Below are answers to common questions about fit, working with Clear Tax Compass, and choosing an engagement.
Clear Tax Compass is best suited for professionals, business owners, real estate investors, and international taxpayers whose situations involve more than a standard annual return.
That may include business ownership, rental real estate, investment activity, equity compensation, multistate income, select international considerations, or major financial decisions. The common thread is not a particular profession or income level, but a tax picture that benefits from context and coordination, with planning during the year when needed.
The Fit Review is a complimentary first step used to understand your situation, determine whether CTC may be a good fit, and identify what type of engagement may make sense. It does not include tax advice or a detailed review of your returns.
The Compass Review is a separate, paid professional service. It provides a focused review of prior returns or specific tax concerns. If the Compass Review leads to an annual engagement with CTC, the amount paid is credited toward the first-year engagement fee.
Every Fit Review is reviewed personally. You will generally receive a response within two business days.
If your situation appears to be a good fit, CTC will generally follow up to schedule a short introductory conversation which will help determine next steps. That may include a recommendation for a Compass Review, or a proposed annual engagement. If CTC is not the right fit, you will still receive a response.
The introductory conversation is used to confirm fit and answer general questions about the practice. It does not include a detailed review of documents or substantive tax advice.
The right engagement depends on the returns involved, the complexity of your tax situation, and how much planning, coordination, and support you are likely to need.
You do not need to choose an engagement before reaching out. The Fit Review gives Clear Tax Compass enough information to recommend an appropriate starting point. The proposed scope and fee are confirmed before any work begins.
Yes. Clear Tax Compass is a virtual practice based in the San Francisco Bay Area and works with clients throughout California and across the United States, including U.S. taxpayers whose situations involve select international tax matters.
Whether CTC can accept an engagement depends on the returns, jurisdictions, complexity, and services involved.
Yes. Clear Tax Compass is a solo-led tax practice. Suma O’Farrell, EA, is responsible for understanding each client’s tax picture, overseeing the work, and guiding the engagement.
This structure provides continuity and a clear point of responsibility throughout the relationship.
An Enrolled Agent is a tax practitioner who is federally authorized to prepare returns, advise on tax matters, and represent taxpayers before the IRS. A CPA holds a state-issued accounting license that may cover a broader range of areas, while the EA credential is specific to taxation.
For clients whose needs center on tax preparation, planning, and IRS-related guidance, the EA credential reflects specialized tax expertise.
Tax preparation often focuses primarily on completing and filing the annual return. CTC connects preparation with planning, explanation, and coordination when the tax picture calls for more than filing alone.
Depending on the engagement, that may include planning during the year, payment guidance, and coordination with other professionals. The goal is to understand how the different parts of a client’s situation fit together, identify matters that may need attention, and provide practical guidance about what happens next.
Yes. When appropriate and authorized by the client, CTC can coordinate tax-related matters with existing bookkeepers, payroll providers, financial advisors, attorneys, and other professionals.
CTC does not replace those professionals or provide services outside its scope. The purpose of coordination is to help keep relevant tax considerations connected to the broader decisions being made.
CTC uses TaxDome as its secure client portal for document exchange, electronic signatures, and secure messages. Clients upload and retrieve tax documents through the portal rather than sending sensitive information through ordinary email.
The portal is also used for questionnaires, document requests, and other engagement-related communication. Access instructions are provided during onboarding.
The amount of planning included depends on the service:
Clear Harbor: Careful tax return preparation without built-in planning during the year.
True North: Tax return preparation with one annual planning review, one tax projection, and related estimated tax guidance.
Charted Course: Preparation with two planning reviews, two tax projections, up to two additional brief check-ins, and quarterly review of estimated tax calculations.
Navigator: Ongoing and responsive planning support, including tax projections, scenario modeling, and coordination as significant questions or decisions arise.
Your proposal will identify the planning reviews, projections, check-ins, coordination, and other support included in your engagement.
Yes, when the tax situation is a good fit for a filing-focused engagement. Clear Harbor is designed for clients who need careful preparation but do not require built-in planning during the year.
Availability depends on the complexity of the returns, timing, fit, and practice capacity.
The service descriptions show the general type and level of support available. Your proposal will identify the returns, planning reviews, projections, payment guidance, coordination, and other work included in your engagement.
Additional entities, prior-year or amended returns, tax notices, major transactions, specialized projects, or significant changes during the year may require additional work.
If something falls outside the agreed scope, CTC will explain what is needed and discuss any additional scope or fee before that work begins.
Fees are based on the returns involved, the complexity of the tax situation, and the amount of planning, coordination, and support included in the engagement.
Starting fees are provided on the Services page. The proposed scope and fee are confirmed before any work begins.
If your situation sounds like a fit and you are ready to take the next step, the Fit Review is the place to begin.
Common gaps, warning signs, and questions worth asking when a tax situation has become more complex than a standard filing process can address.
