One aspect of running a small business that few people give a lot of thought to is the way they deal with professional vendors such as bankers, lawyers, accountants and so on. Most entrepreneurs just dive right into their businesses without giving a second thought to how these professionals should be treated, what they can do for you and what they in turn look for in clients. With a little thought and effort, you can ensure that you get the most from these relationships.
The main thing to remember is that you need a personal relationship with each of these people. They have the ability sometimes direct, sometimes indirect to drastically influence the success of your business. Your goal should be to develop a long-term, personal relationship with each of them. If you do that, when you hit a bump in the road, they'll be there to help you get over it.

Turning your special skills and abilities into a profitable business is a growing trend. Many are considering self-employment as a viable and rewarding life choice. Concerns unique to your particular situation need to be addressed, but issues you should definitely include in your decision making process are:
Assessing yourself and your skills
Determining market opportunities
Analyzing competitors
Regulations and laws affecting the business
Selecting professional advisors
Preparing your business plan
Setting fees or determining pricing
Keeping records
How to legally minimize paying tax
Preventing losses and wasting resources
Running a smooth operation

Our firm specializes in the Employee Stock Option and Equity Based Compensation area. Many employees pay far too much income tax on their stock options without realizing it. We educate option holders on the tremendous tax planning and savings opportunities available with their ISO's, NQSO's and Rule 144 stock, and the steps needed to secure these savings. Understanding which, when and how to exercise and why can save the option holder a fortune in income taxes.

Income Tax Preparation: We prepare the often complex tax return associated with option holders and assure the alternative minimum tax (AMT) is handled properly and all AMT credits are tracked and refunded.

  • Stock Option Analysis:
    • We keep a running inventory of our clients' stock option position so we can project and instruct which options to exercise, and when. This also allows us to remain current and to consult with our clients year round on their option and 144 positions.
  • Tax Planning Analysis:
    • In conjunction with our Stock Option Analysis, we guide our clients when to pay related taxes, and often when not to pay. In addition, how to maximize deductions and avoid AMT.
  • Exercise Strategies:
    • We show option holders a variety of exercising strategies, particularly if the option holder desires to conserve cash.
  • Diversification:
    • We help option holders who need assistance on how and when to diversify their portfolios away from their concentrated position into a well rounded performing portfolio.
  • Working with Investment Advisors:
    • We work closely with the investment advisor of option holders to provide a team approach for securing proper tax and investment decisions.