Tax planning time - again???

We get asked on occasion by new clients to help with their taxes. We tell them we are good at calling in their CPAs to talk about taxes, and that's who they should turn to for help. We get funny looks sometimes, but it doesn't change our (lack of) interest in doing tax returns. We keep a carefully selected database of good CPA firms for that purpose. For example...

I just received a very good newsletter outlining some excellent points for this year's tax planning, based on a host of new rules, some of which are intended to help taxpayers pay less tax. Best of all it's written in English instead of accountant-ese. Called "Tax Planning Letter 2009" it's a publication of Gerber & Co., Inc., a Los Angeles CPA firm. I bet if you dropped a note to Selwyn Gerber, Managing Partner, he'd send you one. Write him at sg@gerberco.com and tell him it's my fault. But you'll appreciate the good advice in the letter, so it's worth the effort.

As always I welcome your comments.

Comments

[Cary]

Relying on tax experts to do the job of tax work is a wise move. The trick however is to find a few (let a database full) of good tax experts.

The job of the CFO is to maximize long term profits, not minimize taxes.

[Gene Siciliano]

You're right, Cary, and finding that good tax expert isn't as simple as it sounds, especially for entrepreneurs and business owners who are more focussed on running the business. Sometimes it takes an expert to identify an expert, and every CEO needs to develop a bench of experts they can call on when needed, like an advisory board or a consulting CFO, for example.