Preparing your own income tax return can be a task that leaves you with more questions than answers. According to a study released by the US Government's General Accounting Office, most taxpayers (77% of 71 million taxpayers) believe they benefited from using a professional tax preparer. Whether we like it or not, today's tax laws are so complicated that filing a relatively simple return can be confusing. It is just too easy to overlook deductions and credits to which you are entitled. Even if you use a computer software program there's no substitute for the assistance of an experienced tax professional. We check and review your returns using our computer software and offer electronic filing in order to get returns processed in an efficient manner.

Planning is the key to successfully and legally reducing your tax liability. We go beyond tax compliance and proactively recommend tax saving strategies to maximize your after-tax income. We make it a priority to enhance our mastery of the current tax law, complex tax code, and new tax regulations by attending frequent tax seminars. Not only do we stay on top of the latest tax laws, throughout the year, we can review your year to date information in order to project any tax liabilities due for the year so that you have adequate time to prepare and plan ahead.

Shellie H. Penley, CPA, PA's goal is to help you reach your financial goals and maintain financial independence through a comfortable retirement. We can guide you through tough decision-making processes such as asset allocation, investment performance monitoring, college education funding, retirement plans, insurance, and tax, estate, and business succession planning. Whether you are developing an investment strategy or evaluating current investments, Shellie H. Penley, CPA, PA can ensure that your portfolio will take into account tax implications for an advantageous after-tax return. The road to retirement is a long one and we can help you to take the proper steps to reach your goals.

Building and preserving your personal wealth requires specialized attention. You get one-on-one guidance and a comprehensive financial plan that helps manage risk, improve performance, and ensure the growth and longevity of your wealth.

Various planning opportunities such as...

• Save enough for a comfortable retirement by identifying your retirement needs, analyzing your assets and sources of retirement income, reviewing estimated shortfalls, and identifying the best ways to save for retirement given your financial situation and risk tolerance.
• Pay for your child's college education by accurately estimating the amount of money you'll need, analyzing your assets, reviewing estimated shortfalls and considering general alternatives and strategies to help address these potential shortfalls, and developing an optimal savings plan given your financial situation and risk tolerance.
• Protect your family in case of you become disabled by ensuring you have enough money in your emergency fund and analyzing your life, disability, health, home, and auto insurance coverage. We also review your will and various powers of attorney designed to take care of your affairs in the event you are incapacitated and can't manage them yourself.
• Achieve your investment goals by identifying the steps needed to maximize your investment returns as well as the steps needed to help minimize your risk while building increased predictability of your investment returns.
• Leave a legacy for your heirs by maximizing the value of your estate by saving tax dollars, professional fees, and court costs. As well as minimizing the costs of probate, creditors, lawyers, and estate taxes, which can negatively impact the value of your estate. We also help you stay in control of your affairs by providing a road map for passing your estate on to your heirs.