acceptance by tax authorities.
What if the books are behind?
Cleanup comes first. Planning built on incomplete or unreliable books can be misleading. We will define what needs to be corrected before the tax picture is treated as useful.
Before year-end
Build a tax rhythm that starts with current numbers.
We will help you see what the books support, what still needs documentation, and which questions belong with a licensed professional.