FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Learn more about how we work with you and your clients.
How do you work with advisors?
McCarthy Tax provides the same type of services as typical CPA firms, but our process has been engineered to leverage your financial planning expertise to provide the best tax planning and compliance. Your clients sign an information sharing agreement when they work with us so that we can communicate directly with you and share copies of returns or planning ideas. Each advisor is assigned to one of our team leaders (a CPA or EA) but also works with the rest of the team at various points throughout the year.
What does it cost to work with McCarthy Tax?
We charge a sliding fee based on the number of mutual clients that work with us. Advisor fees start at $3,000/yr for up to 10 clients and are in addition to the fees for client work. These fees help cover the cost of shared client portal and communication, weekly project status reports, three video calls per year, complimentary tax research, and an extended onboarding period through December for new clients.
How do you work with clients?
We use the best technology available to work with clients throughout the country. Client calls are conducted over Google Meet and documents are exchanged via a secure client portal that both you and your client have access to. Our clients are supported with a team approach with a central point of contact.
Can you work with clients in all 50 states?
Our team has experience in over 45+ states, so we can work with clients all over the country using our suite of cloud based applications.
Do you provide “white label” tax preparation?
This is an important question and one you should think closely about. Advisors want to work with a CPA because they understand how complicated the tax rules are and don’t feel comfortable preparing (or signing) their client’s tax return. In order for us to provide a truly “white label” service, you would need to sign the client’s tax return which means you are responsible for all the Circular 230 guidelines for paid preparers.
Rather than transferring this liability to you, we sign your client’s returns to relieve you of the risk of tax return preparation. Your client signs an engagement letter with us notifying them that we are responsible for preparing and reviewing their return and advising them of their responsibilities as clients.
What services does your company offer?
We provide a full range of tax preparation and tax planning services including individual, partnership, corporation, gift, and estate/trust returns. We also support select small businesses (primarily service based businesses) with Quickbooks Online and Gusto payroll services.
Can an advisor pay directly for client tax services?
YES! Advisors can pay for tax work on behalf of their clients. Many advisors that we work with have chosen to incorporate yearly tax preparation and planning work into their annual retainer. We can provide client quotes for you to help you determine your cost. Advisors with over 20 tax clients can apply for fixed pricing arrangements
What does your tax planning and projection work look like?
Most projections make use of BNA Income Tax Planner to provide in-depth calculations. BNA allows us to model multiple scenarios for projections that involve stock options, stock sales, etc., so that we can compare a range of options for your analysis. We share these results with both you and your client and answer questions on a joint Google Meet call.
Can I review a copy of my client’s tax return?
YES! Our process includes sharing a draft of the client’s tax return with you BEFORE it is filed. We find that clients often overlook tax documents and potential deductions that advisors are aware of. You have the chance to provide real tax value by helping them capture these deductions.
How can I get started working with you?
Schedule an introductory call so we can learn more about you and your clients. When you are ready to introduce us to one of your clients, copy us on the introductory email and we will invite the client to a free 30 minute introductory call. Once they schedule, we’ll copy you on the calendar invite. Our advisors are always welcome to join these introductory calls but are under no obligation.