Why a Once-a-Year Accountant Isn't Enough for Your Business

3 days ago

3 min read

Most business owners hear from their accountant once a year, in the spring, when the return is due. By then the year is over. The decisions that shape your tax bill, like how much to pay yourself, when to buy equipment, or whether to make a retirement contribution, were made months earlier without anyone looking at the tax side.

That isn't a criticism of anyone's accountant. It's how the traditional model works: you bring in your records, we prepare the return, and we report what already happened. It works for filing. It doesn't work well for planning.

What year-round planning looks like

Year-round planning means your CPA is part of the conversation while there's still time to act. In practice, that looks like:

• Estimates that match reality. Quarterly estimated payments based on how the year is actually going, not last year's numbers.

• Owner pay set on purpose. For S corporation owners, a salary and distribution plan that holds up and doesn't leave money on the table.

• Year-end moves made before December 31. Timing of equipment purchases, retirement contributions and state pass-through entity tax (PTET) payments decided with a projection in hand.

• Questions answered when they come up. A quick call or email before you sign the lease, hire the employee or buy the truck, not a surprise on next year's return.

• Books that are ready at tax time. Periodic review of your books for tax readiness, working with your bookkeeper, so spring is a filing season instead of a cleanup season.

None of this is complicated. It just requires someone looking at your numbers more than once a year.

Introducing ECB Private Client Business Services

ECB Private Client Business Services is EC Barrett's year-round tax program for business owners. Your tax returns, planning and advice are covered for one flat monthly fee, with a direct line to a CPA who already knows your business.

There are four levels, so you pay for the amount of planning your business needs:

Level	Built for	What it adds
Essentials	Owners who want the basics handled all year	Business and owner tax returns, quarterly estimated taxes, a year-end planning meeting, and phone and email access
Plus	Most growing businesses	A mid-year planning meeting, owner pay and distribution review, book review for tax readiness, and PTET and retirement planning
Premier	Businesses facing bigger decisions	Quarterly planning meetings, an annual entity and election review, and planning for major decisions
Executive	Owners of larger or multi-entity businesses	Led by a tax partner, up to three related entities, 1099s and notice responses included, and coordination with your family's returns and other advisors

Each level includes everything in the levels before it.

A typical year on the Plus level

Here's how a year usually runs for a calendar-year business on the Plus level. Your dates depend on your entity type and filing deadlines.

Month	What happens
January	Q4 estimated payment
February	Year-end book review
March	Business returns filed or extended
April	Owner returns filed or extended; Q1 estimate
May	Questions anytime
June	Q2 estimate
July	Mid-year planning meeting with a projection
August	Book review
September	Q3 estimate; extended business returns filed
October	Extended owner returns filed
November	Year-end planning meeting
December	Owner pay check-in and year-end moves

Is it right for you?

The program fits best if you own an S corporation, partnership, C corporation or growing sole proprietorship, and you've ever thought "I wish I'd known that before I did it."

What it doesn't include. We're your tax team, not your bookkeeper. Bookkeeping, payroll processing and book cleanup stay with your bookkeeper and payroll provider. We review your books for tax purposes and work with whoever keeps them. Additional entities, additional states, amended returns and special projects are quoted separately, except where the Executive level includes them.

What it costs. Plans start at $750 a month. Your fee is set by the scope of your business and stays the same every month, so you can budget for it. One good planning decision can pay for the whole year.

Get started

The first step is a conversation about your business and which level fits.

• Call Kevin Merck, CPA, Tax Partner, at 404-250-4598

• Book a meeting at calendly.com/kevinmerckcpa/freeconsult

• Send documents securely through SafeSend Exchange

• Learn more on the ECB Private Client | EC Barrett, LLC

EC Barrett, LLC has served the Atlanta market for more than 30 years from our Sandy Springs office.