A One-Time Decision for RIAs Evaluating Tax Preparation
Get a clear recommendation on whether to offer tax prep, which model fits your firm, and what to avoid before committing time, capital, or clients.
Fixed-fee, one-time engagement
No ongoing consulting or vendor sales
Built specifically for RIAs
Why this exists
Why this exists
Why this exists
Most RIAs underestimate what tax prep actually requires
Common RIA Assumptions
"We'll figure it out as we go"
Tax prep is treated as an extension of planning, rather than a separate operational function with its own staffing, process, and liability.
"We'll figure it out as we go"
Tax prep is treated as an extension of planning, rather than a separate operational function with its own staffing, process, and liability.
"We'll figure it out as we go"
Tax prep is treated as an extension of planning, rather than a separate operational function with its own staffing, process, and liability.
Vendor-led decision making
Firms rely on sales demos instead of neutral analysis.
Vendor-led decision making
Firms rely on sales demos instead of neutral analysis.
Vendor-led decision making
Firms rely on sales demos instead of neutral analysis.
Unclear ownership and risk
Responsibility for compliance, review, and client experience is underestimated
Unclear ownership and risk
Responsibility for compliance, review, and client experience is underestimated
Unclear ownership and risk
Responsibility for compliance, review, and client experience is underestimated
What This Engagement Provides
Model-level clarity before commitment
A neutral breakdown of viable tax prep models and where each one fails.
Model-level clarity before commitment
A neutral breakdown of viable tax prep models and where each one fails.
Model-level clarity before commitment
A neutral breakdown of viable tax prep models and where each one fails.
Decision-first guidance
Clear recommendations independent of any vendor relationship, designed to support a confident go-forward decision.
Decision-first guidance
Clear recommendations independent of any vendor relationship, designed to support a confident go-forward decision.
Decision-first guidance
Clear recommendations independent of any vendor relationship, designed to support a confident go-forward decision.
Operational reality, not theory
Grounded insight into staffing, review burden, seasonality, and leadership drag based on real-world implementation experience.
Operational reality, not theory
Grounded insight into staffing, review burden, seasonality, and leadership drag based on real-world implementation experience.
Operational reality, not theory
Grounded insight into staffing, review burden, seasonality, and leadership drag based on real-world implementation experience.
What’s Included
What’s Included
What’s Included
A focused engagement built around one decision
Decision Memo and Industry Brief
A comprehensive, neutral overview of the RIA tax landscape, including common models, hidden risks, and why firms get stuck delaying decisions.
Recommendation and Path Forward
A clear recommendation on whether to proceed and which model makes sense now, including why alternatives are higher risk or premature.
1:1 Strategy Session
A private, firm-specific discussion to translate the memo into a real decision based on your client base, capacity, and risk tolerance.
Implementation Guidance
Practical considerations for execution, including scope concepts, ownership expectations, timing, and common failure points.
Decision Memo and Industry Brief
A comprehensive, neutral overview of the RIA tax landscape, including common models, hidden risks, and why firms get stuck delaying decisions.
Recommendation and Path Forward
A clear recommendation on whether to proceed and which model makes sense now, including why alternatives are higher risk or premature.
1:1 Strategy Session
A private, firm-specific discussion to translate the memo into a real decision based on your client base, capacity, and risk tolerance.
Implementation Guidance
Practical considerations for execution, including scope concepts, ownership expectations, timing, and common failure points.
Decision Memo and Industry Brief
A comprehensive, neutral overview of the RIA tax landscape, including common models, hidden risks, and why firms get stuck delaying decisions.
Recommendation and Path Forward
A clear recommendation on whether to proceed and which model makes sense now, including why alternatives are higher risk or premature.
1:1 Strategy Session
A private, firm-specific discussion to translate the memo into a real decision based on your client base, capacity, and risk tolerance.
Implementation Guidance
Practical considerations for execution, including scope concepts, ownership expectations, timing, and common failure points.
Decision Memo and Industry Brief
A comprehensive, neutral overview of the RIA tax landscape, including common models, hidden risks, and why firms get stuck delaying decisions.
Recommendation and Path Forward
A clear recommendation on whether to proceed and which model makes sense now, including why alternatives are higher risk or premature.
1:1 Strategy Session
A private, firm-specific discussion to translate the memo into a real decision based on your client base, capacity, and risk tolerance.
Implementation Guidance
Practical considerations for execution, including scope concepts, ownership expectations, timing, and common failure points.
How this engagement is different
How this engagement is different
How this engagement is different
Clarity, neutrality, and operational realism
Decision-first structure
A defined engagement focused on reaching a clear decision, not open-ended advisory calls or ongoing retainers.
Decision-first structure
A defined engagement focused on reaching a clear decision, not open-ended advisory calls or ongoing retainers.
Decision-first structure
A defined engagement focused on reaching a clear decision, not open-ended advisory calls or ongoing retainers.
Model-level neutrality
Independent analysis of tax prep models without promoting specific vendors, platforms, or staffing solutions.
Model-level neutrality
Independent analysis of tax prep models without promoting specific vendors, platforms, or staffing solutions.
Model-level neutrality
Independent analysis of tax prep models without promoting specific vendors, platforms, or staffing solutions.
Operational reality
Grounded guidance based on how tax prep actually operates inside RIAs, including review burden, seasonality, and leadership drag.
Operational reality
Grounded guidance based on how tax prep actually operates inside RIAs, including review burden, seasonality, and leadership drag.
Operational reality
Grounded guidance based on how tax prep actually operates inside RIAs, including review burden, seasonality, and leadership drag.
Risk reduction
Designed to surface compliance, reputational, and execution risk before commitments are made.
Risk reduction
Designed to surface compliance, reputational, and execution risk before commitments are made.
Risk reduction
Designed to surface compliance, reputational, and execution risk before commitments are made.
Focused scope
A single, high-intensity engagement with clear boundaries, deliverables, and outcomes.
Focused scope
A single, high-intensity engagement with clear boundaries, deliverables, and outcomes.
Focused scope
A single, high-intensity engagement with clear boundaries, deliverables, and outcomes.
Execution-aware guidance
Practical implementation considerations so the decision survives contact with real operations.
Execution-aware guidance
Practical implementation considerations so the decision survives contact with real operations.
Execution-aware guidance
Practical implementation considerations so the decision survives contact with real operations.
Pricing
Pricing
Pricing
A single, fixed-fee advisory engagement
RIA Tax Launch Intensive
Independent, decision-focused guidance for advisory firms evaluating tax preparation.
$1,200
One-Time Advisory Fee
Comprehensive decision memo and industry brief
Comprehensive decision memo and industry brief
Comprehensive decision memo and industry brief
One 60 minute 1:1 strategy session
One 60 minute 1:1 strategy session
One 60 minute 1:1 strategy session
Written post-call recap with a clear recommendation
Written post-call recap with a clear recommendation
Written post-call recap with a clear recommendation
Model-level guidance on viable tax prep approaches
Model-level guidance on viable tax prep approaches
Model-level guidance on viable tax prep approaches
Implementation considerations and next steps
Implementation considerations and next steps
Implementation considerations and next steps
Optional introductions to vetted providers, if desired
Optional introductions to vetted providers, if desired
Optional introductions to vetted providers, if desired
In many cases, firms recoup more than the cost of this engagement through preferred partner pricing alone. These economics are optional and only relevant after a decision is made, but they often materially reduce implementation cost and risk.
How it works
How it works
How it works
A clear, fixed-scope process from start to decision
01
Pay & Prepare
After payment, you’ll receive a short intake questionnaire to capture your firm’s structure, client base, and objectives. This ensures the working session is focused on your actual constraints.
Pay & Prepare
After payment, you’ll receive a short intake questionnaire to capture your firm’s structure, client base, and objectives. This ensures the working session is focused on your actual constraints.
Pay & Prepare
After payment, you’ll receive a short intake questionnaire to capture your firm’s structure, client base, and objectives. This ensures the working session is focused on your actual constraints.
Strategy Session
A 60 minute 1:1 session to apply the decision memo to your firm and evaluate which tax prep approaches are viable, risky or misaligned. This is a decision session, not a general consultation.
Strategy Session
A 60 minute 1:1 session to apply the decision memo to your firm and evaluate which tax prep approaches are viable, risky or misaligned. This is a decision session, not a general consultation.
Strategy Session
A 60 minute 1:1 session to apply the decision memo to your firm and evaluate which tax prep approaches are viable, risky or misaligned. This is a decision session, not a general consultation.
02
03
Recommendation and Next Steps
You receive a written recap outlining a clear recommendation, supporting rationale, and practical next steps. The engagement concludes with a defined decision, not an open loop.
Recommendation and Next Steps
You receive a written recap outlining a clear recommendation, supporting rationale, and practical next steps. The engagement concludes with a defined decision, not an open loop.
Recommendation and Next Steps
You receive a written recap outlining a clear recommendation, supporting rationale, and practical next steps. The engagement concludes with a defined decision, not an open loop.
Our team
Our team
Our team
Meet the team behind your business success
Brian Smith, CFP®
Founder
Brian Smith, CFP®
Founder
Brian Smith, CFP®
Founder
Brian Smith, CFP®, works with registered investment advisory firms that want to expand into tax services without building or operating a traditional tax practice. He brings deep experience from advising hundreds of wealth management firms on tax preparation models, operational tradeoffs, and vendor selection. In his role at Taxfyle, Brian works directly with RIAs navigating capacity constraints, staffing challenges, and client expectations around tax filing and planning. His perspective is shaped by real-world implementation experience rather than theory or generic best practices. Brian’s work focuses on helping firms make clear, defensible decisions about whether and how to offer tax services. He is based in Miami and works nationally with advisory firms across a wide range of AUM profiles.
Brian Smith, CFP®, works with registered investment advisory firms that want to expand into tax services without building or operating a traditional tax practice. He brings deep experience from advising hundreds of wealth management firms on tax preparation models, operational tradeoffs, and vendor selection. In his role at Taxfyle, Brian works directly with RIAs navigating capacity constraints, staffing challenges, and client expectations around tax filing and planning. His perspective is shaped by real-world implementation experience rather than theory or generic best practices. Brian’s work focuses on helping firms make clear, defensible decisions about whether and how to offer tax services. He is based in Miami and works nationally with advisory firms across a wide range of AUM profiles.
Contact us
Contact us
Contact us
Questions? Want to learn more?
