the abacus method
April should be a formality,
not a reveal.
One method, run on an annual cycle. It exists so your tax bill is a set of decisions you made — reviewed quarterly, written down, no surprises.
Analyze — the baseline
We take your last two returns, every entity, and every income stream, and build the baseline ledger. This is where we find what was defaulted: missed elections, mis-sized retirement plans, timing nobody chose. You leave this step knowing exactly where you stand.
Strategize — the strategy ledger
Every lever worth pulling in your facts — entity, retirement design, timing, benefits, state exposure — priced in your numbers with its deadline attached. You approve the plan line by line. Nothing happens that isn't on the ledger.
Execute — the year-round part
We implement with your payroll, bookkeeper, and advisors, then meet every quarter to reconcile the plan against reality. Filing season is just the last checkpoint — the return matches the ledger you've watched all year.
What you see all year
The running ledger is the deliverable — what's done, what's next, and the deadline it carries. If you can't see your plan, you don't have one.
- ✓ Q1 estimate reconciled Apr
- ✓ Salary split reviewed Jul
- ◈ Cash-balance plan decision Sep 30
- ◈ Year-end timing review Nov
- ◈ File — matches the ledger Apr
"Filing tells you the score. Planning changes it."