Looking for a small business tax advisor from WealthAbility Network on West Coast - any recommendations?

That's helpful! Do they work with relatively small businesses too? Mine is just a little online shop, about $200k revenue last year. And did they help with both federal and state taxes? Oregon taxes can be a nightmare...

They definitely work with businesses of all sizes! My business was bringing in about $250k when I started with them, so pretty similar to yours. The strategies they teach are scalable, and sometimes the smaller businesses actually have more flexibility with certain tax strategies. For state taxes, yes, they helped with both federal and state. My advisor was very familiar with the specifics of my state tax code. Just make sure when you're looking for an advisor that you find someone who specifically has experience with Oregon taxes, as each state has its own quirks.

How does the whole process work? Do you still need your own CPA to implement their advice or do they handle everything? I'm intrigued but a bit confused about how it all fits together with my existing accountant.

I'm kinda skeptical about online tax services. How do they really compare to having someone who knows all the intricate details of the WealthAbility methods? Tom Wheelwright's strategies seem pretty advanced from what I've heard on podcasts.

The process is pretty straightforward - you upload your business documents and previous tax returns, and their AI analyzes everything to find opportunities. They then have tax pros review it and create customized recommendations. You can either implement these yourself, have your current accountant do it, or they can connect you with a partner CPA who's already familiar with their system. They actually have several WealthAbility Network members they work with, which is why I mentioned it. Their system is built on many of the same principles that Tom teaches, but uses technology to make it more accessible. The strategies aren't watered down - they're just delivered differently and often more affordably than traditional consulting.

Wait, how does that even work? They just sit on hold instead of you? Do they listen to your call with the IRS or something? Sounds kinda sketchy to be honest.

I've heard of these "get through to the IRS" services and I'm super doubtful. The IRS is basically unreachable these days. There's no way they're actually getting through when millions of people can't. Sounds like a scam to me.

They have a system that dials and navigates through the IRS phone tree automatically. When they reach a human agent, they call you and connect you directly to the agent. They don't listen to your call at all - they just make the connection and drop off. It's completely private once you're connected. The reason it works is they have specialized technology that keeps dialing and waiting on hold so you don't have to. It's not magic - they're just using technology to solve the hold time problem. I was also skeptical, but when I actually got through to the IRS after months of trying on my own, I was sold. It was especially important for getting clarity on some of the WealthAbility tax strategies I was implementing.

Thanks for sharing your experience! That's actually exactly the kind of approach I'm looking for - strategic planning rather than just compliance. Would you be comfortable sharing the name of your advisor either here or via message? And roughly what should I expect to budget for this kind of service?

I work with Michelle Sterling at Coastal Tax Advisors in the San Francisco area. She's fantastic and very knowledgeable about construction businesses specifically, which could be perfect for you. She has clients throughout the West Coast and handles everything virtually when needed. As for budget, it's definitely more expensive than traditional accounting services. I pay about $3,500 annually for tax preparation plus $250/hour for strategic planning sessions (usually 5-6 hours spread throughout the year). That sounds like a lot, but my tax savings have been nearly 8x what I pay her. The first year will be more expensive as they do a complete analysis and restructuring if needed. They typically work on a flat fee arrangement once they understand your business complexity.

I had the opposite experience actually. My WealthAbility advisor has been super responsive. I think it really depends on the individual practice rather than the network as a whole. Did you check reviews before signing on? Also, did you clarify communication expectations upfront? My advisor and I set clear expectations about response times from the beginning.

I didn't check reviews as thoroughly as I should have. The advisor was referred by a friend who had a good experience, but my friend's business is much larger than mine, so I think he got prioritized differently. You make a good point about setting communication expectations upfront. We never really discussed that, and I assumed emails would be answered within a couple of days. Next time I'll definitely make that part of the initial conversation and get it in writing. Still think the tax strategies were solid though, just frustrating to not get timely responses.