Tax Strategy
Proactive tax planning that looks ahead. Hunter Green CPA plans your entity structure, timing, deductions, and retirement strategy before year-end so you keep more of what you earn. Built for high-earning clinicians running a business on the side.
The Work
Tax strategy is about making decisions before the year ends. Most business owners file their taxes based on what already happened. The numbers are what they are, and the only job left is to report them accurately. That is compliance work, and it is necessary. But it is not the whole picture.
Strategy means looking at your situation in the middle of the year, or even at the start, and making choices that affect your tax outcome. It means choosing the right entity structure, timing income and expenses with purpose, and setting up retirement accounts that reduce what you owe. This is planning work, and it happens well before the return gets prepared.
Entity Structure Planning
Entity Structure Planning
Your business structure determines how your income gets taxed. An LLC taxed as a sole proprietorship pays self-employment tax on every dollar of profit. The same business structured as an S corporation can split income between wages and distributions, which often reduces the total tax. For clinicians with strong business income, getting this right matters.
Timing and Deductions
Timing and Deductions
When you recognize income and when you take deductions can shift your tax liability from one year to another. If you are expecting a big year followed by a slower one, or if your W-2 income is changing, timing decisions can make a real difference. The same goes for equipment purchases, retirement contributions, and other deductible expenses.
The Situation
If you are a nurse, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or physician who also runs a business, your tax situation is more complicated than most people realize. You have W-2 income from your clinical job, which gets taxed at your marginal rate. Then you have business income on top of that, which lands in a higher bracket from dollar one. Without the right structure, you are paying more than you need to.
The problem is that this overpayment is quiet. You do not get a letter saying you could have done better. You just file, pay, and move on. Maybe a friend mentions something about S corps, but you do not have time to figure it out. Meanwhile, the opportunity cost adds up year after year.
The Default Structure
The Default Structure
Most clinicians start their side business as a simple LLC or sole proprietorship because it is easy. That works fine when the numbers are small. But once the business is generating real income, that default structure becomes expensive. Self-employment taxes alone can run 15.3% on top of your income tax, and there are legal ways to reduce that.
The Dual-Income Complexity
The Dual-Income Complexity
Your personal and business taxes are connected. A retirement contribution to your business affects your personal return. An S corp election changes how you pay yourself. The qualified business income deduction depends on your total household income. If one person is preparing your business return and someone else is preparing your personal return, these connections get missed.
The Approach
Tax strategy at Hunter Green CPA starts with understanding your full picture. We look at your W-2 income, your business income, your retirement situation, and your goals. From there, we look at the structures and timing decisions that fit your situation. We do the analysis and make recommendations you can actually use.
This work connects to everything else we do. If we are handling your bookkeeping and taxes, we see the numbers as they develop through the year. If we are preparing your business and personal tax returns, we already know both sides of your financial life. For clients with multi-entity structures, strategy includes how the entities interact and how management fees flow between them.
Retirement Strategies
Retirement Strategies
Retirement accounts are one of the most powerful tax planning tools available. A SEP-IRA or solo 401(k) lets you contribute far more than a standard IRA. For clinicians with significant business income, these contributions can reduce your current tax bill substantially while building wealth. The right account depends on your income level, whether you have employees, and how much you want to set aside.
Working Together
Working Together
Tax strategy is an ongoing relationship where we check in during the year, review your situation as things change, and adjust the plan accordingly. The goal is value beyond compliance. If you are ready to do more than file what already happened, reach out for a consultation.
Your Trusted CPA
Next Step:
A Short Conversation
Tell us about your business and what you need help with. We'll ask a few questions, explain how we can help, and tell you exactly what it will cost.