FAQ

Click on the questions below to locate the appropriate answers.

Privately Held Businesses and Not-for-Profits

Q: Is S&B accepting new clients?

A: Yes, S&B is accepting new clients.  To ensure a good match between S&B and prospective clients, we first meet for a consultation to learn more about the business, client expectations and service needs.

Q: What types of clients does S&B serve?

A: S&B serves privately held businesses, not-for-profit organizations and individual clients.  A selection of industries served includes: retail service, professional services, construction, manufacturing and real estate.

Q: What types of service does S&B offer?

A: S&B offers compliance services such as tax, accounting and audit services, as well as business consulting services, such as marketing and business plan strategies, strategic planning meetings, financial analysis and industry research.

Q: How does S&B determine what services my company or not-for-profit needs?

A: S&B will meet with you to better understand your business or not-for profit and what services you feel are needed.  After meeting, S&B will request a copy of your financial statements to perform a diagnostic of your accounting.  Once the meeting and review are complete, S&B provides a quarterly or annual proposal of services that only includes compliance and consulting services clients need and want.

Q: How does S&B work with my company's or not-for-profit's accounting department?

Q: What type of accounting software can S&B support?

A: Most accounting software is easily supported by S&B.  Clients transmit their accounting data through S&B's secure portal system, which is then uploaded to S&B's accounting software system.

Q: What measures does S&B take to ensure data security?

A: Information security is a top priority at S&B.  Our clients are provided with a user name and password to seamlessly transmit their data through our secure portal connection.  S&B invests in the latest technology and all necessary precautions to ensure data security.

Q: If I have my corporate and compliance work done at S&B, can I also have my individual taxes done?

A: Yes.  If your corporate accounting and tax work is performed at S&B, it is ideal that you have your individual tax service performed by S&B as well.  If, however, S&B is providing your organization with audit services, under the ruling of Sarbanes-Oxley, we cannot perform individual tax service for you.

Q: What can I expect if I choose to have my individual taxes done at S&B?

A: Clients who select S&B for their individual taxes receive annual service.  In addition to the tax interview and preparation and filing of the tax return, at minimum, clients also receive a year-end planning meeting, unlimited access to advice from their advisor, audit protection and IRS/FTB correspondence.

Q: How long does it take to prepare my tax return?

A: When S&B receives all requested information, S&B guarantees tax return completion within two weeks.

Q: How do you charge for your services?

A: S&B provides annual service to our individual clients.  Please contact S&B to answer a simple questionnaire for us to better assess the scope of your individual service needs.  S&B will provide you with a fixed price for your annual service before you meet with your advisor.

Q: Does S&B offer tax return service, without tax planning and consulting services?

A: S&B believes that early planning and on-going communication is an important component of tax service.  Year-end tax planning, unlimited access to advice, audit protection and IRS/FTB correspondence are all included in our minimum individual tax service package.

Q: When should I schedule my planning meeting?

A: Clients may schedule their tax planning any time after May 1.  Most clients use their planning meeting to discuss year-end tax strategies, however, the meeting can be used to discuss a variety of topics including personal budgets, financial planning, retirement, effectiveness of investments, occupation change and new-business start-up.

Q: What information does S&B need to prepare my taxes?

A: New clients provide their prior year tax return, in addition to requested source documents.  Please contact S&B for a detailed list of information needed to prepare your tax return.

Q: When is the latest date I can come in for tax preparation, without having to go on extension?

A: S&B only guarantees tax return completion by April 15 for clients who have submitted all of their information by March 31.

Q: Does my audit risk increase if I go on extension?

A: The majority of tax returns audited are drawn from returns filed on April 15.  Your risk of audit does not increase if you go on extension.

Q: If I move out of state, can S&B still be my CPA firm?

A: Yes.  S&B easily services clients out of state.  Many clients meet with S&B advisors via Web Conferencing, an internet based meeting that allows clients to see their advisor over the internet through the comfort of their home or office.