vcfo finds tax opportunities for clients and partners with specialized tax experts to realize them. We comb your financials and operations for credits, accelerated tax benefits (e.g., depreciation), deductions not yet taken, and more. Recently, our team turned a client’s $1.1M prior year tax liability into a refund using this approach. See what we can do for you.

Tax burdens can be big and unwelcome surprises to business owners. This happens when owners lack awareness of all the tax advantages available to them and/or aren’t proactive in going after those that they do know about. This also occurs when owners rely on tax preparers who don’t initiate the upfront planning and work required to realize these advantages
or understand how respective advantages apply to the business.

In contrast, a strategic CFO serves as an aggressive advocate for an owner. Typically not tax experts themselves, strategic CFOs ask the right questions of the right people to surface every potentially positive tax path for the business. They engage with specific tax professionals to identify options (e.g., new markets tax credit, R&D tax credits, ERTC, cost segregation study, energy tax credits, etc.), assess availability, and enact advantageous strategies.

SITUATION

A company’s estimated tax liability for the prior year was calculated at $1.1M. A large portion of this liability stemmed from distributions to the owner who had a negative tax basis in the company. This occurs when distributions to an owner/partner exceed their tax basis equity in the business and makes every distribution a taxable event. For example, an owner invests $1M into a business but within two years extracts $2M despite the absence of sufficient profits.

SOLUTION

The business brought on a fractional CFO from vcfo. An extension was filed to allow time for determining the best path forward and alleviating as much of the tax burden as possible. Specific solution steps included:

• Evaluating tax friendliness of existing structures and jurisdictions
• Assessing other taxes (e.g., excise, sales) and related product and service definitions
• Identifying a more proactive tax advisor who seeks out solutions ahead of when they’re needed
• Engaging a tax specialty firm to perform cost segregation studies on all real estate assets
• Engaging a tax specialty firm to perform an R&D Tax Credit study
• Collaborating with advisors and tax specialty firms to generate cost segregation and R&D Tax Credit reports based on prior-3-years company data

RESULTS

Before the due date of the extension, prior year tax attributes detailed within the reports noted above were submitted as part of the updated filing. Instead of a hefty liability, the company was able to obtain tax refunds for prior years and drastically reduced its overall tax burden.

IN YOUR CORNER

A fractional strategic CFO with ties to the right tax expertise and who always has the best interest of shareholders front of mind can make a major difference in how much taxes you pay. Owners need someone who will advocate for them, ask tough but necessary questions, and work through an array of scenarios to put them in the best possible position. We’re here to help.

WE’RE HERE TO HELP

We’ve partnered with more than 5,000 businesses in our 27 years and can put our expertise and experience to work for you. Reach out and we’ll schedule a call to learn more about your company and see how we can help.